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If you find a stray cat, it is important to determine if the cat is merely homeless or if it is feral. Stray cats are typically lost or abandoned pets and are usually friendly to people and will approach humans seeking food, water and shelter. Even if they have adapted well to living on their own, stray cats can generally be rehomed. If you are feeding a stray cat and you can pet it, it is not feral.
Options for lost or stray cats:
Feral cats are wild animals, and are not considered adoptable by most shelters. Most feral cats taken to the local shelter will be killed. This is completely unnecessary. Like squirrels, deer, opossums, or other wild creatures, feral cats can be left to live in peace. The best solution for feral cats is Trap-Neuter-Return, or TNR. The cat is trapped in a humane trap, transported to a clinic to be sterilized and receive basic shots, and returned to the area it came from. Over time, TNR will stabilize and reduce the feral cat population, something simply killing these innocent creatures does not accomplish. Any feral kittens can be "tamed" and adopted if they are trapped and handled at a young enough age. It is typical to trap the mother and kittens, fix them all and give them their shots, then return the mother to the colony and keep the kittens to place for adoption.
- Trap-Neuter-Return to the place you found the cat.
- Find a managed cat colony for the cat to join.
- Find someone looking for a barn cat.
- Find another neigbor or friend willing to let the cat live in their yard and care for it.
- For kittens, trap, sterilize and vaccinate at approximately 6-8 weeks of age, then tame and adopt out. Make sure to keep the mom supplied with food and water while she's nursing. After they're tamed, kittens can participate in our assisted rehoming program. See Cat Guardian Instructions.
The Austin Humane Society has a very active TNR program and a feral cat coordinator. Please contact them for help with feral cats.
For a list of humane ways to keep cats out of your yard, visit http://www.spcaonline.com/docs/catsinyard.pdf.
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