Welcome to a special edition of Treats & Tidbits.

October 16 is National Feral Cat Day, which marks the launch of a campaign by Alley Cat Allies, a national nonprofit resource for information on feral and stray cats, to change the policies that kill feral cats and kittens. In recognition of this day and these special felines, we are happy to bring you a special edition of Treats & Tidbits devoted entirely to feral cats.

You’ve probably seen them gathered around dumpsters, languishing behind restaurants or wandering in your neighborhood – homeless cats that flee at the first sight of humans. These are feral cats, which are the offspring of stray or abandoned household cats or other feral cats, or domestic cats that have been separated too long from human company and have become untamed. Without any human contact, they fear people. They often are erroneously labeled as “wild” cats. A lion or a tiger is a wild cat; a feral cat is a homeless, untamed domestic cat that has reverted to its wild ways.

The feral cat’s home is the outdoors, where he or she has spent his or her whole life. They can survive almost anywhere and are found worldwide. Not all homeless cats are feral; some are strays who are lost or have been recently abandoned by humans. Stray cats that once were companion animals sometimes can be resocialized and placed in homes. Adult feral cats cannot be socialized and are not adoptable as pets, although kittens born to feral cats, if taken before about the age of eight to 10 weeks, can be socialized and adopted.

Feral cats live in family groups called colonies that form near sources of food and shelter. They are families in both the social and (mostly) literal senses, because they live together, form bonds with each other and hunt for food.

They also breed. Unneutered males fight each other for access to females, causing injuries. Feral females left unspayed spend most of their time pregnant or caring for endless litters of kittens – up to three litters of two to 10 kittens per year, which ensures that feral cat colonies perpetuate and continue to grow. Current estimates put the U.S. feral cat population at 70 million.

Feral cats may not need or desire human companionship, but at Cat Hospital of Chicago, we believe they deserve our respect, compassion, care and protection. Given that adoption of feral cats is not a realistic option, many people concerned about the welfare of feral cats wonder what can be done to ease overpopulation and to help these cats.

Unfortunately, many communities kill feral cats, and many shelters automatically kill feral cats that are brought to their facilities. This is not only inhumane, but it’s also useless. Studies have shown that a feral cat population depleted by such methods will increase its breeding to fill the void, and cats from other areas will move into the territory to take advantage of the food and shelter.

A solution to the problem of feral cat overpopulation is Trap-Neuter-Return, or TNR. (It also is referred to as Trap-Alter-Return, or TAR.) Supported by Alley Cat Allies and many other organizations, TNR is the most humane and effective nonlethal way to reduce the population of feral cats both immediately and long term.

TNR programs operate largely or entirely through the dedicated efforts of committed volunteers. With TNR, stray and feral cats are humanely trapped, vaccinated, spayed or neutered and eartipped (a procedure that enables feral cats that have been vaccinated and sterilized to be permanently identified). Healthy adult cats that are not suitable for adoption are returned to their habitats; cats that are ill or injured beyond recovery are euthanized. Kittens and friendly adults are adopted into good homes.

In a TNR program, a feral cat colony caregiver, usually a volunteer rescue worker, feeds the cats on a regular basis and takes them to a veterinarian if they require medical attention. The resultant group of cats, including any new cats entering the caregiver’s sphere, is known as a managed feral cat colony.

The advantages of TNR include:

The health of the existing homeless cat population improves.

Feral cat colonies gradually diminish because new litters are prevented.

Fewer cats are brought to shelters and killed, which frees shelters’ space and funds.

People have fewer complaints about behaviors associated with unsterilized cats, including spraying, fighting, roaming and breeding.

Money is saved – funds that might have been spent responding to complaints and trapping, sheltering and euthanizing cats can be reallocated to more aggressive adoption and outreach programs.

The rodent population is reduced. In many areas, feral cats are valued for managing rodent populations.

Clearly, the safest place for domestic cats is indoors; however, because of the overpopulation crisis, there simply aren’t enough sanctuaries or available homes for them. The only humane and effective way to control the feral cat population and give the cats a chance at healthier lives is through TNR.

A number of Chicago-area organizations in addition to Cat Hospital of Chicago support TNR, including Anti-Cruelty Society, Chicagoland Stray Cat Coalition, PAWS Chicago and Tree House Animal Foundation. Other prominent organizations that endorse TNR include:

American Association of Feline Practitioners

American Animal Hospital Association

American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals

Association of Veterinarians for Animal Rights

Best Friends Animal Society

Cat Fanciers’ Association

Cornell Feline Health Center

Doris Day Animal League

North Shore Animal League

Petfinder

PetsMart Charities

Statements by some of these organizations on the efficacy of TNR are available here.

Some people and organizations, however, advocate simply killing feral cats. One of their arguments is that they’d be better off dead because TNR allows them to continue their daily struggle for survival and does little to improve their quality of life. In fact, TNR was created to solve this problem. In a properly managed feral cat colony, cats are provided with daily food, water and shelter, and when needed, medical care. Therefore feral cat colony caretakers are actively working toward minimizing the daily struggle these cats face.

Another argument is that feral cats carry highly contagious diseases, such as rhinotrachitis, feline AIDS and rabies. Research shows that most feral cats are healthy and are no more likely to be infected with disease than cats living in homes. In fact, according to Alley Cat Allies, about 4 percent of feral cats contract FeLV and FIV – the same percentage as house cats.

Regarding rabies, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there were 38 laboratory-confirmed human rabies cases between 1990 and 2006, but none was acquired from a cat. (Raccoons, skunks and bats are the most common carriers of rabies.)

	Source: AP

Plus, spaying and neutering feral cats creates a healthy, stabilized colony population. Neutering reduces or eliminates fighting and breeding – the primary modes of virus transmission – so cats already infected will pose little risk to other cats, indoors or out.

In communities where TNR is widely embraced, the numbers of feral cats have dropped. It works because it breaks the cycle of reproduction.

And it’s less costly than the alternative. In general, the cost of sterilizing and returning a feral cat is less than half the cost of trapping, holding, killing and disposing of a feral cat.

The bottom line is TNR protects public health and advances the goal of reducing the numbers of feral cats.

(Source: The Feral Cat Network)

Q: Why doesn’t trap & kill work?

A: Traditional, municipality-run attempts to trap and kill cats have historically resulted in greater numbers of stray animals than have well-planned TNR programs. TNR, in conjunction with public education, stabilizes numbers and facilitates the eventual elimination of colonies of homeless cats. The trap-and-kill method is usually implemented in spurts. Cats will be trapped for a few weeks and then the area is abandoned. Cats who escaped the traps remain. Moreover, people continue to abandon cats and allow unneutered cats to roam. Without public education, and without a permanent caregiver to monitor the area, the breeding cycle quickly starts up again. Trap-and-kill has been used for decades and there is still a feral cat overpopulation problem.

Q: Why should I spay/neuter the cats I’m feeding?

A:
Feeding without spaying/neutering makes the situation worse. You set up a perfect breeding ground for the cats. They multiply and multiply, while remaining in one area, until the population is out of control and someone complains. When that happens, the cats that you have been feeding might be trapped and killed. Moreover, feeding without spaying/neutering is more costly because you have to feed new litters.

Q: Are feral cats causing bird and wildlife populations to decline?

A:
It is true that outdoor cats do occasionally kill birds and other species; however, the main cause of bird and wildlife decline is habitat loss and fragmentation caused by development and other human activities. Conservation groups and government biologists estimate that cell phone and television communications towers kill up to 50 million birds a year, and ornithologists estimate that about 100 million birds in the U.S. die each year by flying into windows and breaking their necks.

Q: Why bother with feral cats?

A:
Several reasons. First, ignoring them is precisely what perpetuates the problem. We must stop the breeding cycle. Second, feral cats are domestic animals that sometimes lack basic necessities, such as food, shelter and medical care. Finally, many feral cats are victims of human irresponsibility and neglect, so humans should take responsibility to help them.

Q: Can’t the cats be moved or taken to a farm or sanctuary or otherwise relocated?

A:
There simply aren’t enough sanctuaries, barn homes and the like to house the tens of millions of feral cats estimated to be living in the U.S.

Cats should not be relocated or abandoned in an unfamiliar area. They will not be able to survive by hunting. Furthermore, cats are extremely territorial animals and will try to find their way back “home,” but most will not survive their desperate attempts to reconnect with their family and the habitat where they were born. Relocation should be considered only when the cats’ environment is truly under imminent threat. If the cats can stay at their present location, leave them there.

Q: I found feral cats. Now what do I do?

A:
Feral cats should never be taken to a shelter unless you know the shelter will not automatically kill the cats. The majority of ferals turned into shelters are killed. If you have found a colony, do not wait for a larger one to form. Look into having them TNRed as soon as possible.

If you are going to begin feeding the cats on a regular basis, make sure there is a backup person willing to take care of the colony in case you move or are no longer able to care for the cats. And if you feed them, be sure to have them spayed and neutered, or the colony will grow!

But do not attempt to handle or trap a homeless cat without first educating yourself on how to handle them or talking to an expert. See PAWS Chicago Trap-Neuter-Return, Alley Cat Allies Resource Center, Alley Cat Allies Human Trapping of Feral Cats and Alley Cat Allies Trapping Guidelines for helpful information, or visit the CSCC contact page for member organizations that may be able to help you.

The humane management and reduction of feral cat populations requires a community’s effort. If you are interested in caring for or trapping feral cats in your area, see PAWS Chicago Trap-Neuter-Return, Alley Cat Allies Resource Center, Alley Cat Allies Human Trapping of Feral Cats and Alley Cat Allies Trapping Guidelines for detailed information.

Here are other things you can to do help these cats and prevent future litters.

Get involved. Alley Cat Allies is putting on free workshops in Chicago that provide information on how to stop the cycle of breeding with TNR, build inexpensive shelters, humanely trap outdoor cats and safely deter cats from where they aren’t wanted.

Be a volunteer. Alley Cat Allies – Chicago is looking for local volunteers to participate in community education, trapping or feral cat awareness events in Chicago. E-mail alleycat@alleycat.org.


Make sure all cats in your care are spayed or neutered.

Support TNR efforts in your community.

Always adopt, rather than purchase, your next feline companion.

Ask your shelter to implement a feral cat program based on Trap-Neuter-Return.

Anti-Cruelty Society, PAWS Chicago and Tree House Animal Foundation offer feral cat spay/neuter services. Contact their clinics for more information.

Anti-Cruelty Society
157 W. Grand Ave.
Chicago, IL 60610
312-644-8338, ext. 347

PAWS Chicago
Lurie Clinic
3516 W. 26th St.
Chicago, IL 60623
773-521-SPAY (7729)

Tree House Animal Foundation
1212 W. Carmen Ave.
Chicago, IL 60640
773-784-5488, ext. 229

Many member organizations of the Chicagoland Stray Cat Coalition also offer low-cost spay/neuter programs through veterinarians in their areas. See CSCC contact page for member contact information. Alley Cat Allies lists additional feral cat organizations here.

For more information about feral cats, TNR, trapping and caring for feral cats, and other ways you can help, visit:

Alley Cat Allies

Alley Cat Allies – Chicago

ASPCA

Chicagoland Stray Cat Coalition

Feral Cat Network

PAWS Chicago

Tree House Animal Foundation