Advocating for Community Cats. Helping neighborhoods they live in.

We Love a Tipped Ear

What are “Community Cats”

Ferals, as well as strays, are increasingly referred to as free-roaming cats, or as we prefer to call them, Community Cats. The best way to help the cats is through Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR). Community Cats are unowned and live outside. Some may be very feral – unsocialized and fearful of humans – while others may socialized and allow human contact. Some are former pet cats that have been abandoned or gotten loose, or ones that are cared for by a caretaker or a community of people. The cats are most often found living outdoors in groups known as colonies. The cats in a colony share a common food source and territory and may include ferals and non-ferals. Most feral colonies originate from unaltered stray cats.

While they live outside and exhibit wild behavior, feral cats are not wildlife. The vast majority rely on some form of human-based food source for their sustenance, whether it's a caretaker who feeds daily, food from a dumpster behind a supermarket or scraps found on the ground. Very few subsist on hunting alone.

"Feral" is a behavioral characteristic, not a biological one. As a result, the same cat can be feral and not feral at different points in her life. An outdoor kitten may be born feral, then be taken indoors, socialized and adopted out as a friendly pet. Or an adult cat may have been a pet for years then become lost and, after a few months of living on his own, start to act unsocialized. In addition, feral is not a black or white quality, but different cats will be feral to different degrees.

If you are a caretaker for a colony, thank you for caring for your community cats. However, the more important part of what you do is keeping the number of cats under control. That is where TNR (Trap-Neuter-Return) is most effective. Please contact us to discuss how we can help you manage the feral/stray cats in your area.

If you find a cat or cats outdoors, there are a few scenarios to consider.

Is that cat already ear-tipped? This identifies a cat that has been spayed or neutered through a TNR program. The cat is habituated to its territory and outdoor living and should remain in that location.

Is that cat friendly? You should consider posting on social media to see if anyone is missing their fur baby. If an owner is not found and you have the resources, you can choose to foster or adopt her. If the friendly cat is used to outdoor living, they can be returned outside after TNR.

Is that cat injured or ill? If so, you can make an appointment with a local veterinarian or one of the low-cost clinics in the area. After the cat has been examined by a veterinarian, you can determine what needs to be done to get the cat healthy and re-released.

Is it a small kitten? Kittens under eight weeks of age should not be separated from their mother – unless the kitten is very sick or the mother is has been killed. If you find kittens alone, let them be. Most likely the mother is around and she will return. It is imperative to their well-being that they are cared for by their mom until they are weaned. If you do need to intervene, nursing kittens have special needs. Please contact us if you need more information.

Spaying or neutering kittens when they are 8 weeks old and at least 2 pounds is ideal for their health and wellbeing. If the kittens’ mother is with them, spay her at the same time. This is critical so she does not become pregnant again. We have tips for trapping a mother cat and kittens and can assist with the process. Once they have been altered and if the cats are not socialized/friendly, it is recommended that you return them to their environment. If kittens are young enough to socialize and you have the time and resources to help them, you can foster and then adopt them out.

Remember, keeping a community cat confined to your home can cause undue stress to both the cat and you. The cats thrive in their outdoor homes. The best thing you can do for them is to provide food and water .

Community Cats 101

Be a Responsible Pet Owner

First and foremost, if you are a cat owner, please “For the Love of Cats” spay and neuter your pet. Why is it important that you do this? Each year, millions of healthy, adoptable dogs and cats are euthanized in the U.S. because there are not enough loving homes for them.

There are several veterinarian clinics in the Northwest Ohio area that offer low cost spay and neuter services:

• Humane Ohio
• Planned Pethood, Inc.
• Humane Society and SPCA of Hancock County
• Community PetCare Clinic

Fees vary at each location. There may be a waiting list, but the cost of services is substantially reduced, and you’ll not only save money, but be saving lives of animals waiting for adoption at a shelter or rescue.