SPAYING OR NEUTERING STRAY AND FERAL CATS

As soon as possible, you must trap the cats using humane box traps and have them spayed or neutered. (Trapping feral cats sounds complicated; in reality, it’s a simple and rewarding process, and it doesn’t hurt the cats.) Contact local groups involved with feral cat issues to find a low- or no-cost spay/neuter clinic. When the cats have been spayed/neutered and vaccinated, return them to the place where they were trapped. (Kittens can often be tamed, sterilized, and adopted.) You and other volunteers must then provide ongoing food, shelter, and care to keep the feral cats healthy and safe. For information about traps/trapping, Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR), and feral cat colony management, go to: www.alleycat.org 

Do not try to touch them! And never attempt to catch a cat by throwing a towel/blanket over just the cat. Never use tranquilizers on outdoor cats—the risk of injury (to you and to the cat) is too great. Trap the cats using humane (painless) box traps and have them spayed/neutered and vaccinated. Don’t wait, thinking the cats will get used to human presence and become tame enough to catch. They won’t, and while you wait, several litters of kittens will be born.

Generally, no. And do not plan to trap a cat, then transfer him to a carrier so you can use the trap again right away—the danger of injury (to the cat and to you) or escape is simply too great. Look for individuals/groups who loan out humane (painless) box traps. Ideally, you should have as many traps as there are cats. If not, aim to trap all the cats in two or three sessions. How many cats you can trap during each session also depends on availability at CatSnip.

5. Is there anything special that CatSnip will do when working with feral cats?