What to do with feral cats

No one wants a feral cat for a pet. They can’t be socialized like other cats because they’re so afraid of people.  For this reason, they’re rarely adopted and shelters usually end up euthanizing them.

Fortunately, trap-neuter-return (TNR) practices now offer a humane solution to euthanization. TNR involves:

• catching the cats in a humane trap,
• taking them in to be spayed or neutered, and
• releasing them back into the area where they were trapped

Spaying and neutering these cats stabilizes the feral population in a neighborhood. It also helps reduce fighting among tomcats and obnoxious territorial spraying.

To find out the number of feral cats living in your community, divide your city’s human population by 6. When one is spotted in your neighborhood, it is best to leave it alone. If there is a neighbor feeding the cat, check with them to see whether the cat has been trapped, neutered, and returned (TNR).  If not, contact one of the agencies below.

Feral Cat Resources

If you have feral cats in your area, the following groups can help:

• Alley Cat Allies is a national group that advocates for TNR programs.
• Feral Cat Coalition of Oregon (FCCO) – Spay/neuter program for cats serving Oregon and SW Washington. Donation-based services for feral and outdoor stray cats. To learn more, click here.