How to help a colony of cats?

How to help a colony of cats?

Provide help

1. Spay or neuter your own cats before they can reproduce at four to five months of age.
2. Get involved with or help to support organizations or agencies that help community cats.
3. Become a community cat caretaker.
4. Volunteer to socialize feral kittens.
5. Volunteer to help at a spay/neuter event for community cats.

Can feral cats be healthy?

Community cats, also called feral cats, are unowned cats who live outdoors and are not socialized to people. They live contented lives with their feline families (often called colonies) in their outdoor homes. Cats, like squirrels, chipmunks, and birds, are capable of living healthy, fulfilling lives in the outdoors.

How to Get Rid of stray cats naturally?

To keep cats away from gardens, flower beds, or specific areas of property, scatter fragrant items that don’t appeal to a cat’s sense of smell, like fresh orange or lemon peels, organic citrus-scented sprays, coffee grounds, vinegar, pipe tobacco, or oil of lavender, lemongrass, citronella, or eucalyptus.

How to take care of a feral cat colony?

Possibly one of the most important parts of caring for a feral cat colony is assisting with trap-neuter-return of the colony members. TNR programs involve humanely trapping feral cats, taking them to a veterinarian for spaying or neutering (and often vaccines, deworming, or other medical care), then returning the cat to the colony.

What happens if you have a feral cat?

The cats will gather around the food source and a kitty colony might form. That cat colony will make babies and due to a limited gene pool, some kittens might be born unhealthy and sick, with physical defects. But this is only an issue if you don’t neuter the cats which you should.

Is it good to feed stray and feral cats?

On the other hand, many cat websites such as Catster claim that feeding strays and ferals is not a good idea. The cats will not be as hungry and skinny. Their health will improve. You’ll save a lot of birds, mice, and other wild animals that those kitties hunt. The cats will gather around the food source and a kitty colony might form.

Why is it important to take care of Stray Cats?

Stray and feral cats are used to living outside. But during the winter time, it can be really hard for them to find a suitable shelter and a dry place to hide. With the low winter temperatures, it is extremely important for them to have a shelter that’ll keep them warm. Why don’t you put your hands to work and make your own homemade shelter?

Possibly one of the most important parts of caring for a feral cat colony is assisting with trap-neuter-return of the colony members. TNR programs involve humanely trapping feral cats, taking them to a veterinarian for spaying or neutering (and often vaccines, deworming, or other medical care), then returning the cat to the colony.

When do feral cats become dependent on You?

Once you put food out you become a “colony manager” and the cats become dependent on you. The following guidelines and suggestions will help you provide proper care to your feral cat colony.

How does the San Diego Humane Society care for feral cats?

Jennifer Behler, the chief operating officer at the San Diego Humane Society, says that most feral cat colony caretakers provide the following: Trap, spay/neuter and return (with ear tipping); also known as TNR Monitoring health concerns by “arranging veterinary care when available or [for] humane euthanasia as needed,” Behler says.

When to spay or neuter a feral cat?

At that time you can capture and socialize them for adoption. If you can not commit to the time and care to socialize kittens, leave them with their colony and spay/neuter them at about 12 weeks. If you go on a trip or move arrange for a new caregiver or neighbor to handle colony duties.