Community Cats

How can I tell if a cat I see outside is lost or needs my help?

If you’re outside and spot a cat lounging in the grass or by the side of the road, follow these steps to determine if the cat needs your help.

I’ve found a litter of kittens; should I rescue them?

Before you scoop up a litter of newborn kittens, keep in mind that, depending on their age, the kittens may be better off with their mom (for a while, at least). Check out these guidelines for whether and when you should rescue kittens.

How can I keep cats out of my yard or garden?

Just as there are nonlethal ways to resolve problems with raccoons, opossums or other wild animals, there are humane solutions for keeping cats away from areas where they’re not welcome. Whether your goal is to prevent neighborhood cats from digging in your garden, upsetting your indoor pets or leaving paw prints on your car, a little ingenuity and some high- and low-tech strategies will teach outdoors cats to avoid off-limits areas. Among some of the most effective – and feline-safe – methods are:

• Motion-Activated Sprinklers: The most effective method, as cats dislike water and the surprise factor.
  
• Scent Repellents: Scatter citrus peels (orange, lemon), coffee grounds, pipe tobacco, or citronella.
• Spiky Ground Cover: Place pinecones, chicken wire, or specialized Cat Scat mats on top of soil to prevent digging.
• Plants: Plant Coleus canina (Scaredy-Cat plant), lavender, or rue.
• Physical Barriers: Seal gaps under fences or decks, and cover exposed soil in garden beds with large, heavy stones. 

I’m already feeding outdoor cats. What cans I do to improve their health and safety?

The most important thing you can do to protect the health and safety of the cats you feed is to ensure they’re sterilized and vaccinated. In addition, you can be a stellar caretaker by following smart feeding practices, providing winter shelter, monitoring cats for health issues, and keeping the peace between cats and their human neighbors.

Where do community cats live?

Population estimates vary widely, but most experts agree that tens of millions of community cats live in the U.S. They’re predominantly found near where people live or work. They can thrive in densely populated areas, where there’s easy access to food and shelter, as well as rural settings, where they’re often called barn cats. Community cats may live alone or in pairs or congregate in groups. Rarely do you find cats living in remote areas in the U.S., surviving without the help of humans.

Who takes care of community cats?

An estimated 10%-12% of the American public feed community cats. In addition to providing daily meals and fresh water, these cat caregivers may provide dedicated shelter to protect the cats in inclement weather and provide medical care if the cats become sick or injured. They look out for the cats and often participate in TNR efforts to get the cats fixed and vaccinated and work with other residents to mitigate any complaints that arise due to the presence of the outdoor cats.

How can I help combat cat overpopulation?

Solving cat overpopulation is a complex undertaking that involves both humanely reducing the population of community cats and preventing the addition of more cats. There’s no quick fix and no single solution—a combination of tools is needed:

• Spaying and neutering of community cats through strategic, high-intensity TNR and related programs. To effectively reduce the population, approximately 80% of the cats in the focus area (or community) need to be sterilized.
• Spaying and neutering of owned cats and cats adopted from shelters and rescues before they’re 5 months old (because cats can have kittens while they’re still kittens).
• Helping people keep their own cats when faced with cat behavior challenges as well as their own financial struggles or housing.
• Providing people with options and assistance for rehoming cats they can no longer keep so that those cats aren’t abandoned outdoors.
• Encouraging people to keep their owned cats indoors and promoting strategies to keep cats happy and active with an indoors lifestyle.

Community cat information provided with assistance from our friends at Humane World for Animals.