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CASTAWAY CRITTERS
The James A. Hueholt Memorial Foundation for Animals
OPTIONS IN PLACING FERAL CATS
The following is an excerpt from Best Friends No More Homeless Pets Forum, 7/8/2003: Placing stray (aka wild or feral) cats
Question from a member:
We get a lot of requests to take feral cats into our no-kill shelter. We
cannot usually accommodate these as the feral cats are not adoptable. How
does Best Friends handle these requests?
Best Friends Network Coordinator Beata's response:
Unfortunately, there are not many places for feral cats to go. Very few no-kill shelters or sanctuaries actually take in ferals, and those that do are very limited in the numbers they can take. Also, relocation of feral cats should be the very last resort...it is an involved process and should not be attempted unless the cats are truly in danger.
Many people have misconceptions about feral cats. The most important consideration with feral cats is their quality of life. They are much like wild animals - the great outdoors is home to them. We rob them of their home if we place them somewhere where they will be contained. Unfortunately, allowing them their freedom means sacrificing a certain degree of safety. However, we must consider that a feral cat may prefer life on its own turf rather than life in a home, shelter, or sanctuary. After all, the feral cat may be safe if he is contained, but if he is miserable, what's the point?
Since true feral cats are fearful of people and are not usually happy in a household situation, we recommend trap/neuter/return (TNR) as the best, most humane solution. By trapping, neutering, and then returning feral cats to their natural environment, the colony is stabilized. TNR allows the cats to keep their freedom, while dramatically improving their quality of life and increasing their long-term survival.
If you are concerned about the safety of the feral cats and feel they are truly endangered in their present location, there are a couple of things you might consider.
* One idea is to build an outside cattery to contain the cats; this option would keep them safe from outside dangers.
* Another option is seeking a safe relocation site. However, relocation is always stressful for feral cats and should be a last resort.
* Another option for feral cats is trying to locate barn cat placements for them.
* Feral kittens can usually be tamed if they are less than 16 weeks of age. We encourage callers to trap and foster young kittens until they are socialized and can then be adopted out into good homes.
Please check out the links:
Alley Cat Allies website Resource section where they have information on relocation, sample flyers, and much more;
Humane Management of Cat Colonies Living Outdoors
Best Friends has a building plan on how to build a cattery for feral cats, that they would be happy to send you. Just send an email to aimee@bestfriends.org requesting the information along with your name and address.
Also see our Feral Resources listings for Cat Fencing.
Additional Resources:
Feral Cats vs Pet Cats Humane Trapping Instructions
Living Outdoors
Summer Weather Tips, Keeping Cats Off Property
Options in Placing Feral Cats
Feral Cats & Felv/FIV Feral Cat Colony Registration
Feral Cat Resources
TNR Tools | 
