Stray/Feral Cats
For information on what to do if you see kittens outside, scroll down to the bottom. Click on the file below for a flowchart showing what to do with cats under our new policies.
| Cat Flowchart.pdf |
Cats in Your Neighborhood
Feral cats are cats that are unsocialized and avoid human contact because they have never had human contact, or over time have lost contact with people. These cats may have been former house cats (pets) or may have been born to former house cats.
Stray cats are cats that appear to be un-owned. They could be pet cats that are accidentally lost or were abandoned by their owners. They may be owned and are roaming the neighborhood, or they may consider the neighborhood "home". Stray cats - and kittens that have not been socialized at an early age - can become feral. Whatever their origin, most survive where there is food and shelter and do well in a variety of settings, from urban to rural. These cats are considered to be "community" or "neighborhood" cats. There is approximately one community cat for every six people in the community, or about 14,600 community cats in Chico.
Because many of these cats are unsocialized and therefore not adoptable, bringing these cats to the shelter is not the best option as they will most likely be euthanized. Removing cats from an area is not a good long-term solution as the void left by the cats removed will soon be filled by other cats - or other species such as raccoons or skunks (the "vacuum effect"). The most effective and humane way of dealing with neighborhood cats is leaving the cats where they are and having them spayed or neutered. It prevents unwanted kittens, therefore breaking the breeding cycle, allows the cats to live out their lives in their own territory, and over time actually results in a reduction of the cat population. And left in their natural habitat, cats are beneficial by providing natural rodent control.
Click on the links below to learn more.
Stray cats are cats that appear to be un-owned. They could be pet cats that are accidentally lost or were abandoned by their owners. They may be owned and are roaming the neighborhood, or they may consider the neighborhood "home". Stray cats - and kittens that have not been socialized at an early age - can become feral. Whatever their origin, most survive where there is food and shelter and do well in a variety of settings, from urban to rural. These cats are considered to be "community" or "neighborhood" cats. There is approximately one community cat for every six people in the community, or about 14,600 community cats in Chico.
Because many of these cats are unsocialized and therefore not adoptable, bringing these cats to the shelter is not the best option as they will most likely be euthanized. Removing cats from an area is not a good long-term solution as the void left by the cats removed will soon be filled by other cats - or other species such as raccoons or skunks (the "vacuum effect"). The most effective and humane way of dealing with neighborhood cats is leaving the cats where they are and having them spayed or neutered. It prevents unwanted kittens, therefore breaking the breeding cycle, allows the cats to live out their lives in their own territory, and over time actually results in a reduction of the cat population. And left in their natural habitat, cats are beneficial by providing natural rodent control.
Click on the links below to learn more.
| The Vacuum Effect - Why Catch and Kill Doesn't Work.pdf |
| Why Trap-Neuter-Release Feral Cats.pdf |
What You Should Know
Feral cats should not be relocated outside their natural range (200 feet or 2/3rds of a city block) and trapping and relocating a cat is considered abandonment. Please keep in mind that a cat that seems feral might be someone's pet, and as such is their personal property. There are no leash laws for cats, and cats are permitted to roam freely.
California Laws
Willful abandonment of an animal is prohibited. (Penal Code section 597s)
It is illegal to intentionally kill an animal. (Penal Code section 597)
Poisoning of animals is specifically prohibited. (Penal Code section 596)
Cats in Your Yard
Feral cats are highly adaptable and have coexisted with humans for thousands of years, avoiding people but living in close proximity to them. And while you might not mind the cats in the neighborhood, you might not like some of the things they do in your yard. Like any wild animal, most stray and feral cats live where they find food and shelter. And just like dealing with wildlife, controlling food sources and shelter, and using humane deterrents is effective in keeping stray or feral cats from being a nuisance. You may have to experiment with a variety of solutions to find the combination that works best for your situation.
Start out by talking to your neighbors to determine whether the cats you are seeing are owned, stray or feral, if they are spayed or neutered, and if there are people in the neighborhood feeding them. Often working with your neighbors can be more effective than trying to find solutions on your own.
Click on the link below to learn more about deterring cats in your yard.
Start out by talking to your neighbors to determine whether the cats you are seeing are owned, stray or feral, if they are spayed or neutered, and if there are people in the neighborhood feeding them. Often working with your neighbors can be more effective than trying to find solutions on your own.
Click on the link below to learn more about deterring cats in your yard.
| How to Live With Cats Brochure-rev3.pdf |
What About Stray Cats?
A study by the Journal of American Veterinary Medical Association shows that cats were 13 times more likely to return home by non-shelter means (return on their own, found by neighbor) than if the cats were brought to the shelter. The time elapsed before an owner begins to look for a lost cat at the shelter usually exceeds the stray holding period (4 days, not counting the day they came in or holidays), meaning the cat may be transferred, adopted or euthanized before the owner ever visits the shelter.
If you see friendly cats in your yard, it's best to leave them alone as they may actually belong to someone in the neighborhood. Do not feed them or else they will not go home. Remember, a cat's owner is more likely to find their cat if the cat is not brought to the shelter, but there are ways to help reunite lost cats with their owners.
Post flyers around the neighborhood. Click on this link to a site where you can create and print a flyer:
Pet Flyer Make sure to share the flyer with local veterinarians.
Bring the cat to a veterinarian or to the shelter to be scanned for a microchip.
Visit the Chico Animal Shelter to post a report in our Found log and check the Lost log.
Post the cat on our Pets Message Board
Create an ad on Craigslist
Post an ad in local newspapers.
If you are feeding any cats in your neighborhood, please be responsible and have them spayed or neutered. You might be able to work together with other people in your neighborhood to get this done.
The following organizations can help with traps and the cost of surgery:
PAWS of Chico: 530-895-8510
PawPrints Thrift Store: 530-895-1791
Butte Humane Society: 530-343-7917
PAWS of Oroville: 530-534-0900
If you see friendly cats in your yard, it's best to leave them alone as they may actually belong to someone in the neighborhood. Do not feed them or else they will not go home. Remember, a cat's owner is more likely to find their cat if the cat is not brought to the shelter, but there are ways to help reunite lost cats with their owners.
Post flyers around the neighborhood. Click on this link to a site where you can create and print a flyer:
Pet Flyer Make sure to share the flyer with local veterinarians.
Bring the cat to a veterinarian or to the shelter to be scanned for a microchip.
Visit the Chico Animal Shelter to post a report in our Found log and check the Lost log.
Post the cat on our Pets Message Board
Create an ad on Craigslist
Post an ad in local newspapers.
If you are feeding any cats in your neighborhood, please be responsible and have them spayed or neutered. You might be able to work together with other people in your neighborhood to get this done.
The following organizations can help with traps and the cost of surgery:
PAWS of Chico: 530-895-8510
PawPrints Thrift Store: 530-895-1791
Butte Humane Society: 530-343-7917
PAWS of Oroville: 530-534-0900
If you see kittens outdoors:
If you find kittens who are alone, determine if the mother has abandoned them. She could be looking for food or just hiding nearby. The only way to determine this is to wait. Leave the kittens alone and observe from a distance or a hidden spot. Often she will return within a few hours. Be patient. Kittens that are being cared for will seem content.
If she does not return within several hours, and it appears she has abandoned them, they are in danger, or they seem to be in distress, see alleycat.org/KittenProgression to determine their age. Depending on their age you may decided to provide care for them until they are old enough to be adopted, or they may be old enough to find them homes. If they are older than 4 months, they are good candidates for Trap-Neuter-Return.
For more information about caring and finding homes for kittens, see alleycat.org/kittens
If she does not return within several hours, and it appears she has abandoned them, they are in danger, or they seem to be in distress, see alleycat.org/KittenProgression to determine their age. Depending on their age you may decided to provide care for them until they are old enough to be adopted, or they may be old enough to find them homes. If they are older than 4 months, they are good candidates for Trap-Neuter-Return.
For more information about caring and finding homes for kittens, see alleycat.org/kittens
