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Feral
Cat Program
A non-lethal
approach to controlling the feral cat population
Feral cats are cats which are no longer domesticated. These ‘wild’ cats
may have been born into the wild, or may have become feral after being
lost or abandoned by an owner. Regardless of how they became feral,
feral cats exist everywhere, from rural communities to urban settings.
Feral cats are scavengers, and can survive in groups called colonies, as
long as they have a steady food source.
Feral cats have many benefits for a community, including keeping down
pest animals, such as mice, rats and insects, as well as chasing away
larger scavengers such as raccoons. They also provide companionship for
many people who serve as caretakers to ‘neighborhood cats.’
Unfortunately, ferals are themselves often considered nuisance animals,
because of their propensity to fight and spray urine, and the
uncontrolled breeding of many ferals. Therefore, ferals are a special
population. If managed correctly, feral colonies can benefit a
community, or at least do no harm. But if unchecked, the feral
population can grow out of control.
How TNR Works
No matter how aggressive, animal control laws will never solve the feral
cat problem. As quickly as feral cats are removed, other cats, or other
species, will fill the territory the removed cats have left behind.
Nationwide, the best solution to managing feral cat issues is a program
known as Trap, Neuter, Return, or TNR. This program relies on concerned
citizens or colony caretakers to humanely trap feral cats, sterilize
them through spaying or neutering, vaccinate for rabies, and ear tip
them to identify those altered. In this way, healthy, non-breeding
animals are returned to the habitat to live out their lives under the
watchful eye of the caretaker, while kittens brought in through the
program are able to be socialized and are put up for adoption.
Program Specifics
The feral cat program provides the spay or neuter surgery, ear tip and
rabies vaccination to feral cats from any parish for $25 per cat or
kitten.
Where
is the surgery performed?
The services are provided as part of our routine Spay/Neuter
Clinic on board the Dorothy Dorsett Brown Mobile Center, located at
1700 Mardi Gras Blvd, NOLA.
Getting an appointment
Due to the tremendous amount of requests, there can be a 2-3
week wait or more, so we recommend making appointments for your
feral cats and setting aside time to trap the night before or the
morning of your appointment. When calling, please leave your name,
phone number, the number of cats you expect to trap and specify that these
are feral cats and not domestic pets.
Appointments may be made by
calling 504-368-5191 ext 141. The program coordinator will
contact you within a week of your call.
What if you’ve caught a cat but do not have an appointment?
We can not take a cat last minute due to the number of
surgeries booked per day. Please try these other area resources who perform feral
cat spay/neuter.
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ARK
Animal Hospital - (504) 834-0906
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Jefferson Parish Animal Shelter - (504) 736-6111
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Southern Animal Foundation - (504) 671-8235
Trap
Rental
For feral cat caretakers who do not have their own traps, or who need to
supplement their supply for a scheduled TNR day, we offers traps
for use. These traps are separate from those rented through our Animal
Control department and may ONLY be used for TNR. A single trap may be
borrowed for s $30 deposit; a deposit of $50 must be put down for
multiple traps. The deposit is held until
the traps are returned, and is refunded in full. To borrow a TNR trap,
contact 504-368-5191 ext 205 or email
heather@la-spca.org.
Traps are also available for rent through Animal Control for non-TNR
purposes. If you have a feral cat or cats in your neighborhood, LA/SPCA
urges you to consider non-lethal TNR or to work with an existing
caretaker to resolve conflicts before resorting to turning in a feral to
the shelter. Information is available in our Resource Center to learn
more about issues surrounding ferals. To borrow an Animal Control trap,
call 504-368-5191 ext 100.
Ferals
Fight for Ferals by
Getting involved
Fosters for Ferals
Become a LA/SPCA
volunteer and enroll in our Foster Program. Help us
socialize semi-feral kittens and cats who may just need a little extra
TLC. The amount of attention and care these borderline animals receive
is often the key difference in whether or not they are successfully adopted.
Our foster program is always eager for new families to join, and accepts
applications for people wanting to foster dogs, cats, rabbits and other
pets. Help make a difference in an adoptable animal’s life.
Caretaker Club
Join our Caretaker Club! By joining the Club, you become an official
part of the caretaker community, with access to resources and the
ability to network with other caretakers. This is an invaluable tool for
caretakers who may have special needs and concerns, such as where to
find someone who can colony-sit while they’re out of town, or who may
want to find others in the neighborhood in order to pool resources. This
is also the list of folks who will be priority notified for free or low
cost spay days, donations of bulk cat food, and other great deals. If
you are interested in being a Caretaker
fill out the online
application.
The Feral Cat Re-homing Program
Most caretakers are relieved when their colony numbers stabilize due to
TNR. Some, due to their overwhelming success, find that their colonies
are now small and have room for other cats in need. We receive
hundreds of feral cats every year. These beautiful animals come from neighborhoods
where they are not welcome. Without a caretaker willing to oversee them,
they legally cannot be released. They are not adoptable
due to their feral nature. If you are a caretaker who is willing to put
in the time needed to delicately and patiently introduce new cats into
your habitat, please call 504-368-5191 ext 205. We will help select cats that have a
good likelihood of assimilating, and give you direction on how to
introduce them properly.
Resource
Resource Center
Feral Fact Sheets
Our PDF Feral Fact Sheets are the tools you need to support an existing
colony or to learn the basics necessary to become a caretaker.
Information exists for cat lovers and for those who live in a community
of cat lovers who may just want to find out more. Check out these great
topics:
Care and Feeding
Socializing
Kittens
Humane Trapping
Feral Cat Medical Issues
Neighbor Conflicts
Relocating Feral Cats
Keeping Cats OUT of
Your Yard
Trap-Neuter-Return |
