Community Cats
All cat lovers like us want to do everything they can to help our feline friends in need. However, feral cats tend to prefer life outdoors in their colonies and familiar territory to indoor life with humans. But that doesn’t mean we can’t help them live more comfortably!
All about Community Cats
What is a stray cat?
A stray cat is a cat that may act frightened and wary but
can return to living among humans happily.
What is a feral cat?
Feral cats have never been socialized or domesticated. They are fearful of people and are unlikely to enjoy living indoors.
What is TNR?
Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) is the humane, effective approach for feral cats. Cats are humanely trapped, spayed or neutered, vaccinated, ear-tipped and then returned to their outdoor home. Through TNR, a colony’s population stabilizes, cats’ lives are improved, and the community benefits. (Alley Cat Allies, alleycats.org)
What is an ‘ear tip’?
During spay or neuter surgery, ‘ear-tipping’—the painless removal of about 1 cm from the tip of the left ear—is a universal symbol indicating that a cat has been neutered and vaccinated. Ear-tipping helps communities easily identify cats who have participated in Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) programs, ensuring they are not re-trapped unnecessarily. For more information, visit the Eartipping page of the Alley Cat Allies website.
What do I do if I spot Kittens?
Stay calm! Do not frighten the kittens or their mother if she is present. Observe quietly from a distance of at least 35 feet to avoid scaring the mother away, and allow several hours to see if she returns to care for them. For guidance, call St. Louis Feral Cat Outreach at 314-669-5228 or Tenth Life Cat Rescue at 314-808-2454. Remember, mother cats may move their kittens every 5 to 7 days for safety, so keep an eye on their location.
Kittens should only be ‘rescued’ if they appear sick or in immediate danger. Removing them prematurely can lead to illness or even death. Before bringing a litter indoors, consider the time and resources needed to care for them, as well as your ability to place them in responsible homes. Please don’t assume a shelter or rescue will have space, as they are frequently overwhelmed with requests and most do not have a nursery of foster program for neonatal kittens. For more information, please visit our resources about how to help kittens.
Euthanasia stats for feral cats
Feral cats face an almost certain risk of euthanasia in many shelters. TNR offers a humane solution, reducing shelter intake. Together, we can end unnecessary euthanasia and make St. Louis a true ‘no-kill’ city
St. Louis Feral Cat Outreach
In St. Louis, Tenth Life partners with St. Louis Feral Cat Outreach, which aims to protect and improve the lives of feral/community cats by educating the community about Trap, Neuter, Return (TNR), advocate for responsible pet ownership and the importance of sterilization. The organization is dedicated to reducing the homeless cat population and providing outreach assistance to caretakers
Cold Weather Care for Community Cats
When the temperatures plummet, kitties who live outdoors have little recourse. That’s when we need to step in. No matter how small your efforts may feel, it is crucial to do something to help feral cats survive! You can help outdoor cats to live through the winter in various ways. Without your help, many of them will die from harsh conditions. Even the simplest gesture could sustain a cat until spring, when conditions become more livable. From building a simple shelter to providing food and water, there’s something everyone can do to help!
Benefits of Spaying/Neutering
According to our friends at Alley Cat Allies, “Trap-Neuter-Return is the humane, effective approach for feral cats. Feral cats are humanely trapped, spayed or neutered, vaccinated, and eartipped (the universal symbol of a neutered and vaccinated cat), and then returned to their outdoor home. Socialized cats and kittens are adopted into homes. The colony’s population stabilizes—no more kittens! Trap-Neuter-Return improves their lives and their relations with the community: the behaviors and stresses associated with mating stop.”
Benefits to Cats
- Longer, healthier lives.
- Decreased risk of reproductive system health problems.
- Prevention of uterine or ovarian cancer and decreased risk of breast cancer.
- Prevention of testicular cancer and decreased incidence of prostate disease.
Benefits to You
- Cats are friendlier after being altered.
- Neutered males are much less likely to mark territory.
- Spaying eliminates your female cat’s heat cycle, characterized by incessant yowling, nervousness, and attraction of unwanted males.
- Reduced incidence of behavior problems
- Decreased likelihood of biting.
Community Benefits
- TNR reduced fighting, smell, and noise in stray cats.
- Saves millions of dollars that communities spend on managing homeless pets.
- Decreases the burden on animal shelters inundated by homeless pets.
- Homeless cats and dogs are less likely to land in situations where cruelty could occur.
- Eventually, communities can become “no-kill” when pet homelessness is no longer an issue.