Can Cattown come help me catch a cat?

We have very limited resources, and therefore concentrate on managing our own colonies and cats. Please check out the TNR Toolkit for help catching a cat.

What is the difference between feral and stray cats?

Stray cats are cats that have been socialized to humans. They are tame pets who are lost or abandoned. They are cats that may be reunited with their families or adopted into new homes. Feral cats are cats that have not been socialized; they did not grow up with humans so they are fearful of them. Feral cats are the offspring of stray cats or other feral cats who are not spayed or neutered. They are not accustomed to contact with people and are typically too fearful and too wild to be handled by people. Learn more here: https://www.alleycat.org/resources/feral-and-stray-cats-an-important-difference/

Can a feral cat be socialized/kept as a pet cat?

Feral cats can sometimes adapt to indoor life, but attempting to tame adult feral cats is generally not the best use of resources. There are thousands of stray cats that are adapted to an indoor life who need homes; feral cats do not want to live inside with people and doing so is very stressful for them. Because they have not had extensive contact with humans at an early age, adult feral cats are not good candidates for adoption pets. However, feral kittens can be socialized and learn to love people and this is an important approach to reducing the feral cat population. 

I found an adult cat outside, what do I do?

You may need to either TNR (trap, neuter, return) or bring it inside, depending on if it is a stray cat or a feral cat. See “What is the difference between feral and stray cats?” and check out our TNR toolkit to learn more about how to provide aid to lost or feral cats.

I found a kitten outside, what do I do? 

Kittens that are younger than eight weeks old (see the images for help aging kittens) generally need to be with their mothers. If you have found kittens that are alone and still small, wait and see if a mother comes for them. Kittens need to nurse ever few hours, so if the mother doesn’t return or if the kitten is approaching you and meowing, you should bring it inside. If it is old enough to walk (four or more weeks) offer it wet cat food if you have it, and water. Kittens need a specific milk formula, Kitten Milk Replacer, or KMR, which can be found at pet stores and some grocery stores. DO NOT GIVE THE KITTEN COW MILK. Cow’s milk can make a kitten or even a grown cay dangerously ill very quickly. Only give a kitten KMR. Also avoid giving a kitten human-grade tuna from a can, because the high amount of salt in the canned tuna can quickly dehydrate a kitten. Call veterinary professional to get more specific assistance.

The best, most comprehensive guide to caring for kittens can be found here:

https://kittenrescue.org/cat-care/ 

And you can learn more about kittens here:

https://www.alleycat.org/resources/kitten-care-kit/

Learn more about the life stages of kittens here:

https://www.alleycat.org/resources/kitten-progression/

There is a litter of kittens outside, what do I do with them?

First, look closely at them and look around for a mother. Are they somewhere safe from predators, humans, and vehicles? Are they warm? Are their bellies round with food or do they appear skinny? Check the guide to aging kittens to determine how old they are. Kittens that are younger than four weeks should not be disturbed because they are still dependent on their mother for milk and care. If they are dirty, cold, crying for food, or in a dangerous area, you should consider taking them in to your home or an experienced rescue who can handle kittens. It is ideal that you also trap or catch the mother (if she is around) and keep her with the kittens. If the kittens are older than four weeks and you either have space to keep them and socialize them or have made arrangements with a rescue, you should also take them. Kittens at this age can begin eating solid food and are also ready to spend time with people! Be sure to give them continuous access to dry food that is formulated for kittens, as well as clean water, and provide wet food for kittens twice a day. Do not ever give them cow’s milk or other foods as kittens can quickly become very sick from any milk other than their mother’s and need very specific nutrients in order to be healthy. 

I found a cat or kitten and I can’t foster or care for it. Where can I take it?

1. Do your research to find a no-kill shelter. When searching for a rescue, be sure you look for “no-kill” shelters because these places are committed to caring for all of the animals they take in for their natural lives or until they are adopted. Kill shelters do not have this policy, and will euthanize (kill) animals when they run out of space or if they have any behavioral or medical issues, and kittens are typically euthanized immediately because they cannot survive in a shelter environment. ACCT Philly is a kill shelter; the Philadelphia SPCA is a no-kill shelter. Make a list of no-kill shelters in your area, and call and email them. Be persistent – many places do not have time or staff to consistently answer phones or return calls so it is up to you to reach them. Shelters are frequently full, but persistence pays off. Keep searching and keep calling. You may also want to try calling local veterinary offices and asking if they will be able to post the cat as available for adoption, recommend places to call, or even take it in on a short term basis. Also try reaching out to local FaceBook groups, especially local pet-focused groups, and also contact people in your personal network. You might know someone who is able to foster them.

2. Have a donation ready and be ready to transport the cat. There are numerous no-kill rescues in the Philadelphia area, but most require a donation to accept a cat. This is because taking in cats is expensive, an no-kill shelters are committed to care for a cat for its entire life, providing for food, litter, and all medical expenses. If you find somewhere that can take the cat, have a carrier or secure box ready because shelters do not have resources to pick them up.

Where can I get a humane cat trap?

We purchase ours from TruCatch because they have a range of sizes, including kitten traps. (https://www.trucatchtraps.com/small-animal-traps/feral-cat-traps). But check online, other sites have them and they frequently go out of stock.

I saw a cat outside with a snipped ear. What does that mean?

Cats that are missing the top tip of their ear are cats that have been trapped and cared for and then returned to their home outside. This missing ear tips signifies that they have been neutered/spayed, and given vaccinations. If you noticed the cat in our logo, it also has a snipped ear.

Is it ok to declaw my cat?

No. Just like shag carpets and parachute pants, declawing your cat is a trend from a prior era that is just not cool anymore. 

Is it ok to let my pet cat outside?

We recommend very strongly that all cats be kept 100% indoors for many reasons. The Human Society estimates that approximately 10 million pets are lost each year, and one reason for this is pets being let outside without supervision or in unsecured enclosures. Because there is also a lot of wildlife outside that can carry diseases that can be transmitted to your pet cat, the only way to keep them safe is by keeping them in. This also cuts the risk of them getting worms or fleas and other issues that lead to increased vet bills.

How do I report animal cruelty?

In Philadelphia, you can report cases of abuse and neglect by immediately calling an animal protection agency such as the Philadelphia SPCA at their animal cruelty hotline at 1-866-601-SPCA or at 215-426-6300. You can also contact ACCT Philly using this online form (which is only for non-emergencies) or by calling them at 267-385-3800, 24hrs a day. In addition to obvious forms of animal cruelty, leaving animals outside in extreme temperatures is a crime in Pennsylvania. Call and report instances where a dog is tethered for longer than 30 minutes in temperatures above 90 or below 32 degrees Fahrenheit. You can read more about this law here (https://www.governor.pa.gov/newsroom/governor-wolf-reminds-pet-owners-temperature-restrictions-penalties-place-new-animal-cruelty-laws/) and learn more about how to recognize and report animal cruelty here (https://www.aspca.org/take-action/report-animal-cruelty) 

My cat is sick, what do I do and where can I find inexpensive vet care in Philadelphia?

If your cat appears to be sick or is acting in a way that is not typical, including refusing to eat, peeing outside of the litterbox, sleeping more than normal, or scratching excessively, see a vet as soon as possible. Cats are good at hiding if they are sick or in pain so you might be detecting a problem that is more extensive than you realize and the best approach is getting medical attention as soon as you can. There are several inexpensive veterinary clinics in Pennsylvania, including PAWS Wellness Clinic on 2900 Grays Ferry Ave (https://phillypaws.org/locations/spay-neuter-and-wellness-clinic/) and Emancipet on 575 Adams Ave (https://emancipet.org/philadelphia/) .

Can someone help me TNR?

There are many groups around the city that can assist (try reaching out via FaceBook to various TNR groups and cat rescue groups – some hold TNR events and let people rent traps) but it is best to arm yourself with the knowledge and tools to do it yourself. Check out our TNR Toolkit for tips and purchase a trap online. You can also learn more about caring for community cats here.

What is TNR or TNRM?

Trap, neuter, release (and maintain) is an approach to managing outdoor cats that is the most humane and efficient. This approach involves catching community cats who do not have indoor homes or owners, taking them for vet care that includes spay/neuter surgery (which helps to control the population of unwanted cats), ear tip (to mark them as having been spayed/neutered and vetted), and rabies & FVRCP vaccinations. Cats that receive this care through Cattown recover from their vet appointment at the facility and then are released into one of our managed colony sites. These colonies are maintained but Cattown, meaning they are provided with food and water, shelter, and vet care should they need it.

Why should I support TNR? 

TNR has been shown to be the most humane, most efficient, and least costly method of stabilizing community cat populations. Trapping-and-killing, the old-fashioned approach to community cats, had been used by animal control agencies for decades without any success. Not a single community in the United States (or elsewhere) has reduced the community cat population through trapping-and-killing. It’s obvious now that lethal control doesn’t work. TNR is a science based approach to reducing the number of unwanted cats that largely eliminates unwanted cat behaviors (such as marking) and protects cats and humans alike by reducing transmission of diseases. Want to learn more about why TNR works and how it benefits us and our furry friends? Click here to learn about TNR. 

How can I become involved TNR and TNRM?

We created a TNR Toolkit that will guide you through the process. Click here to learn more.

If people want to take care of community cats, why can’t they keep them on their own property?

Cattown and other community cat caregivers provide a free service to the community by managing cat colonies, preventing breeding, and ensuring medical care is available. Without intervention, the community cat population would be even larger. Cattown manages several colonies, on its own properties and other locations. It is simply unrealistic to It to enclose community cats or keep them all at our facility. There aren’t enough places to put them or people to take them. As for community cat caregivers, it doesn’t make sense to blame the existence of community cats on the people sterilizing them. Community caregivers are addressing the problem, rather than ignoring it. Some people think that if people stop feeding community cats, the cats will leave, however this is a myth. Feeding bans (prohibiting people from feeding community cats) have not decreased the community cat population because cats are bonded to their homes; they don’t simply disappear if they don’t have sufficient care and resources. If anything, the cats become greater nuisances after their consistent food source is gone because they might dig in people’s trash for food.

There is a feral cat outside that is meowing, spraying, and being a nuisance. What do I do?

The first step to co-existing with community cats is to make sure the cats are sterilized. Spraying, roaming, and yowling are common behaviors exhibited by unsterilized cat, so TNR is the best way to reduce these behaviors. See our TNR toolkit for tips on this process. After a cat has been sterilized, these behaviors will lessen or disappear since they are not looking to attract mates or defend territory. You can also take steps to  make your property less attractive to cats. For example, securing your garbage can lid with bungee cords protects against cats and other wildlife like raccoons. There are also ways to proactively discourage cats from your property such as spreading citrus peels at the edges of your property, installing motion activated sprinklers, or installing ultrasonic noise devices. 

TNR Toolkit: Reducing the number of feral cats and managing their care through Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR). 

1. Determine if it is stray or feral. First, approach slowly and look for signs that it could be lost. Does it have a collar? Is it skinny? Does it approach you meowing for attention or food? “Stray” cats, or cats that were previously owned by people, may end up outside because they slipped out of the house and became lost, or because they were left outside, dumped in a strange location, or their family moved away and left them to fend for themselves. House cats in this situation tend to struggle to find food or shelter because they were not born outside. You can learn much more about the differences between stray and feral cats as well as their needs, visit these resource pages from Alley Cat Allies (https://www.alleycat.org/resources/feral-and-stray-cats-an-important-difference/) and (https://www.alleycat.org/resources/cat-socialization-continuum-guide/)

2. If the cat is friendly and needs food (likely a stray), the best thing you can do is capture it and bring it to a veterinary clinic. Friendly cats can be easily coaxed with food into a cat carrier, secure box, or dog cage. Try using a can of tuna or fresh chicken to lure then into a carrier. Wear gloves if you handle them since they are a strange animal with unknown history; you do not want to be bitten. 

3. If the cat is not friendly, that doesn’t mean it is not missing or lost. Some house cats who have never been outside react to strange humans and new locations with fear. Look for an trimmed or flat ear tip – a universal mark meaning they are a community cat and have been spayed/neutered and vetted. If it doesn’t have a trimmed ear tip, you should trap it for veterinary evaluation.

4. Cats that cannot be caught and placed in a carrier should be trapped. We recommending using these to catch adult cats. You will want to leave a small trail of food leading up to the armed trap and place a small pile of wet food in the back of it so they will trigger the closing mechanism. We use fish based food because it has a strong smell. We also line the traps with a layer of newspaper so that it is less obvious when they are stepping on the mechanism that closes it, and also so they have something to cover their waste in the event that they go to the bathroom while in there. When you are waiting to catch a cat, be sure to not leave a trap unattended for more than an hour, especially in extreme weather. We recommend wearing gloves as you transport the cat. For tips on catching extremely hard to trap cats, check out this resource (https://www.alleycat.org/community-cat-care/tips-for-hard-to-trap-cats/).

5. Once you have captured the cat, take it to a veterinary clinic. A vet can scan it for a microchip to try to find the owner, and can also assess its condition, and give it basic medical care. See our list of resources for information on free or inexpensive vet care in Philadelphia. You can take any cat to a vet to have it scanned for a microchip for free. You should also check Pawboost for posts of missing pets that fit the description of the cat. You may want to also post it on local FaceBook groups. A vet can also tell you if the cat is feral and thus would be a candidate for TNR.

6. Feral cats should be taken to a location that performs free or low cost TNR services. See our list here. Most TNR clinics only take cats that are in traps, not those in carriers. These clinics have different rules about when animals may be dropped off, how much they charge, etc. so please check their websites before arriving with a cat. Once your cat has received vet care at a clinic, it will need a quiet space to recover for a few days. This could be a bathroom, basement, or safe outdoor area that is protected from extreme temperatures and weather. Feral cats can recover in their cages as long as they have access to food and water. You can also provide newspaper in the cage for them to use to cover their waste. Alternately, you can transfer them into a larger cage if you have experience doing so. Once the cat has recovered from their surgery, you may release it back into an area where it can be cared for. This should be an area with other colony cats who are being fed regularly. Learn more here. 

7. Stray cats should be kept in a spare bathroom or bedroom while a long term foster or permanent home is identified. Strays who are not capable of surviving outside should be placed in a home. You can keep them temporarily in your home in a small space such as a bathroom or spare bedroom so they feel safe and are separate from other pets and children in your home. To place it in a home, we recommend reaching out to friends and colleagues in your network via social media, email, or text to ask if they would be interested in fostering or adopting. You may also want to contact local Facebook groups or no-kill shelters in your area. Stray cats should not under any circumstance be taken to kill shelters such as the Animal Care and Control Team in Philadelphia, or ACCT, because for most animals this is a death sentence. Many animals who end up there are euthanized, and most adoptions happen through individual people’s networks. So the best bet is to try to find a friend who can take the cat. Alternately, you can look for a no-kill shelter that has space for this cat. Please remember that shelters will need to cover the cost of feeding and caring for the cat until an owner adopts it, so make a donation to any no-kill shelter that can take in the cat.

8. Want to learn more about TNR and community cats? Alley Cat Allies has created a video about it that you can view here (https://www.alleycat.org/resources/all-about-trap-neuter-return/) and you can review a compilation of research here (https://www.alleycat.org/resources/trap-neuter-return-research-compendium/) or check out this extensive guide from the Humane Society (https://www.humanesociety.org/sites/default/files/docs/caring-feral-cats-overview.pdf)