Happy National Feral Cat Day! A Guest Blog By Alley Cat Allies

Happy National Feral Cat Day!

In 2001, Alley Cat Allies started National Feral Cat Day  to educate Americans about stray and feral cats. Today, the tradition continues!  Every year, we celebrate National Feral Cat Day by spreading the word about feral cats and Trap-Neuter-Return, the humane method of managing feral cat colonies and the best thing you can do to help feral cats.

Did you know that feral cats have lived outdoors alongside people for 10,000
years? They are the same species as pet cats—felis catus—but feral cats are not
socialized to people, so they cannot be adopted or live in our homes. Stray
cats also live outdoors, but they can become pets. Learn how to tell the two apart.

Instead, feral cats live happily outdoors in social groups called colonies and are just as healthy as outdoor pet cats

Since feral cats can’t be adopted, bringing them to shelters or calling animal
control is deadly—nearly 100% of feral cats entering shelters are killed.

Trap-Neuter-Return improves the cats’ health, stabilizes the colony, and allows the cats to live out their lives in their outdoor homes.

 As part of a Trap-Neuter-Return program, cats are humanely trapped, neutered,
vaccinated, and returned outdoors. No new kittens are born and the cats no
longer experience the stresses of mating and pregnancy. Behaviors associated
with mating such as yowling and fighting stop as well, contributing to the cats’
overall good health and making them better neighbors. Feral cat colonies are
often looked after by caregivers, who provide food, shelter, and ongoing care
for the cats. Learn more about how to do TNR  and care for feral cats .

Here’s a few suggestions of things you can do

 to celebrate National Feral Cat Day:

• Check our National Feral Cat Day event listings  to see if there is an event near you.

• Write a blog post (or link to this post) about feral cats and Trap-Neuter-Return.

• Dedicate your social networking status on Facebook  or Twitter  to National Feral Cat Day.

Alley Cat Allies is dedicated to transforming and developing communities to

protect and improve the lives of cats.

By reforming public policies and institutions to serve the best interests of
cats, expanding and promoting cat care, and increasing understanding of cats,
Alley Cat Allies is making the world a safer and better place for cats.

Learn more at http://www.alleycat.org/


 
Thank you for taking part in National Feral Cat Day, and for everything you do
for cats all year round!