The cats that you see in and around shopping centers, alleys, restaurants and even residential areas are cats who have been abandoned. People may think cats can survive on their own. Unfortunately, they face extreme hazards from starvation, predation, disease and injury.

Many abandoned cats are often pregnant or were not spayed or neutered before they were abandoned. Soon, the female cats will have kittens -- and their kittens will have kittens. These second-, third- and fourth-generation cats become wild and very fearful of humans. These cats are called FERALS and often cannot be domesticated. The sad reality is that these cats can reproduce at rapid rates. In just seven years, one female cat, her mate and all of their kittens can produce 470,000 offspring!

The Vacuum Effect:Trapping and killing feral cats has been the traditional method of feral cat control. However, this method has been shown to be ineffective, as the food source usually remains (dumpsters, rodents, etc.) and any remaining cats in the area will quickly repopulate.

Trap-Neuter-Return: The Humane Alternative: Trap, neuter and return or TNR is the most successful and proven method of reducing feral cat populations. TNR involves carefully trapping the cats, spaying and neutering them and returning them to their original location. The colony thus stabilizes, fighting diminishes and populations can be reduced through natural attrition.

Coupons for Low Cost Spay/Neuter of Feral Cats
SAAC currently has a limited amount of funding in our feral cat coupon program, which provides low-cost spay/neuter for feral (wild) cats. Click here to apply online.

Feral Cat Trapping Resources and Tips

• Feral Cat Trapping Tips offers basics on where to obtain traps in the Sacramento region and how to set them.
• Humane Trapping A-Z provides more detailed information on how to trap a feral cat humanely.
• Download our "Please Do Not Feed" flier to use prior to trapping.

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How You Can Help the Feral Cat Project:

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