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How do you deal with a feral cat colony?

How do you deal with a feral cat colony?

GENERAL INFORMATION

  1. Use the Trap, Neuter, Vaccinate and Return (TNRV) method.
  2. Never care for a colony of cats on property you do not own or do not have permission to be on in (this should be in writing).
  3. Keep a record for each cat.
  4. Create a feeding site.
  5. Always keep the feeding area clean and neat.

What can you do with a feral cat colony?

In many cases, cats found in feral colonies are not feral yet. When we find kittens and cats that are simply strays, they can easily be re-located and can be put up for adoption or cared for in a cat sanctuary.

What is the social structure of a feral cat colony?

In feral cat colonies, females usually act as midwives during the birth of one another’s kittens and cooperatively raise their young, nursing, nesting, guarding, and grooming communally, as well as teaching kittens how to behave appropriately among other cats.

What does a cat do in a colony?

Cats engage in a bonding behaviour called allorubbing, which can be likened to a handshake or a hug among people. In cat colonies, members of a group will rub their bodies up against one another to reinforce their group identity by transferring scents.

What do you need to know about feral cats?

People who wish to introduce a new cat to a household with resident cats should keep this in mind, providing plenty of food bowls and litter boxes to reduce the likelihood of territorial conflict. When resources are plentiful, females in a group rarely fight, though males will often fight for access to females.

Do you have to take care of a feral cat colony?

Proper management of a feral/free-roaming cat colony is a long term, year round responsibility and should not be undertaken lightly. If you cannot commit to proper care and long-term management, do not put food out for any cat. Once you put food out you become a “colony manager” and the cats become dependent on you.

In feral cat colonies, females usually act as midwives during the birth of one another’s kittens and cooperatively raise their young, nursing, nesting, guarding, and grooming communally, as well as teaching kittens how to behave appropriately among other cats.

How does a colony of domestic cats work?

A colony consists of a group of (usually) related females and their offspring. The size of the colony depends on the availability of food and other resources. Domestic cats do develop a social hierarchy, but it is not highly defined as it is for dogs.

When do feral cats become dependent on You?

Once you put food out you become a “colony manager” and the cats become dependent on you. The following guidelines and suggestions will help you provide proper care to your feral cat colony.