COMMUNITY CATS

WHAT IS A COMMUNITY CAT?

• Free roaming, unowned cats that share our community with us
• Some are friendly and may be the results of abandonment
• Others are born wild and have never had human contact

BENEFITS OF CARING FOR FERAL CATS

• Stray cats offer pesticide free rodent control and can do a wonderful job keeping barns and cities free of unwanted rodents.
• When adequately cared for by a dedicated caretaker, the spread of rabies is decreased by means of vaccination within the colony. Additionally, spay/neuter among the colony decreases overpopulation and also decreases the number of animals entering local shelters.
• Community cats provide sense of purpose and connection to those that care for them. Often these people are elderly, disabled, or otherwise subject to isolation and feelings of depression and sense of purpose helps to improve quality of life for caretakers.

NUISANCE BEHAVIORS OF FERAL CATS

• Neuter! Neuter! Neuter! The bulk of nuisance behaviors in free roaming cats are a result of being unaltered. Unsavory behaviors such spraying to mark territory, fighting over mates and territory, and finding litters of kittens under your porch can be prevented by spay/neuter. Preventing these behaviors also reduces the risk of harm coming to the cat from other members of the community in response to the unsavory behaviors.
• Another problem that can arise with feral cats is destruction of house skirting or other outbuildings when the cats attempt to seek shelter. Providing alternative shelters and feeding stations can help reduce this behavior.
• Lastly, outdoor cats (both feral and owned) can cause damage to wild bird populations while hunting.

MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT FERAL CATS

• What if it has rabies or other diseases? Although we do see rabies regularly in our area, the chances of coming in contact with a feral cat with rabies are very low. Signs to look out for include stumbling, drooling, seizures, and lack of appetite. More commonly, however still rare, things you might pick up from a free roaming cat include a couple flea bites or ringworm both of which are not life threatening and easily treated.
• What if a feral cat attacks me or my animals? Feral cats are generally not outwardly aggressive, they are scared and will act out in defense when cornered. Sometimes they will have disputes with household cats as cats are very territorial with each other. It is no more likely for the feral cat to be the aggressor than it is for your pet cat to be the aggressive if both are fixed.

SPAY AND NEUTER!!

WHAT BENEFITS DOES S/N PROVIDE?

• Good spay programs help keep the population down keeping feral cat colonies manageable, reduces the number of animals entered into local shelters, and decreases the potential for abuse due to nuisance behaviors.
• Altered cats are far less likely to spray or engage in territory disputes.
• Altered cats are chubbier and healthier ensuring that your community cats have some meat on their bones and a good immune system to survive the brutal N.Y. winters.

HOW DO I CATCH A CAT I CANT TOUCH?

• Catching a cat that doesn’t want to be caught can present quite the challenge. Building trust by regular feeding until the cat allows handling is often a caretakers first approach.

LIVE TRAPS

• Live traps are one of the most effective ways of catching a feral cat. These traps are safe for both the cat and the handler.
• Oftentimes just withholding food for 24-36hrs before baiting the traps is enough to catch most cats. This can be hard for caretakers as they feel bad but it means one day of being hungry for a lifetime of good!
• Food is place at the back of the trap and cats are enticed inside. Once in the trap, the cat steps on a pedal that triggers most frequently a spring loaded door to close trapping the cat. It is not uncommon for the cat to become frantic once it realizes its trapped and placing a blanket over the trap is implored to help keep the cat calm.

TIPS FOR TOUGH TO CATCH CATS

• Sometimes no matter how hard you try, certain cats are harder to catch than others. Using your surroundings such as branches, boards, or pieces of siding to help camouflage the traps can be very effective.
• What are you giving for food? Maybe you have a picky cat that prefers dry food to wet? Tuna, sardines, and liverwurst are some of the #1 attractants for cats. Fancy feast is also often a favorite. Try a variety of foods before giving up hope.
• Is your cat going in the trap but stepping over the pedal to eat? Try laying down catnip on the pedal! If the cat likes cat nip it will forget to be vigilant and roll on the pedal.
• Know your cats! Make sure you’re setting the trap in an area where the cat frequents such as near the opening of an outbuilding.

WHERE DO I GET A LIVE TRAP?

• Live traps can purchased at places such as Brandows or Tractor Supply and also online. They generally run $40-$70 depending on the type and quality of trap.
• Live traps can be borrowed free of cost from Super Heroes and many other local shelters will loan you traps as long as you are able to leave a deposit. Just call your local shelter and they will likely be glad to help you help the community!

WHAT DO I DO WITH THE CAT NOW THAT IVE CAUGHT IT?

• You will need to have an appointment scheduled in advance with your vet or low cost clinic prior to trapping the cat. It is generally best to try to catch the cat the evening prior to surgery.
• Once you have secured the cat, be sure to have a temperature regulated building to keep the cat in until the appointment time.
• When possible, use a trap divider to allow yourself to put in fresh food and water as well as a potty pad especially when the cat is caught 18+hrs prior to the appointment. As always, make sure to cover the trap with a blanket or trap cover.

LOCAL LOW COST CLINICS

• Super Heroes in Ripped Jeans Oneonta NY (607)441-3227- Free S/N and vaccines for feral cats and low cost for owned cats. Sliding scale based on income $25-$75.
• GOFAR Oneonta NY (607)441-0670 - $45 for S/N and vaccines for both stray and owned cats.
• Love & Hope Animal Sanctuary Franklin, NY (607)829-2082 - $50-$65 for S/N and vaccines depending on gender for both stray and owned cats.
• All Animals Matter Oxford, NY (607)-435-7788 - low cost S/N options for cats and dogs. Contact for pricing and availability.

SURGERY RECOVERY FOR FERAL CATS

• There is only so much you can do to help an animal recover from surgery, especially a feral cat.
• The most important thing is keeping the cat warm and safe until the anesthesia has worn off completely. Males have a less invasive surgery and can sometimes be released same day however females should be kept caged overnight to avoid complications.
• Use of a trap divider can be very handy in helping to set up the cat with food, water, and a potty pad to spend one last night in the trap in a temperature regulated building before being released. This is especially important during the cooler months.

TENDING TO MEDICAL NEEDS

FREE RABIES CLINICS

• Each county offers free rabies clinics sponsored by the state from spring to fall each year.
• Cats need to be contained but can arrive in a carrier, trap, or pillow case for a free vaccine. A single person can bring up to 15 animals to the clinic.
• The initial rabies vaccine is effective for 1yr and subsequent shots are valid for 3yrs with proof of the initial vaccine so make sure to bring any old rabies certificates with you!

OTHER LOW COST VACCINATIONS

• Tractor supply offers weekly low cost vaccine clinics and offer distemper and feline leukemia vaccines as well as other services such as blood tests, fecal tests, and microchipping. In Oneonta the clinic is generally every Sunday from 9:30-11am.
• Petco also offers low cost clinics but less routinely.
• For those caring for friendly strays that feel confident, distemper vaccines can be purchased at Tractor Supply for under $10 that you administer yourself. If the cat has never been vaccinated for distemper before it will need to receive 2 shots 3-4wks apart the second of which needs boostered in a year. Subsequent vaccines will remain effective for 3yrs.

MEDICAL EMERGENCIES

• When an animal is very sick or injured and requires veterinary care, try reaching out to your local shelter for assistance. Super Heroes will assist with costs of medical care on a case by case basis.
• Grants for individuals exist to help with medical emergencies for pet such as Red Rover pet assistance grants.
• Care Credit is an online program that can be applied for in minutes and will loan you money for vet bills interest free if you qualify.

LOCAL LOW COST VETS

• Grand Gorge Animal Hospital keeps their prices low to help caretakers (607) 588-7011).
• Linda Kolnick DVM of Fort Plain also offers affordable veterinary care to people in need.

DEWORMING AT A LOW COST

• Cats are most commonly plagued by 2 types of worms, tape worms and round worms.
• Tapeworm look like rice and are visible to the human eye. Pills containing praziquantel kill tapeworms and can be purchased at Tractor Supply or Brandws. 3 pills cost roughly $15.
• Roundworms look like spaghetti and are visible to the naked eye when infested severely and the cat vomits the worms or passes them in stool. Roundworms and hookworms (which are not visible to the naked eye) can be treated with Pyrantel Pamoate Liquid 50mg/mL which is also known as strongid. Cats are dosed 1mL/10lbs (so 0.1mL for a 1lb kitten) and can be given safely as young as 3 weeks old. 1 16oz bottle can be purchased on Amazon and will treat well over 400 cats for $19.95 equating to $0.04 per adult cat to deworm plus syringe costs for dosing.

FLEA TREATING AT A LOW COST

• Capstar or Nitenpyram (generic name) is very safe for cats are kittens. It comes in pill or capsule form and can be put in food to deal with severe flea infestations quickly although it is not long acting. It can be purchased at a discounted price here https://www.petstarpets.com/store/c1/Nitenpyram2. This generic equates to $1.38 per pill versus the usual $5-6 per pill. Capstar can be purchased at Walmart or Brandows.
• Certain topical flea medications contain the same ingredients for cats and dogs. When this is the case, extra large dog topicals can be purchased and then dosed out according to weight for cats and dogs. Cats can be flea treated for a month for just over $1 per cat using this method. Be sure to contact a professional such as Super Heroes to ensure the flea medicine you have is safe for cats and that dosages are accurate before attempting this as some dog flea medications are deadly to cats.

FEEDING STATIONS

DIFFERENT TYPES OF FEEDING STATIONS

• Feeding stations can be purchased or built yourself.
• The cost to purchase a feeding station ranges from about $80-$300. These are generally raised wooden structures with pitched to keep the weather at bay.
• DIY feeding stations can be made by cutting a large entrance hole in a plastic tote and affixing wooden planks as legs to keep structure more sturdy and elevated off the ground to provide temperature control.

TIPS FOR EFFECTIVE CLEANING STATIONS

• Place the feeding structure on a slight incline to ensure that water does not pool in the enclosure.
• Keeping bugs such as ants and slugs out can be a real struggle. Placing food grade diametacious earth or crushed chalk around the perimeter of the station can help deter unwanted pests. Also ants will not cross water so placing the food dish in a pan filled 1/2” high with water can keep them out of the food.
• Deterring wildlife can be another struggle depending on your location. Limiting feeding times to daylight hours can help reduce unwanted wildlife. Cats are creatures of habit and can quickly adjust to set schedules.

WHAT IF I CANT AFFORD FOOD?

• Super Heroes offers a free food pantry as supplies allows aimed towards struggling pet owners and caretakers of feral cat colonies. Stop in during business hours and just ask for cat food.
• Many local food pantries for people and Faithful Friends pet crematory in Morris NY also offer free pet food to people in need.

KEEP IT CLEAN!

• One of the biggest complaints made in regards to feral cats is the mess that can be caused both from the cats and the people caring for them.
• Be sure to promptly pick up and throw away old food cans or disposable plastic dishes so they are not dirtying the environment and giving our community cats and their caretakers a bad name.

SURVIVING WINTER

BUILDING WINTER SHELTERS

• NY winters can brutal so properly built feral cat shelters can help save lives, prevent frostbite, and also deter stray cats from ripping apart siding to get under trailers/houses to stay warm.
• Shelters need to be relative to a cats size so that their body heat is enough to keep the shelter warm.
• Blankets are not effective in keeping cats warm and can actually retain moisture lowering temperatures. Straw does not hold moisture and provides adequate insulation for the cats.

RECYCLED COOLERS

• Old coolers make the some of the most effective feral cat shelters. They are sturdy and already insulated.
• An entry hole is drilled in one side of the cooler for the cat to enter and sharp edges are covered with duct tape to keep the cat safe.
• Wooden legs attached to the bottom helps keep the structure elevated from the cold ground and provides further temperature regulation.

DIY TOTES AS SHELTER

• Plastic storage totes can also be made into makeshift winter shelters. You will need 2 totes of varying sizes.
• The larger tote is lined with styrofoam and straw before placing the smaller tote inside of it and securing the lid with duct tape.
• An entry hole just big enough for the cat to enter will need to be cut and then sharp edges are lined with duct tape to keep the cat safe.

WHERE CAN I GET FERAL CAT SHELTERS?

• Super Heroes provides feral cat shelters to caretakers and kitties in need during the winter months. Call ahead to make sure that we have some in stock and if we don’t we will build some for you. We also keep fresh straw around so that it can be changed out regularly to help keep animals warm. Heart of the Catskills Humane Society in Delhi can also help provide you with straw for your outside pets.

KEEPING WATER THAWED

• When it gets bitter cold it can become quite the challenge to keep a fresh water source out for the cats.
• Electric heated bowls and buckets generally run around $15-20 and is one way to keep water thawed.
• Freeze resistant water buckets can also be made with 2 different sized buckets, compost, and straw. The first bucket should be much larger and packed along the bottom and about halfway up with compost. The second smaller bucket is then inserted and straw is tightly packed into the gap. This also works well for livestock in a pinch.

ANY QUESTIONS?