Feral cats live outdoors. Feral cats are members of the domestic cat species, but are not socialized to humans, and are therefore considered wild animals and are not adoptable. They choose to reside in locations for two reasons: 1) There is a food source—intended or not. 2) There is shelter. Catch & Kill creates a vacuum. Capturing and killing feral cats is animal control’s traditional approach for feral cats. Catch & Kill attempts may temporarily reduce the number of feral cats in a given area, but two things will happen: 1) Unsterilized survivors continue to breed. 2) Other cats move in to the now-available territory. This is known as the vacuum effect. Catch & Kill doesn’t work, yet it continues. Animal control agencies have been catching and killing cats for decades in a misguided attempt to reduce the number of feral cats in a given area. They continue to practice Catch & Kill even though the number of outdoor cats does not decrease. This endless, cruel cycle is not supported by the public and is a gross misuse of tax dollars. The vacuum effect is just one reason Catch & Kill is so ineffective. Trap-Neuter-Return DOES work. This program involves humanely trapping, spaying / neutering, vaccinating, and returning cats to their outdoor homes. This way, the population stabilizes as there are no more kittens, and the returned spayed / neutered cats’ lives are improved. Trap-Neuter-Return is a responsible, humane method of care for outdoor cats. You can make a difference and save lives. Together, we can stand up and take action to stop the current animal control policies that don’t address the needs of the cats or our communities.
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