What is a community cat?
Community cats’ home is outside
“Cats living outdoors is nothing new. For most of their natural history, cats have lived outside alongside people. Evidence shows cats began living near people over 10,000 years ago, before the pyramids were built! It wasn’t until very recently, with the invention of kitty litter in the 1940s, that so many cats began living indoors only. Community cats are truly at home outdoors, just as countless cats have been for thousands of years.” (Alley Cat Allies, https://www.alleycat.org/resources/get-informed-discover-the-truth-about-feral-cats/)
What is an ear-tipped cat?
If you’ve noticed an outdoor cat with a part of his ear missing just the top of the left earthat’s the sign of a cat who is healthy and cared for! An eartip is the universally recognized symbol of a cat who has been spayed or neutered and vaccinated. Eartipping is a standard part of most Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) programs, because it’s simply the best method to let everyone know at a glance that a cat has gone through a TNR program.
Because cats are eartipped while they’re under anesthesia for spay or neuter surgery,everything is safe, clean, and painless. The top 3/8 inch of the ear is removed. The ear heals quickly and no further attention is needed. You might be worried about the cat looking different, but the eartip doesn’t hurt her, and it could actually save her life.
Eartips are a critical safeguard for outdoor cats. Some outdoor cats prefer to keep their distance, but most eartips can be seen from even several feet away. Plus, no matter who interacts with the cat (caregivers, vets, animal control), they can all tell that she has an outdoor home. That’s a big deal when it comes to animal control agencies and sheltershaving an eartip could prevent an unsocialized outdoor cat from being admitted to a shelter where she would end up being killed. An eartip also allows a caregiver who is setting traps to know this cat has already been neutered.
There are hundreds of TNR programs in the U.S. The protocol of some of these programs is tipping the cat’s right ear, as is sometimes done on the west coast.
(https://www.alleycat.org/community-cat-care/why-the-eartip-on-outdoor-cats/)
Community Cat TNR Resources
HHHS Community Clinic
Topeka Community Cat Fix
Frequently Asked Questions
WHY DOES THE CATCH-AND-KILL METHOD FAIL TO REDUCE FREE-ROAMING COMMUNITY CAT POPULATIONS?
Research and experience show that populations rebound to previous levels following Catch-And-Kill.
Every colony or habitat has a “carrying capacity,” the maximum population size that can be sustained in a particular area. This carrying capacity is determined by the availability of food sources, water, shelter, and other environmental needs. When a portion of the sustainable population is removed (e.g., by trapping and killing them) and the availability of resources stays the same, the remaining animals respond through increased birth rates, higher survival rates, and immigration into the area.
This is a biological reality, and there is even a name for it: The Vacuum Effect. Trapping and removing cats from a given area does nothing more than ensure that the cat population will rebound to its original level, necessitating continued trapping and killing. It may rid an area of cats temporarily, but it is not an effective long-term solution because new cats will quickly fill the vacated area and breed.
(TCCF, https://tccf-tnr.org/FAQ)
DO CATS POSE A RISK TO PUBLIC HEALTH?
Humans contracting a disease from a cat is quite unlikely.
According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website, people are not likely “to get sick from touching or owning a cat.” And because free-roaming cats tend to avoid human contact, the likelihood of disease transmission is quite remote. Common sense tips apply, of course: washing hands with soap and water after touching feces, or washing and disinfecting cuts after being scratched or bitten.
Studies show that cats are not a predictable carrier of rabies. In fact, since 1960, only two cases of human rabies in the United States have been attributed to cats. However, a key component of our TNR program is vaccinating the cats against rabies, distemper, and selected other viruses.
The possibility of humans contracting toxoplasmosis from cats is also quite small, as the CDC explains: “People are probably more likely to get toxoplasmosis from gardening or eating raw meat.”
(TCCF, https://tccf-tnr.org/FAQ)
HOW SERIOUS A THREAT ARE CATS TO BIRD POPULATIONS?
Simply put, TNR means fewer cats, which means fewer threats to birds! Other factors pose more serious threats to bird populations.
National Geographic Society has conducted exhaustive research on this topic and has concluded that “the top three threats to birds overall are habitat loss, habitat loss, and habitat loss. (Ken Rosenberg, Director of Conservation Science, Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology)”
Gary Langham, chief scientist of the National Audobon Society, stressed that “loss of habitat is the number one problem” as riparian habitat and wetlands continue to be removed or converted for human use. Other significant hazards to bird populations, recognized by experts worldwide, include chemical toxins and direct exploitation from hunting or capturing birds for pets.
But let’s be honest here. Although no studies support the misleading claims that cats are destroying songbird populations, there is no disputing that cats do, in fact, kill birds. The point that must be emphasized is that fewer cats mean less predation. That being the case, TNR should not be condemned because of potential threats to wildlife, but rather embraced so that free-roaming cat populations can be curtailed as effectively as possible in order to minimize potential predatory behavior.
(TCCF, https://tccf-tnr.org/FAQ)
WAYS TO HELP KEEP COMMUNITY CATS OUT OF DESIGNATED AREAS?
Yes! Non-lethal deterrents for cats are effective and readily accessible. Here are some ideas from Alley Cat Allies:
Problem: “Cats are getting into my trash!”
Explanation: Cats are scavengers and are looking for food
Quick Solutions:
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Place a tight lid on your trash can.
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Ask if neighbors are feeding cats. If so, make sure they are doing so on a regular schedule.
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Start feeding the cats yourself if you find no regular feeder, at a set time, during daylight hours, in an out-of-the-way place. Feeding cats regularly and in reasonable quantities that can be eaten in less than 30 minutes, will help ensure they don’t become so hungry that they turn to the trash.
Problem: “There are paw prints on my car.”
Explanation: Cats like to perch on high ground.
Quick Solutions:
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Gradually move the cats’ shelters and feeding stations away to discourage cats from climbing on cars.
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Purchase — and use — a car cover.
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Use deterrents (see below)
Problem: “Cats are digging in my garden.”
Explanation: It is a cat’s natural instinct to dig and deposit feces in soft or loose soil, mulch, or sand.
Quick Solutions:
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Scatter fresh citrus peels. Coffee grounds, vinegar, oil of lavender, lemongrass, citronella, or eucalyptus also deter cats.
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Plant rue (an herb) to repel cats.
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Use plastic carpet runners, spike-side up, covered lightly in soil. Alternately, set chicken wire firmly into the dirt, with the sharp edges rolled under.
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Arrange branches in a lattice-type pattern, or use wooden or plastic lattice fencing material, over the soil. Disguise by planting seeds or flowers in the openings.
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Embed wooden chopsticks or pinecones deep into the soil with the tops exposed, 8” apart.
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Obtain Cat Scat, a nonchemical cat and wildlife repellent available at www.gardeners.com.
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Use large, attractive river rocks to prevent cats from digging.
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Keep sandboxes covered when not in use.
Problem: “Cats are lounging in my yard or on my porch.”
Explanation: Cats are territorial and will remain close to their food source.
Quick Solutions:
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Apply cat repellent fragrance liberally around the edges of the yard, tops of fences, etc.
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Install an ultrasonic animal repellent such as CatStop or ScareCrow, both available through www.amazon.com
All information from TCCF https://tccf-tnr.org/
How To Tell The Difference Between Stray and Feral Cats
A stray cat:
- Is a cat who has been socialized to people at some point in her life, but has left or lost her indoor home, as well as most human contact and dependence.
- Can become a feral cat as her contact with people dwindles.
- Can under the right circumstances become a pet cat once again. Stray cats who are re-introduced to a home after living outdoors may require a period of time to re-acclimate; they may be frightened and wary after spending time outside away from people.
A feral cat:
- Is a cat who has either never had any contact with people or her contact with people has diminished over time. She is not socialized to people and survives on her own outdoors. Most community cats are not likely to ever become lap cats or enjoy living indoors.
- Can have kittens who can be socialized at an early age and adopted into homes.