Feral Cats in Your Neighborhood?

Many people who contact the Feral Cat Group at SMU about cats in their own neighborhood for advice on what to do.First of all, know that feral cats are everywhere – from the campus to the Katy Trail to your back alley. They are naturally nocturnal, so you may not notice them for years. If you are not prepared to manage a feral cat colony, you should leave the cats as they are. They have learned specific survival skills for that area. But if you’d like to take on a colony, read on.What can be done for the cats?You can manage a feral cat colony, should you wish to do so. This can consist of something as simple as feeding and instituting a TNR program. Here are some points to consider: To keep a population healthy and their numbers controlled, cats need to be spay/neutered and vaccinated. Unless you can safely handle one of these cats, you must trap it and transport it to a qualified vet or the SPCA. Cat rescue groups can lend humane traps and will provide or help you locate low-cost or f...