A feral cat is not socialized to humans.
Either she was born outside and never lived with humans, or she is a companion cat who has strayed from home and over time has become unsocialized to humans.

Feral cats should not be taken to animal control pounds and shelters.
Feral cats’ needs are not met by the current animal control and shelter system. Feral cats live outside, but are killed in shelters. Even no-kill shelters are not able to place feral cats in homes.

Feral kittens can be adopted.
Feral kittens can often be adopted into homes, but they must be socialized at an early age. This is a critical window, and if they aren’t handled in time, they will remain feral and therefore unadoptable.

Feral cats can have the same lifespan as companion cats.
And they are just as healthy, too. The incidence of disease in feral cats is just as low as in companion cats. They live healthy, natural lives on their own, content in their outdoor home.

Humans are the cause of wildlife depletion.
Studies show that the overwhelming cause of wildlife depletion is destruction of natural habitat due to man-made structures, chemical pollution, pesticides, and drought — not feral cats.

“Catch and kill” doesn’t work.
It is an endless, cruel cycle and is extremely costly to taxpayers. Cats choose to reside in locations for a reason: there is a food source (intended or not) and shelter. When cats are removed from a location, survivors breed to capacity or new cats move in. This “vacuum effect” is well documented.

Trap-Neuter-Return does work.
No more kittens. Their numbers gradually go down and their lives are improved. The behaviors and stresses associated with mating, such as yowling or fighting, stop. The cats are also vaccinated. This program creates a safety net for both the cats and the community

                     

STIMULATION & SOCIABILITY
A singleton kitten is more demanding of your attention than a pair of kittens. A pair can occupy and entertain each other, while a single kitten will expect you to constantly pay attention to it. Pairs of kittens will learn how to interact socially in a healthy manner, instead of relying on you to teach them.

PLAYTIME
Kittens love to wrestle with and "play bite" each other. But, a singleton kitten is more likely to wrestle with and “play bite” you. This, of course, is unacceptable behavior. If you allow this behavior from a singleton kitten, you’ll find that it stops being so cute once the singleton kitten becomes a mature adult with bad habits. If your kitten grows up with another kitten, this negative behavior is minimized or eliminated.

LEARNING DEVELOPMENT
Kittens learn best from their mother and littermates. A single kitten may not learn what acceptable behavior is, while kittens in pairs usually develop in a positive manner at a quicker rate than a singleton kitten. Kittens in pairs can be healthier and better socialized than singletons. Also, kittens learn by copying each other! So they will learn to use the litter box more quickly in pairs than if left to their own devices. They can help each other to learn good grooming habits, too!

SPARE YOUR OLDER CAT
One kitten by itself may drive your older cat absolutely nuts, no matter how active your older cat is (just think of how a toddler might drive a teenager nuts)! If you bring two kittens home, they will find each other more fun to
play with than your older cat, making the transition easier for everyone. Two kittens can help reduce the stress your adult cat might have had if left alone with only one boisterous kitten. Kittens can often be much more stimulation than your calm, adult cat can handle.

DOUBLE THE GOOD DEED
Possibly, the best part of adopting two kittens instead of just one is that you’re saving two lives! If you adopt two kittens, you will free up valuable space in our shelter, allowing us to bring in more cats who may be at risk for euthanasia in other shelters.

Homeless cats who are afraid of humans and cannot be easily approached or handled are referred to as "feral." Feral cats have generally had little or no human contact, causing them to develop a natural fear of humans. Not all homeless cats are feral; some may be strays who are lost or have been recently abandoned by humans.

The only difference between a housecat and a feral is that the latter has a strong fear of humans. Ferals are erroneously labeled as "wild cats." A bobcat is a wild cat; a feral cat is a homeless domestic cat.

Feral cats exist due to the public's failure to adopt, spay/neuter, and its reluctance to make a lifetime commitment to cats in their care. Killing the victims of such negligence should not be a consideration. For decades, the public has been apathetic regarding the plight of homeless animals. It is time to take responsibility for the tragedy we have created.

Traditional, agency-run attempts to trap and kill cats have historically resulted in greater numbers -- and greater suffering for that reason alone -- of feral cats, than have well-planned systems to trap, neuter, and return cats. TNR, in conjunction with public education and low-cost spay/neuter clinics, stabilizes numbers and facilitates the eventual elimination of colonies of homeless cats.

Our goal is to end the homeless cat crisis. Feral cat caregivers have been directly responsible for the prevention of hundreds of thousands of cats. We are actively working to address the root of the problem.

We acknowledge that the safest place for cats is indoors; however, because of the overpopulation crisis, there simply aren't enough sanctuaries or available homes to house the tens of millions of feral cats estimated to be living in the United States alone. The only humane and effective way to control the feral cat population and give the cats a chance at healthier lives is through TNR and managed colonies where food, water, shelter, and medical care are consistently provided.

The public can choose to rely on unethical, ineffective trap and kill attempts, or we can work toward our goal by implementing an organized, proven-effective, cost-efficient method of population control. We have made our choice. We hope you will join us.