Feral Cats Of Nyc: An Initiative For Control And Care

Tens of thousands of stray and feral cats, or community cats, live in the outdoor spaces of New York City. These cats, which live in groups called colonies, are often fed and sheltered by people but are not socialised to humans and are therefore not suitable for adoption. To tackle the issue of overpopulation, the NYC Feral Cat Initiative (NYCFCI) encourages community cat caretakers to implement Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) programs.

Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR)

Tens of thousands of stray and feral cats, known as community cats, live in the outdoor spaces of New York City. These cats form groups called colonies and are often found near human activity, such as backyards, businesses, and parking lots, where they are attracted by food sources such as trash or rodents. While some community cats are stray cats that have been lost or abandoned, most are feral and not socialized to humans. These feral cats are timid and fearful around people and are not suitable for adoption.

To address the issue of community cat overpopulation in NYC, the NYC Feral Cat Initiative (NYCFCI) encourages community cat caretakers to participate in TNR programs. TNR is a more effective and humane alternative to traditional trap-and-kill or trap-and-remove methods, which can result in the "Vacuum Effect", where new, unaltered, and unvaccinated cats move into the emptied area and breed unchecked. By contrast, a TNR'd colony defends its food source, keeping unneutered and unvaccinated cats out of its territory.

TNR programs may also remove stray cats and young kittens from the cat colony and place them in foster care or adoptive homes. In addition to sterilization and vaccination, TNR programs often include ear-tipping, which involves surgically removing a small portion of one of the cat's ears while it is under anesthesia for spay or neuter surgery. This universal sign indicates that a community cat has been spayed or neutered and helps to avoid unnecessary stress and anesthesia for the cat in the future.

Community cat caretakers

Tens of thousands of stray and feral cats, also known as community cats, live in the outdoor spaces of New York City. They live in colonies, establishing themselves near human activity, such as backyards, businesses, and parking lots, attracted by food sources. These cats have no owners, but many people care for them by feeding and providing shelter.

To get started as a community cat caretaker, you can become TNR Certified. This certification allows you to take control of the cat population within your community. There are several organizations in NYC that offer TNR information and facilitate TNR activities, including Bideawee: Feral Cat Initiative, SaveKitty Foundation, Neighborhood Cats, ASPCA, and NYC Feral Cat Initiative (NYCFCI).

As a community cat caretaker, you can also implement ear-tipping, which involves surgically removing a small portion of a cat's ear while it is under anesthesia for spay or neuter surgery. This is a universally accepted way to signify that a community cat has been spayed or neutered, preventing unnecessary stress on the cat from repeat procedures. Ear-tipping also helps caretakers identify cats from a distance and keep track of the colony.

By implementing TNR and ear-tipping, community cat caretakers can make a significant impact on reducing the feral cat population in NYC while also improving the well-being of these cats.

Rodent control

The NYC Feral Cat Initiative (NYCFCI) does not place cats on the street for the purpose of rodent control. Their mission is to have as few cats living on the streets as possible. However, the initiative does have the added benefit of reducing the rodent population in the city.

The Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) method is used to humanely reduce the number of stray and feral cats in New York City. The method involves trapping, sterilizing, vaccinating, and returning cats to their colonies. The NYCFCI provides free TNR certification training workshops throughout the five boroughs, with those who complete the workshop becoming eligible for free spay/neuter and other free services.

The scent established by hosting and feeding cats regularly in one place is what keeps the rodents away. Breeding female rats will move away from an area inhabited by cats, which would be a danger to their litters. When the breeding females move out, the male rats follow.

An example of this effect can be seen in the NYC Parks GreenThumb community gardens. The gardens that host cat colonies are rodent-free, while those without a cat-friendly policy are infested with rats. Similarly, the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, which hosts a colony of cats, has seen a reduction in the rodent population at its south end loading docks.

While the NYCFCI does not place cats specifically for rodent control, they do support the rehoming of "working cats", which are feral cats that have been spayed or neutered but are not suited to be pets due to a lack of socialization with humans. These cats are often happy to live outdoors and can help control rodent populations in homes, gardens, and businesses.

Spaying and neutering

In New York City, organizations such as the ASPCA, The Humane Society of New York, The Toby Project, and other local and national groups offer free or low-cost spaying and neutering services for community cats. These services are typically available to Certified TNR Caretakers, who have received training and certification to perform TNR.

To become a Certified TNR Caretaker, individuals can participate in Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) and Colony Care workshops offered by organizations like the NYC Feral Cat Initiative (NYCFCI). These workshops provide the necessary knowledge and skills to humanely trap, care for, and manage community cat colonies.

By combining TNR with spaying and neutering, NYC aims to address the overpopulation of community cats in a humane and effective manner, improving the quality of life for both the cats and the residents of the city.

Adopting and fostering

Stray cats, which are lost or abandoned pets, may be tame and friendly and can often be successfully adopted into a new home. Young kittens, too, can be taken in for adoption, but they need to be carefully socialised with much time and patience before they can be safely handled by a prospective adopter.

The Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) method is an important step in the adoption process. Cats are trapped, spayed (females) or neutered (males), vaccinated, and returned to their territory. As part of the TNR process, young kittens and friendly cats can be identified and taken in for adoption. TNR is also an important step in reducing the number of cats that need to be euthanised in city shelters.

The NYC Feral Cat Initiative encourages community cat caretakers to ensure their colonies undergo TNR. This helps to reduce the number of feral cats in the city and increases the number of cats that can be adopted.

There are several organisations in NYC that offer TNR information and facilitate TNR activities, including Bideawee: Feral Cat Initiative and SaveKitty Foundation. These organisations can help people who are interested in adopting or fostering cats to get involved.

Frequently asked questions