Contents What is a community cat? Where do community cats live? Who takes care of community cats? Why are there so many cats outdoors? What is TNR? Why do some people consider outdoor cats a nuisance? How does TNR solve common complaints about outdoor cats? Isn't living outside dangerous for cats...
You may think that cats have to go outside to be happy. But cats would disagree with you (and so would local birds!) Actually, close to two-thirds of owned cats live indoors either exclusively or for a majority of the time. Cats can live a happy and healthy life indoors with their families. Allowing...
There are millions of outdoor cats in America; some are pets allowed outside by their owners, but most outdoor cats are what we call community cats—friendly strays and feral felines who are fearful of people and not suited to life indoors. These cats are supported by millions of compassionate people...
Contents Intro Owned cats Unowned cats Cats in shelters Cats and wildlife Collaboration/humane communities Conclusion Intro Cats are the most popular companion animal in the U.S., with more than 86 million of them living in nearly 39 million American households. Tens of millions more unowned cats...
STEP ONE: ASK AROUND First, check whether the cat has an ear-tip, which is when the very top of one ear has been (painlessly) clipped to be flat instead of pointed. It’s the badge of a community cat, indicating the cat has been through a trap-neuter-return program and has an outdoor home. No ear-tip...
No bills, no responsibilities, endless hours spent batting toys beneath the furniture, napping in soft sherpa beds and watching birds flit around the feeder outside the living room window. From a human perspective, the life of a pampered house cat looks pretty sweet. So it can be startling to learn...
Every now and then, on nice days, Krista Rakovan would let her cats onto the back deck for some supervised sunbathing. She watched how much Julius, Ginger and Kobe loved lying in the sun—the only time they were permitted outside—and she thought about how she could add more variety to their lives. “I...
Many people assume that coyotes don't live in suburban or urban neighborhoods because they don't see them. But that assumption can be dangerous for your animal companions. Coyotes typically hunt small mammals such as mice, voles and rabbits. If given the opportunity, they will also make a meal of a...
Cats lack the facial expressiveness of dogs, they’re generally quieter and their behaviors can be harder to interpret—but this doesn’t mean that the feline mystique is impenetrable. You can better understand your furry friend by paying attention to their vocalizations, body postures and daily...
Organizations can play a huge role in the lives of community cats Whether you are a large shelter, a private nonprofit, a municipal agency or a small volunteer rescue, there are ways to help your area’s outdoor cats, whether they are community cats (feral and stray) or cats whose owners allow them...
Government officials and lawmakers: Use policy to change the lives of community cats Have you been hearing from citizens who don’t want cats on their property? Are you looking for a way to modify ordinances so that Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) programs are allowed? You're not alone. More and more...
When we think of “aggression,” we may think of a variety of motivations and impulses deriving from our own experience as humans. Fortunately, aggression in cats is easier to make sense of and typically derives from two impulses: fear and mistrust. These are the most likely scenarios to cause fear...
It’s a horrible, panic-inducing situation: Your cat has gone missing. What can you do to get your beloved companion safely back home? First, don’t give up. Persistence is key, and you may need a combination of search strategies. A systematic approach based on typical lost cat behavior, as well as...
With a mission to protect all animals, the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) stands on common ground with those who care about both cats and wildlife. With determination, innovation and collaboration, we can implement and sustain effective programs to humanely resolve human-cat-wildlife...
Scratching is a normal, instinctive cat behavior. Cats have a need to scratch. They do it to express emotions, like excitement or stress, to mark objects with their scent (they have scent glands in their paws), to remove the dead part of their nails and, often, just to get a good stretch. It’s also...
Understand how you can help outdoor cats If you've encountered a cat outdoors, you've probably wondered whom the cat belonged to or if they even had an owner. Outdoor cats are sometimes owned cats whose owner lets them out. Often, however, they are community cats—ferals or strays. You can help these...