r/Feral_Cats • u/Afraid_Fly_3108 • 6h ago
URGENTā I just caught a stray cat and I donāt know what to do.
I bought kitty litter and a litter box with soft cans of cat food. Iām scared help please.
r/Feral_Cats • u/mcs385 • Mar 13 '26
Warmer weather means kitten season is upon us! If you're here because you've just discovered a very young kitten or a whole litter of kittens, barring extenuating circumstances (dangerous location, extreme weather, sick or injured kittens, etc.) generally it's best to wait and monitor them to see if their mom returns before taking immediate action. In the meantime, read up on the following guides so you can be prepared if youĀ doĀ need to intervene!
If your situation is urgentĀ and you need a quick guide now on how to proceed, tailored to your current circumstances, take a look atĀ r/AskVet's guide:Ā Itās kitten season! You found a litter of kittens - now what?!. Also feel free to make a post of your own here onĀ r/Feral_CatsĀ to get input and advice from other experienced caregivers!
Long-term, the single best thing you can do for a roaming community cat is to make sure they're spayed or neutered. Note: in the case of community cats who appear to be potentially pregnant, they can (and should) still be spayed! You may have a local trap, neuter, return (TNR) or low-cost spay/neuter clinic that would be able to get your feral or stray cats sterilized at a drastically reduced rate. More info on finding clinics and rescues, and general TNR topics can be found in our Community Wiki sections:Ā Finding Your Local ResourcesĀ andĀ Getting Started with TNR.

r/Feral_Cats • u/mcs385 • Mar 05 '26
There has been recurring debate in the comments recently regarding spay-abort procedures, so I want to address this directly. r/Feral_Cats is a pro spay/neuter subreddit. We're focused on the humane care of feral/stray/community cats via Trap, Neuter, Return (TNR) and socialization to adopt, where possible. There are far more cats than there are homes that are willing and able to take them in, and especially with feral-leaning cats, it's just not possible for every cat in our care to be happily placed in a home with humans. Bare minimum, sterilizing the cats that we're seeing and feeding is vital for starting to get a handle on the population of roaming cats.
To that end, this community supports and encourages spaying cats that are suspected or confirmed to be pregnant. This decision is not made lightly by caregivers. There is a limit to how much each individual caregiver can provide for every cat in their care. We are all operating within very real limits of time, space, and funding, not to mention foster availability and shelter capacity on top of that. Not everyone can safely confine a pregnant feral cat for months. Not everyone has the resources to process an entire litter before those kittens begin reproducing themselves. Holding a feral cat through pregnancy and until kittens are old enough to separate means two to three months of confinement at minimum. That is incredibly stressful for a feral-leaning cat and resource-intensive for her caregiver. And this is often not just one cat at a time. Many caregivers are managing multiple intact females at once, and pregnancies snowball quickly once kitten season hits. Expecting someone to foster every pregnant cat, raise every litter, socialize the kittens and then find homes is not realistic, particularly when homes are already hard to come by and shelters and rescues are at limited capacity.
Allowing kittens to be born outdoors instead also does not guarantee positive outcomes. Survival rates for kittens born outside are very low. Many will not make it to adulthood due to illness, injury, exposure, or predators; there's also the risk that something may happen to their mother at any moment, leaving them alone and vulnerable. The kittens that do survive must still be trapped and sterilized before the females begin going into heat themselves, which can happen as young as four months. Taking in a preventable litter might mean that another cat loses their space or is euthanized for room. If rescues aren't open, the burden of socialization and long-term care then falls back on the caregiver. In some cases, the only remaining option is to sterilize and return those kittens outdoors, further adding to the strain on the colony. These are the realities caregivers are navigating when we're making these decisions.
When it comes to TNR, once a cat is trapped, there is no guarantee she can be trapped again if released due to a potential pregnancy. Delaying sterilization can mean losing the opportunity to trap her again easily in the future, resulting in additional litters being born outside and suffering for it. There is also the very real chance that a female cat is not actually pregnant but may instead have a uterine infection (pyometra) that is fatal without an emergency spay. The risk of pyometra increases with age, and with each consecutive heat cycle that does not result in pregnancy. Pregnancy and labor in turn also carry real risks of complications that can be fatal for both mom and kittens.
In many situations, prioritizing the health and safety of the cat in front of us and preventing further population growth is the most responsible course of action available. It's also the most logistically practical option for caregivers who are already often operating with limited resources and support in their communities.
I understand that this is not an easy discussion to have for those unfamiliar with this side of TNR and rescue work, and you're allowed to have an opinion on it. However, debates opposing sterilization, including spay-abort procedures performed as part of TNR efforts, are not in the spirit of this subreddit. Shaming or judging caregivers for choosing to proceed with a spay-abort is not allowed here. If you are arguing in favor of fostering through pregnancy, please do so only if you are fully aware of the time, resource, and logistical costs involved.
r/Feral_Cats • u/Afraid_Fly_3108 • 6h ago
I bought kitty litter and a litter box with soft cans of cat food. Iām scared help please.
r/Feral_Cats • u/Beaniebee12 • 8h ago
Sorry I don't mean for the back to back post but they're so cute!
I was nervous that they wouldn't let me but they did!
They are not food motivated won't even budge on the churus š so I'm hoping after time goes by they
will keep opening up.
My local humane society said I can surrender them that was before I knew their level of socialization though so I'm hoping they will still take them in and provide me with their medical needs and all that while I foster them until they have space for them.
I believe they have ear mites didn't see fleas but I'm sure they're there.
r/Feral_Cats • u/OpportunityLazy6860 • 6h ago
Good evening!
I have a feral cat colony near my condo. recently one cat came around and didnāt immediately run away when she saw us, so we started feeding her. She doesnāt get close to us, but would come up to the door to meow for food. After a week or so she brought one kitten, but we only saw it that one night. A month later she brought 3 different kittens. She brought those 3 consistently and would come up to the door meowing for food.
I couldnāt get close to the mom or kittens, but they would play with a string and are about 3 months old and still nursing.
I called animal control and they said they donāt have the budget for TNR but would lend me a trap and could take the kittens but I would have to pay for moms spay. So I made the appointment for mom and was able to trap mom and 3 kittens last night.
The 4 of them are currently in my bathroom. Kittens are doing fine, eating and using the litter box, and the woman from animal control told me I could start trying to play with them after a few days, and she would try to make room for them so we are going to speak again on Monday. (They are a no kill shelter and I even have some potential adopters lined up)
In the meantime momās spay appointment isnāt for another week! What can I do with/for her until then? She flipped out when I put her in the bathroom and now sheās just hiding behind the toilet. The bathroom has everything they need with a few boxes for hiding. And animal control is going to help me get her in a crate to bring her to the appointment.
r/Feral_Cats • u/Osmiini25 • 2h ago
I'm sort of speechless. I had one litter of orphaned kittens who unfortunately had panleuk. an older kitten come in with ringworm, and they would not fix him. Then my latest also had ringworm (I think? That part of the phone conversation was confusing). He looked extremely healthy. š he's the middle cat in the picture... I feel bad for him. I think they already euthanized. He always watched me in my yard from a safe distance.
On that basis they said they would not take anymore cats to be sterilized...but would take young kittens? None of that makes sense, since I guess it's not really about disease prevention, then...
Also did they expect cats living in a colony to be perfectly healthy??
I've done like 60 out if hopefully no more than 70 cats. I'm so tired.
r/Feral_Cats • u/escapevel0city • 15h ago
This community has helped me so much and I'm forever grateful for all of you. Thank you for all of your efforts and showing up for these cats where nobody else would. Happy spooky seasonšš»š¤
r/Feral_Cats • u/fireanpeaches • 12h ago
My sweet angel of a barn kitty is having a difficult time now. She was tnrād 3.5 years ago and is reluctant be held and hard to get in a carrier so Iāve not had her in to renew the rabies. Iād describe her as semi feral. Sheās had an injured leg thatās not healing so I took her to the vet and left her there. They took her out of the carrier and weighed her and were putting her back in the carrier when she turned and bit the tech. I get a call from the vet saying they are going to have to euthanize her because her rabies is out of date. It was 3 years since the tnr. They wanted my permission but I was hesitant and they said they had already called the state and they would determine next steps. It looks like the vet will keep her for ten days to quarantine and this will cause her to go insane. Iām devastated. I just wanted so badly for her to be treated and now this has happened. She so sweet normally but sheād been in the carrier all night and sheās not use to strangers and what do they expect from an injured cat? Thereās virtually no rabies in our county and this girl was crawling all over me purring and loving on me yesterday.
r/Feral_Cats • u/Routine_Bag_4466 • 5h ago
Not sure if this qualifies but itās definitely feral! This guy was seen on North Slade Rd in Sumrall MS about 15 miles from my house.
r/Feral_Cats • u/Committee_Thick • 1h ago
I need to spay a feral mom cat who has had two litters with us. I can effectively trap her in the closed balcony area and she has her kittens with her right now. 7 of them. I don't understand how cats can have only a few kittens and this one pumped out 7. Anyways, I don't want to ruin my few chances I will get for trapping her.
My plan is to take the food away and then put some churros in the cat carrier and pray things work out. Outside of this, what else should I do to help capture the mom cat?
I can pat her and she skitters away so I do have a level of trust with her, but that can be broken pretty quickly once she sees my attempts.
The pic is from a while back. Its been 8 weeks since they were born.
This time around, she tried hiding her kittens from us because we gave away the first bunch. So this is feeling like a never ending cycle and I really need it fixed.
r/Feral_Cats • u/GhibliNut • 6h ago
I've been feeding a stray cat and this morning she brought her kittens. I didn't know she even had kittens. There were only two. I set up a trap to catch all three but mom wouldn't get in the cage. After a long time of waiting, I noticed the kittens were about to leave the cage so I had to make a tough call. I caught the kittens but mom ran. I'm afraid she won't come back. What should I do now? I'd rather not give the kittens to the shelter without mom. They're eating the wet food I left out so I'm pretty sure they're weaned. They're terrified of humans and won't leave the kennel I put them in so I've left them alone to calm down in my office. Any advice would be appreciated.
r/Feral_Cats • u/OccultPalms87 • 5h ago
Conyers, GA area.
Hello everyone,
So, for the past few months, we've had a feral tuxedo living in our backyard. I've been feeding him, and he's warmed up to me a fair bit, plus he's recently shown interest in exploring indoors. But because my dad doesn't like cats (or any animal, really) in the house, I can't attempt to make him an indoor cat. We also don't have transportation, so I can't take him to the vet myself, either. I love cats, so I would love to take him in, but due to my dad's stance on animals, and due to not having the funds to move out, I don't think that I'm meeting his needs. He's mischievous and sometimes tries to bite (he's unfixed, which I contribute to those quirks), but I absolutely feel like he could thrive with a good owner. Unfortunately, I'm not that person at the moment, and although I do care a lot about him in the months we've spent together, I refuse to allow my selfishness to stop any progress he could make.
I can supply anyone up to the task of TnR'ing Mr. Tux with the rest of my wet food supply (which he enjoys) + his outdoor cat house. So please, if anyone in the area can help me, thank you SO much!
r/Feral_Cats • u/siriuslycharmed • 17h ago
We have a feral cat that was on our property for a few months two years ago, left, and just came back a few days ago (it's the exact same cat--identical markings and ear that's been gnawed on). He comes off as very friendly and follows us literally everywhere, but he gets mean when we stop petting him. Hissing, swatting at our feet, even nipping at us.
He's stuck to us like glue. Weaving through our legs and almost tripping us. What can we do to help correct his behavior?
r/Feral_Cats • u/Timmer_420_80 • 7h ago
I have about six fixed feral cats that I feed, I'm not well health-wise and don't have a lot of money, I don't really know anyone either, I got someone to attempt to help make cat houses but they did not turn out good, I can't snap the lid on to them, it appears it due to them not doing styrofoam measurements properly, it's kind of a hot mess, there's also not any styrofoam on the underpart of the lid nor where they enter, they are 27 gallon totes, I had them get I think it was half inch thick foam board from one of the hardware chains, how do I go about finding someone to help me or buying one pre-made? I live in a small town and I have not been able to find any help here. I'm not good with math or measurements. I wish I could get a styrofoam box to put in them but they are so small for sale everywhere. Does anyone know what size I would need to fit in a tote? Can you get them anywhere? This is turning into a nightmare, it's dipping down to 34 tonight where I live, I have one heated house someone gave me last year to borrow but they won't get in it. I'm feeling defeated. Any help would be appreciated.
r/Feral_Cats • u/Incendas1 • 3h ago
As the title says, we are moving soon (not by choice) and so we won't be able to keep feeding the cats here.
We will have some time, at least a month, to wean them off the food and water we provide.
Next door to us, there's an abandoned property, and there are some sheds and a loft with straw inside that cats like to sleep and nest in. There were 2 litters born here and I still feed 2 adults (spayed 2+ weeks ago). Unfortunately I did miss one trap savvy girl, she doesn't eat from us.
We've been feeding them for only a couple of months just to spay and take their kittens inside mainly.
How can I wean them off my food and water safely? It's getting cold as well so I hope they will be ok, but we don't have much of a choice.
r/Feral_Cats • u/Beaniebee12 • 1d ago
I really hope I'm not over my head but I trapped mom and her 3 kittens. Mom will be getting TNR'd tomorrow and the kittens are currently in a crate in my basement. Long story but I have 2 kittens I'm already fostering they're upstairs someone else from the rescue was suppose to take them because they tested twice for Giardia. They're both seem healthy now but need to give them another round of meds then retest. Plus I have 5 resident cats.
I already agreed on taking the 3 kittens from outdoors because I felt bad since the colds coming. But since the lady didn't take the current fosters I'm stuck with both. On top of all this I'm in one class in college which isn't bad but it's A&P 1 so it's alllot of studying.
Anyways I know this will be stressful but I'm hoping I can give all these babies a better future.
I did YouTube some videos that I shouldn't free feed and always feed when I'm around.
Any other tips? Like how many hours should I spend with them daily?
TIA
r/Feral_Cats • u/dopestwitch • 23h ago
I have a few TNR's and one that I haven't been able to trap or get close enough to try and grab, that I've been feeding for about 8 years now. We recently had some new neighbors move in across from us and we think they have a problem with us feeding the cats. We feed them on a timely schedule every night, and usually clean up the bowls and any left over food the same night but if not def in the morning. We just got a notice regarding this and how we've been ''caught'' feeding them and how it's against lease terms. Tonight I tried putting the food elsewhere, behind our dumpster since it's the most discreet area. But they couldn't find the food (kept waiting by our door for food) and when I went to check to see if they had found the food I noticed it was covered in ants (to the point where when I picked up the bowl to throw it away all of the ants quickly crawled up my hand and started biting me).
We fed them by our front door, off to the side because it was all concrete so we didn't have to worry about ants getting into the food. And we fed them late at night to avoid anyone seeing/being upset over the cats and food. I'm not sure what to do now. Does anyone have any ideas?
r/Feral_Cats • u/Toriningen • 10h ago
I'm looking for some recommendations for a cheap and reliable remote-control method to selectively trigger my Tru-catch trap. I know about the water bottle trick, but I would like to invest in something I can use over long distances or for when using a super long string isn't practical or safe (such as a place where people walk by, cars drive over, etc).
I've seen some recommend the Top Race Drone clip remote control in videos and Facebook posts, but that doesn't seem to be sold anymore. I've bought another drone clip thrower but it was defective.
I've seen another car remote solanoid tech but it involved permanent welding which I'd like to avoid.
If this is not the right subreddit for this kind of post, please let me know where I should post it. Thank you!
r/Feral_Cats • u/Gryffin_red12 • 10h ago
This post will discuss end of life care for a feral cat, so if that is an upsetting topic, feel free to skip ā¤ļø
Hi! First time posting, I just found this subreddit and I think it's really awesome to see a community for taking care of ferals!
Context: We've been taking care of these two feral cats for years now. My next door neighbour used to feed them and she got Fluffy spayed and released. She said that our neighbour abandoned her and her sister when they moved out and was only able to save Fluffy. The neighbour started working out of province (I am based in Ontario, Canada), so we took it on ourselves to start taking care of them. Them being Fluffy and Lion. We have no idea where Lion came from except that they are seemingly bonded. The first time we left food out for them, Lion left and came running with Fluffy in tow! They're basically inseparable, except when Lion is roaming the nieghbourhood.
Lion has a clipped ear so someone must have neutered him. They are so sweet together and clearly have a bond. Which makes this whole situation really difficult.
So we've been feeding them for maybe 5+ years now. I bought them a heated house last year that they love and Fluffy spends most of her time on the porch. She was already quite old when we started taking care of her and this year her age is really starting to show. She must be 10-12 years old, maybe older. She's always been small, even after feeding her everyday. This year I've noticed her legs seem weaker. They tend to slide down and I can tell they're getting stiffer. She lost some fur on her back because of a knot but its starting to grow back. All in all, she is clearly very old for living on the street (or front porch). More and more she spends at our front window (they both learned that they can look in the window for food and pets) and usually she just wants to be pet. I think sometimes she wants to slip inside. It's all worrying because this behaviour has really increased and it feels like she's trying to communicate something.
I brush and pet her gently to see if she has any pain on her back and legs and theres been no sore spots. Last year, she definitely had a knot that would make her skiddish if you touched it, this year she seems fine, thankfully. Just weaker. I am worried about this winter. We are planning on fixing up the corner of the porch to give them both more protection from the weather, but even my dad says he doesn't think she'll make it through the winter.
So I come on here to ask if anyone has advice? We've had to make the difficult decision to put down our cat and dog in the past and its feeling like the same situation. Fluffy deserves to have dignity and I want any advice on vet care or possibly euthanasia in the future. Has anyone brought a feral to the vet in ontario for consultation and how much does it cost? I would be willing to pay anything to give her comfort and peace. Fluffy is very gentle but I would not attempt to pick her up. I think I could get her in a carrier if it comes to it. I've ever thought about fixing up the basement or garage just to give her somewhere to stay.
We have two indoor cats or else we'd bring them in. I'm also worried because of her bond with Lion. He is definitely younger than her and I believe they have a maternal relationship. Has anyone dealt with losing a cat from a bonded feral pair? Lion is fairly independent but he sucks up to her like his own mother.
Sorry if this was a long post and all over the place, I'd appreciate any advice or support. Vet advice, or ever what you have done to make an aging feral more comfortable. Fluffy and Lion for cat tax :) Fluffy is the grey cat. They love to groom each other and cuddle. Sometimes Fluffy gets annoyed at how clingy Lion is and will swipe at him gently to leave her alone š
r/Feral_Cats • u/Medical_Pea_6162 • 1d ago
I had noticed him licking more than usual and leaving red spots on his blankies but he obviously wouldnāt let me look very closely so I took him back to the vet.
He apparently had a huge infection and his licking caused a big open wound (which is good according to the vet). The vet is an angel and said sheāll keep him and laser it until it can be sewn up.
Of course this happens just as weāve made enough progress to pet him very gently with one finger.
Iām so sad for this little guy. His whole world has been shaken up and now heās in a scary place not knowing if heāll ever get to leave.
Plus, I really miss him.
/sadcatvent over
r/Feral_Cats • u/BlackbirdsTheName • 11h ago
Been through hell and back with these cats trying to get them fixed or adopted. My cities rescues and societies and cat people pretty much failed them. I, by the grace of God, was able to pay for 18 ferals TNR out of pocket. Put 2 grand on care credit to save ones life. Shes now an indoor kitty spooked of the outside daylight who only goes out at night after being forced inside for two weeks after an ER stint to save her life.
I really don't even want to call them ferals as most of them have been totally socialized at least to me and my husband. 5 of the 13 even come inside and find places to sleep for a few hours until they need to go out. The rest are nice enough but they refuse to come inside my home and are still pretty skittish if I move the wrong way or too quick. Point is, I can pet every single one either easily or if done the right way.
I have gotten selemectin in dogs xl doses for about a year now so they all get treated for fleas. I deworm them every few months.
But we are moving. About 1.5 hours away.
Theres a few actual ferals on this property I am not concerned with as they go months without coming by and then randomly show up to eat and then gone again. I'm worried about this main colony who eats a couple times a day and they are all one big bunch.
I am not leaving them behind.
So what do I do?
What i have:
A Suncoast shed with a portable AC in it.
A garage i can put an AC in but I fear for a few weeks its going to be filled with everything. Boxes and cars and we have so much stuff.
A camper some are used to coming in that if we must we will hook up to the house so its running with the power and AC for them. Will need tons of crates. Is it better to put them together or some together.
Has anybody successfully moved a GROUP this big??? My only thing i think will help is that they are pretty attached to us. They know we feed them and love them. I would hope they wouldn't run but I know they're animals and get unbalanced by a new environment. So what do I do? Are there any great videos about this?
To note: there is no fence yet. We will do this once we settle and seek out permits etc. Its still a new ish neighborhood but not in the city we live in now, kind of in the sticks but they are starting to build up. Already a neighbor behind us and next to them. Then nothing on either side but overgrown grass and weeds. Apparently theres also already a pretty bad feral problem there so im worried about my bunch and will also have to try to TNR anyone else out there that I can.
What im worried about is somebody being an asshole and calling animal control. Will they or can they do anything? They've all been ear tipped, fixes, rabies etc I have all their paperwork. I just dont want any problems and I really hate to cause problems. I hate so much that im going to have to bring a shit ton of freaking stray/feral cats to somebody else's doorsteps. But what else can i do???
Also- we also plan to buy a catio a superrr XL one or build one ASAP. We have about a month. Things are moving quick and we just found out officially today. Please... SEND HELP!
r/Feral_Cats • u/Which_Station6080 • 1d ago
I need advice.
We have kittens we been taken care of since birth. Ferral mom and her kittens have all came inside as of a couple weeks ago
Out of 8 females, 2 have died from nuroligical symptoms.
Runt died within a 2-3 weeks or so at birth.
I got them to the vet every time.
The last one that passed a month ago randomly developed wobbley cat syndrome & then passed away at vet when she was found after a seizure with blood coming out of her mouth.
Fast forward to now, another Kitten whove we got attached to is now struggling to walk on her back legs as of last night. Shes falling over doing the same thing again.
I took her to VET hospital last night and they found an ulcer in her throat but that was it. They tested for Feline panleukopenia virus and it was negative. Because her personality was decent they gave us pain meds and to call if things get worse.
They just dont know what to test for they said.
They said it could get better or could get worst. And its getting worse. Qe dont know what's wrong with this litter and why all the other cats at the appartment havent had to deal with any of this.
They said it could be incest, unknown infections, ect.
Has anybody else gone through this ? Healthy kittens randomly getting wobbly then dying.
What should I pay for test to run. I asked about the cat aids one and the other one but they said they didnt think it was necessary! Maybe they were trying to get me discharged or they were tired but this is absolutely heartbreaking man.
This cat was healthy 2 days ago it seemed.
I dont know about the ulcer in her throat, I dont know about the wobbling now.
Can someone point me in right direction.
r/Feral_Cats • u/Technical-Ant-2866 • 19h ago
My colony went in for annuals in the last 24hrs. One is staying at the vet due to an abscess/growth that had to be removed. The other is healthy but received a Rabies + F-combo vaccine. When I brought her home yesterday she was fine, ate lunch, ate a small dinner but seemed not super hungry.
12 hours later she's not interested in food besides a few pieces of kibble. I've tried to encourage eating with stinky wet food, tuna, and warming it up but she's declining it. No GI issues, and is drinking fine. She's currently hiding in her cat house so I'm leaving her be. Sent an update to my vet to keep them in the loop.
Any thoughts on what I can do to ensure she's getting nutrition? I think this happened during her last annual (can't recall the details) and it took a day for her to start getting an appetite again.
Thanks for reading, I'm not panicking as I have been doing this for a while but was wondering if anyone has experienced the same with their colony and what did they do if anything (besides waiting).
r/Feral_Cats • u/ratlord1116 • 1d ago
So Ive cut a door out of this 55 gallon barrel and am planning on putting some straw in it, but I'm worried that it might be too dark at night for the cats that visit? I know theyve eaten the food I put out by it but I haven't seen any use it when it rains, should I get a small light to add to the inside for them?