17 million Americans feed stray and feral cats every day. Dont withhold food for more than two days or they may go elsewhere looking for food. Plan the trapping session at the regular feeding time or you may opt to skip a regular feeding so that they will be extra hungry. Plan a day when you will set the traps, and discuss it with your veterinarian ahead of time. If possible, establish the feeding station in an out-of-the-way location where the cats feel safe. Try and make it the same time every day so that the group becomes accustomed to being fed at that time. It could be before you go to work or early evening. If youre not already feeding the group of feral cats at a regular time, establish a feeding pattern that is convenient to you. (If you catch an abandoned domestic cat, you might want to go ahead and neuter him anyway, and then find him a good home!)

Domestic cats will usually meow and make eye contact. Ferals will either be very aggressive or will stay absolutely still and quiet at the back of the trap. If you are unsure whether or not youve caught a feral, watch his behavior in the trap. Its also a good idea to tell your neighbors what you are doing and ask them to keep their cats indoors during trapping periods. The more traps you have the quicker your project can move along. You can successfully neuter a colony with just one or two traps. Your local humane society or animal control agency may be able to loan you the traps, or you may prefer to buy a humane trap. For help in finding a vet or low-cost spay/neuter program contact SPAY/USA at 1-800- 248-SPAY.

The first step is making arrangements with a local veterinarian. If you trap a nursing female and you are unsure about the kittens, then use your best judgement after talking to your vet. If you trap a pregnant cat it is generally best to spay her anyway. Nursing females can be spayed when their kittens are eating solid food.

Kittens as young as nine weeks can be neutered. Its important to neuter the males as well as the females.) The term spaying can be used in reference to female cats. (Neutering refers to both male and female cats. Most experts agree that the best way to care for these cats and gradually reduce their numbers is the Trap/ Neuter/Return method.

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