National Feral Cat Day is October 16. The major mover and shaker of this movement is Alley Cat Allies, which has advanced the humane treatment of feral cats by promoting Trap-Neuter-Return programs worldwide. We salute ACA for educating millions of Americans about the humane and compassionate way to treat feral cats.
May is "formerly feral" now a lovebug -- and ready to go home with you
Local No-Kill groups like Safe Haven advocate Trap-Neuter-Return because we know that most shelters euthanize feral cats upon intake. Why? Because the animals are so fearful when they arrive.
Safe Haven works with the public by lending out humane traps and teaching how to use them correctly.
After the property owner traps the feral, it is put through our low-cost spay/neuter program. The cat is spayed or neutered, given its vaccinations, then returned to the property owner. Once it’s recovered from surgery, it is released back to its home colony. This is the most humane way to manage a feral cat.
Of course, many feral cats cannot be returned to their colonies.
Over the years, Safe Haven has taken in many of them. These terrified kitties are treated to a slow, gentle socialization process by daily interaction with kind, patient volunteers. Every single kitty has responded beautifully to this compassionate handling. Many have already been adopted as big old lovebugs!
"Formerly feral" Rosebud and Snowball are inseparable and want to be adopted together
A few formerly ferals are still with us. Like Rosebud and Snowball (right) who have become best friends. They’re inseparable and are amazingly affectionate to people. Come to our Adoption Center and meet them. You won’t believe it.
These two want to stay together forever. But that’s easy and affordable under our “Together for Life” program, which waives (eliminates) one of the adoption fees. So you adopt both for one fee.
(It’s hard to tell in the photo, but Snowball’s eyes are two different colors.)
May (top photo) is another formerly feral kitty into Safe Haven care. This young adult female is very sweet, a gray & white domestic longhair. Originally, she was terribly fearful and withdrawn. Now when you visit our playroom, she sits next to you and begs for your affection, using your leg as her pillow! It’s amazing to see a kitty learn to trust like that. We see it happen all the time at Safe Haven.
Please be kind to feral cats.
Learn more about ferals. Visit our Adoption Center and meet some of the amazing “graduates” of our Feral Cat Socialization Program.
You might just fall in love and decide to make one (or two) part of your family!
The kitties thank you!
