Saturday, October 16, 2010

Happy National Feral Cat Day! A Guest Blog By Alley Cat Allies

Happy National Feral Cat Day!




In 2001, Alley Cat Allies started National Feral Cat Day  to educate Americans about stray and feral cats. Today, the tradition continues!  Every year, we celebrate National Feral Cat Day by spreading the word about feral cats and Trap-Neuter-Return, the humane method of managing feral cat colonies and the best thing you can do to help feral cats.

Did you know that feral cats have lived outdoors alongside people for 10,000
years? They are the same species as pet cats—felis catus—but feral cats are not
socialized to people, so they cannot be adopted or live in our homes. Stray
cats also live outdoors, but they can become pets. Learn how to tell the two apart.

Instead, feral cats live happily outdoors in social groups called colonies and are just as healthy as outdoor pet cats

Since feral cats can’t be adopted, bringing them to shelters or calling animal
control is deadly—nearly 100% of feral cats entering shelters are killed.

Trap-Neuter-Return improves the cats’ health, stabilizes the colony, and allows the cats to live out their lives in their outdoor homes.

 As part of a Trap-Neuter-Return program, cats are humanely trapped, neutered,
vaccinated, and returned outdoors. No new kittens are born and the cats no
longer experience the stresses of mating and pregnancy. Behaviors associated
with mating such as yowling and fighting stop as well, contributing to the cats’
overall good health and making them better neighbors. Feral cat colonies are
often looked after by caregivers, who provide food, shelter, and ongoing care
for the cats. Learn more about how to do TNR  and care for feral cats .

Here’s a few suggestions of things you can do
 to celebrate National Feral Cat Day:

• Check our National Feral Cat Day event listings  to see if there is an event near you.

• Write a blog post (or link to this post) about feral cats and Trap-Neuter-Return.

• Dedicate your social networking status on Facebook  or Twitter  to National Feral Cat Day.




Alley Cat Allies is dedicated to transforming and developing communities to

protect and improve the lives of cats.

By reforming public policies and institutions to serve the best interests of
cats, expanding and promoting cat care, and increasing understanding of cats,
Alley Cat Allies is making the world a safer and better place for cats.

Learn more at http://www.alleycat.org/


 
Thank you for taking part in National Feral Cat Day, and for everything you do
for cats all year round!

38 comments:

  1. It's great of you to promote such a worthy cause my friend.

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  2. thank you Inigo!! I am a little behind on some of the blogs I read, I have to catch up with you later today! Busy day coming!! Hope you are feeling better! xoxo

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  3. I didn't know much about feral cats but this post gave me a chance to learn more about them. Thanks!

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  4. @Priscilla, thank YOU!! I always appreciate you stopping by!

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  5. That is a very worthy cause you are promoting. I learned more about feral cats when we were trying to find a home for Graham. What a great program.

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  6. There is a TNR program in the town I live in. They have had wonderful and amazing results!

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  7. Hi Caren,

    Thank you for this great post to help spread the word about feral cats and National Feral Cat Day.

    Kevin

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  8. Alley Cat Allies are so terrific, thanks for sharing them!

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  9. I LOVE the idea of this day!! Ferals--even just regular strays, for that matter--are such an overlooked segment of the feline population. Having a day dedicated to them is a fantastic (or, as Boomie says, "pawsome" ;D) way to increase awareness!

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  10. Great article. We have a feral cat colony by the freeway here. I'd never seen or heard of one til a year or so ago. It's great to see that they've all been TNR'd and are given shelter, fresh food and water.

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  11. @Mario thankyou! Frankly I didn't even start to learn about Ferals myself until I started this blog. A friend of mine in Cleveland is hugely active with them as well. I knew they existed but I had never known about "trap, neuter, return" til a few months ago.

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  12. @Hilary I am so glad you have a successful program where you live. I am hoping more cities do the same!

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  13. @The Paw Relations, thanks so much and thanks for visiting/reading/caring!

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  14. @Meow (Kevin) Thank YOU! You are most welcome! Thanks to Alley Cat Allies and to all involved with ferals for all of their hard work/dedication

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  15. @Brian yes they are! You are most welcome and thank YOU as well for caring!

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  16. @GlamKitty, I agree with Boomie, it is "pawsome!" thanks for reading/caring!

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  17. @MissKrisTV, so nice to meet you! The ferals by the highway where you live have been TNR'd? That is GREAT!! I worry about them being so close to a highway though, are there woods there?
    Thanks for reading!

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  18. Great post - the more we spread the word about TNR the better. Alley cat Allies helped me with my ferals when no one else would.

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  19. didnt realize what an issue this was. Ill be sure to fix my first feline friend

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  20. @cats and dogs thank you! I agree the more we spread the word the better! I am so glad to hear that Alley Cat Allies helped you!

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  21. @yoda, yes it is a huge issue! All cats should be spayed/neutered! :)

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  22. You are a great resource, Caren -- I really appreciate the thought and heart you put into your posts :)

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  23. @Angie THANK YOU! That means so much! Alley Cat Allies wrote this though (not me!) Your comment is very special, thanks for your support!

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  24. Nita thanks so much! Nice to meet you and I hope you will be back!

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  25. Great ... :))

    I want say to you !

    Article Quality Always Receive The Attention of The Reader !

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  26. @listentomusiconline, thank you! Hope you will return!

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  27. Right now I would take in as many as I could. Which would be either 2 or 3 as my limit.

    It sooooo sucks being catless right now. :(

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  28. @K_tigress...ohhh how sad! I hope you can get your kitties soon! Thanks so much for stopping by and I hope you will be back!

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  29. @Flowers Thailand, obviously I do too! Thanks for stopping by and I hope you will return!

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  30. @Anonymous, thanks so much for stopping by and for following Cat Chat! I went by your blog but I like to follow those where I can follow either by email or by the follow button. I don't like the ones where I follow by RSS feeds because I never remember to read them! Will you let me know if you add a way to follow by email?
    Thanks!

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