What is a feral cat?

Feral cats are estimated at 60 million nationwide! They are the offspring of unneutered cats that have been abandoned, or of neglected pets, that are allowed to breed. Cats raised without human contact are "unsocialized" and develop a natural fear of humans and are thus, forced through no fault of their own, to live as wild animals and form "colonies" in which they reproduce. Neither pets nor wildlife, they often lead bleak and short lives without the protection of traditional welfare societies. Unneutered and unwanted, feral cats are a population out of control throughout the nation.

Feral cats are most likely found trying to eke out a dismal existence (typically only living 3 to 6 years of age) by eating out of dumpsters behind restaurants, school cafeterias, and apartment complexes. They roam farms, parks, college campuses or any other site that might provide a source of food and/or shelter. But many people are unaware of the large numbers of suffering, half-starved feral cats in their neighborhoods because most feral cats scavenge for food only a night and are skilled at avoiding humans. In addition to the misery of these cats living a subsistence life-style, they may also become a public nuisance.

Therefore, Habitat for Cats devotes all of its resources towards reducing the population of feral cats in the Greater Rochester New York area by sterilizing as many as possible following a trap, neuter & return [TNR] philosophy.

Habitat for Cats, P.O. Box 25637, Rochester, New York 14625 | Phone: (585) 234-2894 | Email Us