Feral Cats
The Issue
Different terms are used to classify homeless cats. "Free-living cats" are those previously living in homes that are now homeless. "Semi-feral cats" are the homeless offspring of free-living cats. They are dependent on humans for food. "Feral cats" are those born to free living cats. They are not directly dependent on humans for food - they hunt and scavenge. Free-living cats and semi-feral kittens can be (re) socialized. Exact numbers of homeless cats is not known, but a pair of cats can produce 420,000 offspring over a seven-year period.
Welfare issues faced by homeless cats are trauma and disease, particularly during kittenhood, rejection by colony members leading to death by starvation, injury from cat-cat fights. Many homeless cats are hurt or killed by cars or by predators (coyotes and dogs) and/or are infected with viral disease such as Rhinotracheitis.
Feral cats raise welfare issues for other animals. As introduced predators, cats prey on wildlife -- particularly song birds, rats, mice, frogs, fish, rabbits, and other small animals. In many instances free-living, semi-feral and feral cats injure animals and play with the catch without feeding on the creature.
In seeking public feedback, the BC SPCA asked for input on a number of issues. These included how the BC SPCA could best address the issue of abandonment of cats, whether the BC SPCA should support the practice of humane trapping, sterilizing, vaccinating and releasing of feral cats, and how feral colonies could monitored and cared for. Other issues included whether homeless cats brought into the BC SPCA shelters be rehabilitated or euthanized -- based on potential for socialization-- rather than released to the streets, and whether animal guardians should be allowed to have their cats free-roam.
Public Feedback
Submissions on this subject are very informed, demonstrating the interest and support in finding solutions to the feral cat issue.
Submissions recommend stiffer penalties for those who knowingly abandon any domestic animal. One submission recommends that anyone found guilty of abandoning kittens should be subjected to a penalty at least as great as the cost of a spay/neuter operation.
More education around responsible pet ownership, including the need to spay and neuter is recommended. Some call for the BC SPCA to advocate against the sale of animals in pet stores, or for regulations that make it necessary for pet stores to arrange to have animals spayed/ neutered prior to sale. One submission notes that pet stores often release unwanted/unsold kittens without regard for their health and safety.
Opinions are divided on whether the BC SPCA should support the practice of humane trapping, neutering, vaccinating and releasing (TNVR) of feral cats. Submissions that support the TNVR practice indicate that mass euthanasia is not a remedy, since it has been proven that new cats will repopulate depleted colonies. Also one submission claims that feral cats do not need human affection to survive, and can be happy once they are fixed and their health is attended to. This submission also notes that the TNVR practice was pioneered in England and is now having good results in San Diego's feral cat colonies. Volunteer rescue groups monitor these colonies and provide them with shelter and feeding stations.
Some submissions support trapping and neutering but not releasing feral cats, suggesting the cats should be rehabilitated and socialized and if possible adopted into suitable homes. If they cannot be rehabilitated they should be humanely euthanized. Some support releasing feral cats but retaining, rehabilitating and re-homing semi-feral or free-living cats. Others feel that feral cats carry disease and cause damage to bird populations and so humane trapping and euthanasia are recommended.
With respect to homeless cats brought into the BC SPCA shelters some support the concept of rehabilitation if possible, or moving homeless cats to another location such as pet rescue facilities, which routinely deal with homeless cats. During the pet overpopulation dialogue, cat rescue groups stated that they are more than willing to take on homeless cats and rehabilitate or manage their release into monitored colonies. It was recommended that the BC SPCA work more closely with cat rescue groups in establishing a TNVR practice and in the monitoring and care of existing cat colonies.
Several submissions suggest licensing cats as a means of controlling feral cat populations. Some recommend that cats should be subject to the same restrictions regarding their movements as dogs, i.e. they should be under control of their owner at all times. Others see nothing wrong with allowing cats to free-roam, as long as they are spayed/neutered, and the owner prepared to take responsibility for any complaints. Some point out the risk of allowing companion cats to free-roam i.e., dangers of being hit by cars or attacked by coyotes. Free-roaming cats are also known to cause considerable damage to bird populations and other wildlife.
Recommendations
In view of the complex nature of the issue of feral cats, we believe that informed recommendations are beyond the scope of the independent panel. However, we recognize that the BC SPCA's Companion Animal Welfare Coordinator is undertaking research into the area of feral cats. We have reviewed the preliminary background paper that she has prepared on the control and care of feral cats, and would agree that the recommendations put forward in this paper have merit.
With these in mind, our specific recommendations call on the BC SPCA to:
Short-term
• Establish a task force to research and identify solutions regarding the control and protection of feral cats.
Long-term
• Develop a policy regarding the control and protection of feral cats based on task force findings.

• Build closer relationships with community partners in finding solutions to feral cat problems.