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Managing Outdoor Cats
While it is unreasonable to expect all cats to live their lives indoors, in many of our communities the numbers of outdoor cats has become excessive and our organization is making efforts to reduce the overpopulation of cats. Read below to learn the most effective strategies to manage community cats.
Don't Kitnap Kittens
When we find a kitten, or a litter of kittens, our first impulse is to want to help them. But many kittens do not need us… or at least, not quite yet. The goal of the “Don’t Kitnap Kittens” initiative is to keep kittens with their mom as long as possible, instead of artificially creating orphan kittens. We have come to recognize the harm that early removal of kittens from their mother can cause. Where possible, try to leave the kittens where they are until they are starting to eat solid food on their own.
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A shelter, no matter how well-run, is not the best place for unweaned kittens. They are prone to upset stomachs from kitten formula and are vulnerable to infections. Kittens that are separated from their mother too early, particularly if they are on their own, often develop behavior problems that become lifelong issues.
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Just because you may not see the mom, it doesn't mean she is not close by. If the kittens are clean and dry it is a good sign mom is taking care of them. Also if the kittens are quiet it typically means they're well-fed.​ If the kittens are wet, dirty, thin, injured or appear sick contact one of our locations for guidance. Remember that removing kittens increases the risk of illness and death, so it is VERY important that you are 100% certain they are truly abandoned. Watch this video for more information
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If the kittens are starting to eat food this is a great age to start socializing them, but they are still much too young to be weaned or impounded at a shelter. You can also sign up to foster kittens to help these fragile little beings.
Healthy & Stray? Let them stay
If you see a cat outdoors, the cat could be stray, feral, or free-roaming. Those terms are often used interchangeably by the general public when referring to cats who live outdoors. At Prairie Paws, we like to call these outdoor cats "community cats" because they are valued members of our community and are often cared for by community members. For decades, community cats have been removed either in a failed attempt at population management, or by well-meaning animal care-givers taking them to shelters hoping an owner may reclaim them, or they will find a new home.
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The truth is that only 2-3% of cats are reclaimed in animal shelters compared to almost 50% of dogs. This might be because indoor/outdoor cats are not declared "missing" as quickly as dogs are, and also many cats are not owned by an individual and are often cared for by many people. Cats also suffer tremendously at shelters, they find the environment more stressful than dogs do, and succumb to illness soon after intake even in the highest-performing shelters. This means that they need to be managed differently than dogs. Instead of scooping up and bringing healthy cats to a shelter, follow these steps:
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If the cat has an ear-tip, you-re in luck he/she has been spayed/neutered, leave them be.
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Post a photo on in local lost and found facebook groups including the area that the cat is frequenting. In many cases this is just a neighbors cat out for a stroll.​
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If the cat appears sick or injured, call your local animal shelter for guidance.
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If the cat is safe, happy and healthy but you are concerned about unwanted litters in your area, our shelters offer low-cost spay and neuter as well as TNR.
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If you have been observing the cat for a week or more, it doesn't belong to anybody nearby, and cannot safely remain in the neighborhood, you can apply to relinquish to an animal shelter. Cats that are relinquished to shelters instead of being brought in as strays, can be expedited to adoption decreasing stress and illness.​
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Trap-neuter-return (TNR) is a non-lethal humane program where free-roaming cats are humanely trapped; ear-tipped, sterilized and vaccinated; and returned to the outdoor locations where they were found.
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TNR immediately stabilizes the size of a cat colony. Sterilizing 70 percent of the colony will result in a gradual decline of the population over time. In addition, the nuisance behavior often associated with feral cats is dramatically reduced. This includes the yowling and noise that comes with fighting and mating activity and the odor of unneutered males’ spraying to mark their territory. The cats tend to roam less and so become less of a visible presence, yet continue to provide natural rodent control, a valuable benefit in urban areas. Because there are hundreds of thousands of free-roaming cats, and because the vast majority cannot be homed, TNR is the best solution.
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To get more information:
For the Ottawa location call 785-242-2967 or email info@prairiepaws.org
For the Manhattan location call 785-587-2783 or email intake@prairiepaws.org
For the Emporia location call 620-340-6345 or email emporia@prairiepaws.org