Feral and Stray Cats | Best Friends Animal Society

Feral and Stray Cats

18 results

What Is a Working Cat?

What makes a cat a working cat? Learn about barn cats, bodega cats, ship cats, warehouse cats, brewery cats, and more.

a calico working cat with a tipped ear sitting on a beam in a warehouse with boxes behind her

What Is a Feral or Stray Cat?

Feral cats are cats who live outdoors and avoid human contact. They can still be helped by being spayed or neutered, vaccinated, and fed.

Tabby-and-white community cat lying on a fence with trees behind him

Video: What to Do When You Find Kittens Outside

Found kittens outside and not sure how to help them? Learn what to do from this video.

Cardboard box on its side with a litter of kittens in it

5 Steps to Resolve Conflicts Over Community Cats

People have different opinions over what to do about trap-neuter-vaccinate-return (TNVR) for community cats (aka stray or feral cats). Here’s how to find common ground.

Multiple community cats including a dilute calico and black cat

How to Use Humane Cat Traps for TNVR

Humane cat traps that don’t hurt the animal are used for trap-neuter-vaccinate-return (TNVR) of community cats. This comprehensive guide will teach you how to use humane ...

White-and-black feral cat is standing among bushes and meowing. Humane cat traps for TNVR are important to caring for outdoor cats like this one.

Community Cat Trap-Neuter-Vaccinate-Return (TNVR) Success Stories

Learn about community cat TNVR's (trap-neuter-vaccinate-return) effectiveness at controlling outdoor cat populations.

Ear-tipped feral cat (meaning the cat has been part of a TNVR program) in a sunbeam

Ear-Tipping Cats: What It Is and Why It's Done

What does it mean when a cat's ear is tipped? Does ear-tipping hurt a cat? Learn all about cat ear-tipping.

Gray community cat with ear tipped

Community Cats: Public Policy and Legal Issues

Trap-neuter-vaccinate-return (TNVR) programs for community cats (aka ownerless free-roaming, stray, feral cats) are sometimes opposed without sound reasoning or feasible ...

Feeding a community cat

Community Cat Programs Handbook: Managing Stray and Feral Cats

Here's a comprehensive guide for helping community cats (i.e., feral and stray outdoor cats) through trap-neuter-vaccinate-return (TNVR) — also known as return-to-field (...

Ear-tipped black cat who is part of a TNVR program standing in tall grasses

Save Lives with Feral Freedom

This TNR program guide outlines how Jacksonville, Florida, and First Coast No More Homeless Pets are using trap/neuter/return to lower cat shelter deaths.

Two tabby cats who are part of a TNR program

What to Do if You’ve Found a Lost/Stray Dog or Cat

Found a lost or stray dog or cat? Learn steps to take to reunite a loose dog or cat with their person.

Person hugging a white pit-bull-type dog outside in some tall grasses

How to Care for a Stray or Lost Pet

What do you do when you find a stray or lost pet? Get tips on vet care, steps for introducing the animal to other pets, training, socialization, and more.

person holding a smiling white-and-black puppy up on the person's shoulder

Trap-Neuter-Vaccinate-Return (TNVR) for Cats: FAQs

Trap-neuter-vaccinate-return is a humane, non-lethal alternative to the trap-and-kill method of controlling community cat populations.

Two cats near a humane trap being used for trap-neuter-vaccinate-return (TNVR)

How to Help Outdoor Cats in Winter

Learn how to care for outdoor cats in the winter, including how to build an outdoor cat shelter.

Black-and-white outdoor cat

Humane Outdoor Cat Deterrents

In addition to a TNVR program to reduce the population of community cats, there are humane outdoor cat deterrents that people can use.

three cats lying together on a blanket

Found Kittens? What to Do

What do I do with a kitten I found? Here are steps to take for found kittens based on the circumstances.

Free-roaming Siamese kitten