Black and white community (stray) cat with gray and white community cat behind him

Time to celebrate National Feral Cat Day

By Jennifer Hayes | October 10, 2016

Need a cure for the Monday blues? Our photo feature is here to help provide a brief diversion from your workday routine with a small dose of squee, wow and awwww. Enjoy!

You’ve probably seen them in the shadows, but when National Feral Cat Day is celebrated on October 16, it will be a day for community cats to shine. It’s a way to raise awareness about free-roaming felines and promote trap-neuter-return (TNR), the only humane way of reducing outdoor cat populations. And it’s a way to prevent them from needlessly dying in shelters. Community cats can live happy, healthy and fulfilling lives, as you can see from the photos below.

Learn how Best Friends helps community cats

Siamese community (feral) cat in the grass
Blue eyes, brown seal point markings and green grass — I’m one Technicolor kitty.

Community cats with tails intertwined
Keep looking! I know I heard a can opener.

Community cats eating under an orange tree
Oranges may be good for people, but we much prefer kibble.

Community cat on a fence
I don’t know, I’m on the fence about kibble versus canned.

Black and white community cat in front of some aloe plants
What do you mean I don’t camouflage?

Black cat looking backward at the camera
Yeah, just leave the food right there.

Community cat in front of a meter
I’m here to read your meter.

Two community cats eating
Our cup (or rather our bowl) runneth over.

Community cat hiding behind a bush
Peekaboo!

Caregiver petting a community cat
Yeah, that’s the spot.

Community cat in front of a reindeer holiday decoration
Yeah right — like I’m gonna believe there’s a reindeer behind me.

Community cat checking out a camera
How do I take a selfie on this thing?

Two community cats lying on some gravel
Roll over — you’re snoring.

Community cat in front of a shopping cart
Here’s my shopping list.

Black community cat in the sun
You like my highlights?

Community cats being fed
Yo buddy, move along. This one is mine.

Community cat being released from a live trap
Exit, stage left.

Caregiver putting down water for a community cat
San Pellegrino, please.

A community cat and his shadow
Just me and my shadow.

Community cat in a sunbeam
Thank you for helping take care of me.

Cat initiative T-shirt

Photos by Best Friends staff