Ten Ways to Care for Community Cats

Contributed by Stacy LeBaron, Head Cat at Community Cats Podcast

At the Community Cats Podcast this year we are going to focus on giving you (both organizations and individuals) actionable tips and tricks to ensure that you have the tools necessary to help any cats in need in your community. Below are a few ideas that I have. Feel free to check out our Facebook page to add more ideas to the list. What are your ideas?

1. If you see a cat, don’t immediately bring the cat indoors. Assess, evaluate, and communicate. Check out this episode podcast for some great advice from Corinne Bourgoin at the MSPCA Boston Adoption Center.
2. Reach out to neighbors to identify and connect to the cat(s).
3. Establish a safe environment for the cat, including housing and food. See the latest recording here of our Colony Caretaking Tips and Tricks webinar, presented by Neighborhood Cats for more recommendations and ideas.
4. Be proactive. Encourage neighbors/the community to take advantage of low-cost spay/neuter resources. Visit the United Spay Alliance spay/neuter directory here to find resources near you.
5. Be an advocate with your local veterinarian, and encourage them to support trap, neuter, return (or at least accept feral cats for TNR) and share with them Feline Fix by Five, a campaign to encourage more vets to talk with clients about spaying and neutering kittens before they are five months of age. (This campaign doesn’t change anything in practice, but it can save lives and the unnecessary births of many kittens.)
6. Fundraise for community cats. We need to think outside of the box to support the community’s cats. 
7. Make sure to have a trapping plan and the proper equipment for when you decide to TNR. Read this blog by Dawn Benefiel of Indy Neighborhood Cats to ensure success with your next trapping event!
8. Plan a nice recovery space. (Wouldn’t we all like the one that Neighborhood Cats has access to in Maui!) Check out the recording here of the latest Trapper’s Tips and Tricks webinar for more helpful suggestions. 
9. Be collaborative about your spay/neuter strategy in your community. Check out the information on the Community Cat Pyramid here and here. Network with other organizations and individuals to create a pack of folks who want to turn their passion for cats into action.
10. Be an optimist. Be positive. We can and will do this together!