How to Help Community Cats

Note ~ The dropdown menu of this section of our website provides detailed resources to help individuals do TNR, care for community cats, and sources of evidence against common myths about community cat predation. 
​Regardless of where you live, it’s likely that you share common space with community cats. Community cats are unowned cats who live outdoors in groups. Although they are the same species as your pet cat, they are typically not socialized or friendly towards humans. Also known as feral cats, they live happy, healthy lives with one another in their outdoor communities. 
The Solution to Overpopulation is Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR)
Trap‑Neuter‑Return (TNR) humanely stabilizes community cat populations by:
  • Humanely trapping cats
  • Spaying/neutering and vaccinating
  • Ear‑tipping for identification
  • Returning cats to their original territory with ongoing monitoring
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Why TNR Works
  • Population reduction: 30–50% decline within 2–3 years
  • Behavior improvement: Eliminates mating behaviors (fighting, spraying, yowling)
  • Public health: Vaccinated cats, fewer shelter intakes
  • Cost‑effective: Lower costs than repeated impoundment and killing
  • Public support: Aligns with community values and modern animal welfare standards
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What Government Agencies Should Do
  • Adopt an official TNR or Return‑to‑Field policy
  • Partner with local nonprofits and veterinarians
  • Prioritize sterilization over impoundment
  • Track outcomes (intake, euthanasia, colony stabilization)
  • Train staff in humane response to community cat complaints
What NOT To Do
  • Do not relocate cats
  • Do not trap without sterilization
  • Do not remove food sources as a control strategy
  • ​Do not use killing as population management - cathc-and-kill does not reduce population size long term, consumes public funds, increases community conflict, opens doors to legal trouble
Call to Action!

Local governments and animal control agencies can transition to humane, effective community cat management now.

Alley Cat Rescue can provide resources and guidance. Contact us: Contact[at]saveacat.org 
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