How to Control Stray Cats

Stray cats can be a nuisance not matter how cute they seem. These felines can knock over garbage while looking for food, attack your pets and disrupt your sleep patterns with their nightly howling. You can control the stray cat population in your neighborhood by taking a few measures.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

1. Remove all food sources. Although you may feel bad for the cats, strays will stay in the area if you feed them. Don't put out any food and bring leftover food inside if your own pet east in the yard. Tie your garbage bags and place them in a secure, covered trash can.

2. Spay and neuter the cats. This helps control the stray cat population. Lure the cats into a cage with food. Work with your vet or an animal shelter to arrange low-cost spay/neuter operations. You can purchase a stray cat rescue kit from the Havahart Company (see Resources below). These traps are easy to set, bait and release.

3. Find homes for the stray cats. After you spay and neuter the cats, find families who can adopt the strays.

4. Call animal control. Your local animal control officer will pick up the stray cats and place them in animal shelters.

Tips & Warnings

• Don’t hurt stray cats as a way to control them. Animal cruelty crimes are punishable by fines and jail time.

Resources

• The Havahart Company