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Step 1
Exercise "trap, neuter, vaccinate and return" (TNVR). The Humane Society and a number of countries, including England and Denmark, advocate this method of coping with feral cat colonies,. This method is in opposition to eradication, which is viewed as less humane and cost-effective.
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Step 2
Trap. PAWS Chicago rents traps which are refundable upon return. Traps should be marked clearly, so no one removes them. Traps should not be set when it is extremely cold or hot. Injuries as the result of such traps are minimal and may include bruised noses and slight cuts to paw pads. Check with your local humane society about the availability of traps in your area.
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Step 3
Take the cat to a veterinarian to be vaccinated and sterilized. Some clinics offer surgery for feral cats free of charge. This is important to prevent the spread of deadly diseases such as FIV, the feline equivalent of HIV. It is also important to control the cat population.
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Step 4
Return the cat to where you found him or her. If you drop the cat off in an unfamiliar area, he or she will no longer be near the familiar feline colony. This will create undue stress on the cat. Be aware that you may not see the cat for a few days as it readjusts to its surroundings.
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Step 5
Check about local laws regarding trapping and releasing animals in your area. Some cities have ordinances forbidding roaming animals. These laws were originally created to prevent the spread of rabies and the formation of dog packs. Contact your city council person or other official to advocate for changes to these ordinances.
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Step 6
Consider socializing the cat, so it can live in a home environment. Those who may not advocate the TNVR approach, may advocate slowly introducing or re-introducing the feline to humans, and eventually keeping the cat with those humans or adopting it out to another family. The outcome and time it takes to get the cat to feel comfortable in such an environment, varies on the degree of "wildness" and the age of the cat. In general, socialization can take anywhere from two to eight weeks.
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Step 7
Evaluate the cat's previous contact and history with humans. The approach in Step #6 is especially viable if you know for certain that the cat has been around people in the past and for various circumstances suffered extreme neglect or trauma, in turn causing the once tame cat to become feral.
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Step 8
Check with your veterinarian. Before introducing the cat to your home and other pets, a veterinarian must evaluate the cat and test for diseases. If the cat has not already been sterilized, do so now. The lack of proper sterilization is what created huge wild cat colonies in the first place.
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Step 9
Practice containment. Start by containing the cat in a small area, such as a pet carrier. Gradually move the cat up to a larger area, such as a small bedroom. Doing so too quickly will overwhelm the cat. Make sure that the room is cat-proofed, so a timid feline won't crawl into small cracks or get trapped in areas when it goes into hiding.
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Step 10
Handle the cat with care. Don't automatically start handling the cat. Keep your distance at first. Allow him or her to warm up to you. When you finally begin to handle the cat, always wear long sleeves. Handle the cat briefly in the beginning, and don't do anything to instill fear in the cat, such as speaking too loudly, making sudden movements or staring too long.
