In an effort to take on Kitten Season, Feral Cat Coalition is prioritizing pregnant cat spays. Fundraising is very crucial right now, as we are overwhelmed with pregnant community cats, pregnant owned pet cats, and pregnant rescue cats, and we are doing everything possible to add them all to our overbooked surgery schedules.
-Venmo: @feral_cat_coalition_sd (Search under Businesses)
-Paypal: tinyurl.com/supportfcc
What Is a “Community Cat”?
A community cat is any free-roaming, unowned cat who is living outside in neighborhoods or industrial areas.
Feral is a behavior. Feral cats are not socialized to humans and will avoid all human contact. Due to their lack of socialization, they do not want to be confined indoors with humans or brought inside as pets.
Feral cats are the offspring of stray or abandoned pets that are not spayed or neutered. Female cats can become pregnant as young as five months of age and can give birth several times each year. Without early human contact, their kittens become feral and continue the cycle of reproduction.
Stray cats were once pets and have either run away or been abandoned. Just like feral cats, if left unaltered, they will contribute to thousands of unwanted kittens being born in our communities. There are not enough resources for the overwhelming number of kittens born each year, which is why spaying and neutering is so important!
According to the Humane Society of the United States, tens of millions of unowned cats live outdoors, and most rely on humans for food and shelter. These cats can be truly feral or friendly strays that have been lost or abandoned.
What Does the Feral Cat Coalition Do?
The Feral Cat Coalition is a non-profit organization dedicated to reducing the overpopulation of feral and abandoned cats through free, humane Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR). We believe it is our responsibility, as a community, to care for cats that have been forced, through human abandonment or failure to spay and neuter, to live outdoors.
When appropriate, we lend humane traps, with instructions, for the purpose of trapping, neutering, and returning feral cats to their outdoor homes, where they are monitored by caretakers. Our staff will walk you through the TNR process and answer any questions when scheduling.
Since 1992, we have spayed or neutered more than 50,000 community cats. Licensed veterinarians perform spay/neuter surgeries at our facility in San Diego, and at various locations throughout San Diego County.
The Feral Cat Coalition is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization. Donations are tax-deductible and will go toward providing free care to community cats in San Diego and beyond.
What Is Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR)?
TNR is the only proven and humane method of managing community cat colonies and is endorsed by leading animal welfare organizations such as the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) and the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA).
Community cats are humanely trapped, spayed or neutered, vaccinated, ear-tipped (the universal symbol of a sterilized feral cat), and returned to their outdoor homes, where they are monitored by caretakers.
Research has shown that, when correctly implemented, TNR stabilizes and reduces feral cat populations, eliminates undesirable behaviors associated with mating, and is more effective and cost-efficient than lethal control.
How Can You Be Part of the Solution?
Trap-Neuter-Return. Fill out an appointment request form for feral/community cats to schedule an appointment at our clinic. We will provide humane trap rentals and trapping resources. If you are outside San Diego County, we may ask that you provide your own traps, depending on location. Our staff is here to get you started and walk you through the process!
Volunteer. Our life-saving procedures would not be possible without dedicated volunteers! To become an FCC volunteer and participate in our mission to reduce overpopulation and improve the lives of community cats, please complete our volunteer application. Our volunteer coordinator will decide which station is right for you.
Donate. Make a tax-deductible contribution via PayPal, or send a check to 9528 Miramar Road, PMB 160, San Diego, CA 92126. (Tax ID: 33-0590141)
Spay and neuter your pets. Cats can begin reproducing as early as five months of age, so they should be sterilized by five months or younger. Cats can give birth several times a year, and each litter adds to the millions of cats across the country who are competing for homes. Close to two million cats are euthanized each year in shelters and animal control facilities nationwide.
In addition to population control, sterilization can also eliminate unpleasant behaviors of intact cats, such as fighting and spraying.
The Feral Cat Coalition is now offering low-cost spay/neuter appointments for owned cats! To request an appointment for your cat, please fill out the owned pet form.
For additional low-cost spay/neuter services for pets in San Diego County, contact:
- SNAP’s Neuter Scooter – (866) SPAY-BUS – for owned pets
- Animal Welfare Foundation – (619) 702-4400 – for owned pets
- Pet Assistance (in San Diego’s North County) – (855) 738-7349 – for owned pets
You can make a difference. Together, we can save lives. Get involved today!
