ALWAYS BEST FOR PETS
We are a public NON-PROFIT organization that is dedicated to help cats in need. The purpose of this nonprofit organization is to provide an alternative to euthenizing feral cats as well as control the pet over population.
By spaying and neutering these feral cats, fewer cats are born to feral or stray cats and fewer cats and kittens enter shelters. This means fewer are killed because there aren’t enough homes for all of the cats who need them and fewer are deemed unadoptable because they are wild or untamed. Also, fewer cats competing for adoptive homes means more find a home and fewer are euthenized. Donations are gladly and thankfully accepted as this is the only fundinf we receive at this time.
A lot of the time a feral cat is unadoptable due to having no human contact. The Humane Society is reluctant to care for these animals. It takes 6 months to 1 year to tame a feral cat. After they are tamed they make wonderful adoptable pets. I have three of my own and you would never know that they were once “wild” cats. Our objective – eliminate the incredible surplus of unwanted cats and kittens through humane trap / sterilize/ release clinics. The numbers indicate that programs like this one are working very well. We are hopeful that many feral cats can be put up for adoption and make wonderful house pets.
What is a feral cat?
A feral cat is an untamed domestic cat living on their own. Feral cats are "wild" offspring of domestic cats and result from pet owners abandoning and/or failing to sterilize their pets, allowing them to breed uncontrollably. Feral cats are unsocialized, unowned free-roaming cats. They, however, are NOT a wildlife species and cannot fully fend for themselves. Unattended they survive, but do not thrive, breed prolifically and lead meager lives shortened by malnutrition, disease, trauma, and high kitten mortality. They can become public nuisances and make up a large portion of the cats euthenized at animal shelters.
Sometimes they are former housecats who became lost while searching for a mate. They have been abandoned cats who are now fending for themselves or are the offspring of these cats. Most feral cats are cats that were put out as kittens because the owner of the mother cat did not want to bother with them. Feral cats sometimes will live in colonies that can be found behind restaurants, shopping centers, businesses, alleys, parks, old abandoned buildings and rural areas. They tend to congregate around a food source.
The American Feral Cat Problem
Feral cats are the number one enemy of wildlife. They kill birds and other small wildlife, even if the cat is being fed by you. Feral cats also face extremes of weather, variable food supplies, cars and hostile people and animals. American ferals are prey for feral dogs, owls, hawks, foxes, wolves, etc.
KILL THE PROBLEM NOT THE CATS
One solution is to trap, test, vaccinate, spay/neuter and release. Another solution is to trap, test, vaccinate, spay/neuter and adopt!
But unfortunately...
Some methods that are being used by the general public are: poisoning, steel-jaw traps, shooting (no way of knowing if it is someone’s pet or a feral).
80% of domestic cats taken to shelters / animal control are euthenized. Some animal control agencies are legally obligated to hand over unhomed animals to laboratories or for school science dissections.
Unaltered tomcats are often hostile towards each other
People need to have their pets spayed/neutered. Cutting down on feral population keeps the public / community healthier.
What is wrong with putting unwanted cats / kittens outside?
Many people think that putting a cat out is ok. They think that the cat will be fine and will be able to survive. This is not true. Sure, some do well for maybe a year but they have a terrible, short-lived existence. Most times they have a violent and slow death due to disease, being attacked by wildlife, hit by cars, starving and many other horrible ways. Domestic animals do not automatically return to their ‘natural’ instincts and cannot fend for themselves. Animal shelters in the USA are forced to kill an estimated 15 million homeless cats and dogs every year. A pair of breeding cats can have two or more litters per year. Over a seven year period the overpopulation of those two cats and their offspring produce 420,000 total offspring. Mortality of feral kittens is 75% on average.
Ignoring feral cats will not make the problem of overpopulation go away. Trapping and killing offspring does not work. It teaches our children that it is ok to dispose of unwanted or surplus animals. These are animals with thought and emotion. We must teach our children that all living things are of value. This can be achieved. We can help cats have a happier and healthier life and control the over population at the same time. Why bother with Feral Cats? Ignoring homeless animals is the cause of the problem. The breeding cycle needs to be controlled. Feral cats are domestic animals who do not necessarily know how to get their own food and shelter. Especially if the kitten did not grow up around the mother, they have not been shown what a cat is supposed to do outdoors. And of course, feral cats cannot get themselves medical care. They are victims of human irresponsibility and neglect.
What our organization can do to help the problem
If you know of someone that is caring for feral cats (feeding and watering) please let them know about our organization. We may be able to help them. We can trap them in humane traps and have them spayed / neutered and then returned to the person’s home so they can continue to feed and care for the cat. We will help trap cats for the elderly, disabled or those that have too many cats to trap. All cats that are trapped are taken for a medical examination by a veterinarian, spayed / neutered and given their rabies and first immunizations.
If you have been feeding the cat(s) and plan on continuing feeding them, please have them spayed / neutered.
They need to be trapped and spayed/neutered and then released back where you found them
Trap and Release
Trap and release programs help in tremendous ways. Humane traps can be set and once the cat is trapped it is taken to be spayed or neutered and given basic immunizations, including the rabies vaccine. They are released back into the area they were trapped in or a different safer area. This will help cut down on the overpopulation, but the life expectancy and quality of like is still low.
Can feral cats be adopted?
YES!!!! However, it is not for every person and every cat. Ferals are very frightened of people due to not having human contact. Our organization has been very successful with taming / rehabilitating feral cats. However, they may still need time to gain trust in you. They have to be kept indoors. Patience is needed. The cat may hide from you for days because they do not know you yet. They do best in a calm household with a loving, patient and accepting family. A rehabilitated feral cat can make the best addition to your family. They are forever greatful for being rescued and finding unconditional love that you can give. Many have been adopted and live their lives out to their full life expectancy in bliss. I have 4 ex-feral cats myself.
You can see our pets by clicking on adoption or petfinder.com.
Donations can be mailed or click here to use credit card.
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VACCINES | |
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UPDATED: April 18, 2008
Click on the "Lion Shop and Share" and look up Always Best For Pets in Conover, NC and enter your MVP card number. A percentage of your purchases will go directly to help the animals.
