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Advice and Resources for Caretakers

Dust Rolling; New Franken, WI 2014; © 2021 Jason Houge, All Rights Reserved https://jasonhouge.com; Licensed to Cats Anonymous, Inc
Dust Rolling; New Franken, WI 2014;
© 2021 Jason Houge, All Rights Reserved;
Licensed to Cats Anonymous, Inc
Resolving Conflicts
Being Proactive
Flowers and the First Snow; New Franken, WI 2013; My Feral Family © 2021 Jason Houge, All Rights Reserved https://jasonhouge.com; Licensed to Cats Anonymous, Inc
Flowers and the First Snow; New Franken, WI 2013;
© 2021 Jason Houge, All Rights Reserved
Licensed to Cats Anonymous, Inc
Down The Rabbit Hole…

Ready to know more? There is a great deal of information and misinformation on the web about feral, semi-feral, unowned, barn cats and community cats.
Here are some excellent resources to dive into. These will help you build a foundation of knowledge that will help you spot and fight misinformation when you encounter it.

  • Stray Pet Advocacy Comprehensive research, data and articles on the most pressing issues facing feral cat activists.
  • Alley Cat Allies First national advocacy organization dedicated to the protection and humane treatment of cats.
  • Neighborhood Cats NYC’s Feral Cat Rescue – Founded in 1999 and originated the practice of TNVR.
  • Bideawee Founded in 1909 in NYC, Bideawee is one of the nations’ first no-kill shelters. They provide resources and information about helping community cats within a city environment.
  • FixNation Los Angeles’ first, full-time spay-neuter facility. They provide resources, information and caregiver tips.
  • Animals & Society Institute A nonprofit human-animal relationship think tank that is devoted to advancing human knowledge to improve animal lives.
  • Maueyes Leading cat behavioral scientist, Kristyn Vitale, PhD., studies the social interactions and behaviors of cats free-roaming and within the home.

Outdoor Shelters

Boxer; Algoma, WI 2013; © 2021 Jason Houge, All Rights Reserved https://jasonhouge.com; Licensed to Cats Anonymous, Inc
Boxer; Algoma, WI 2013;
© 2021 Jason Houge, All Rights Reserved;
Licensed to Cats Anonymous, Inc
They need not be expensive or complex

But they do need to provide protection from the elements and preditors.


Constructing a simple shelter
Winterizing an outdoor shelter
Converting a dog house into a cat house
Example of a fancy shelter

Safely Feeding Feral Cats

Family Dinner; New Franken, WI 2014; My Feral Family © 2021 Jason Houge, All Rights Reserved https://jasonhouge.com; Licensed to Cats Anonymous, Inc
Family Dinner; New Franken, WI 2014;
© 2021 Jason Houge, All Rights Reserved;
Licensed to Cats Anonymous, Inc

An important management step to ensure cats are healthy and avoid conflicts within your community.


Racoon and skunk proof feeding station

Keep the water flowing!

We all know water freezes in winter, here are some tips from Neighborhood Cats to prevent water bowls from freezing up.

Find a Kitten?

What To Do If You Find a Kitten – How to Make the Right Call

by Kitten Lady, Hannah Shaw, kitten rescuer, humane educator and New York Times best selling author.


What to do if you find a kitten
Steps to take if you find a kitten. Click to see larger view
So you’ve found kittens or cats in your yard?

How to: Know what to do when you find kittens outside.
How to: Know how old that kitten is.
How to: Socialize kittens and break the cycle.
If they’re old enough, Register them now.

More resources from Kitten Lady, Hannah Shaw

https://www.kittenlady.org/
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5VvB6tmC4lu_WCx7hE0PZA

How To Safely Trap Cats for TNVR

Cats Anonymous, Covered Live Traps
Cats Anonymous, Covered Live Traps
Trapped cats require care and continuous monitoring.
    For the best outcomes:

  • Only trap cats the night before their scheduled TNVR visit.
  • Keep trapped cats covered at all times.
    Trap covers keep the cat calm and quiet.
    This is important for your safety, the safety of the cat and our team.
  • Move trapped cats to a safe, warm and dry location.
  • Look for any trapped mother cats that may be nursing.
    Read this important article by Alley Cat Allies TNR Scenarios: Nursing Mother Cat
    Mother cats with young 0 to 8 weeks old must be released immediately.
    Kittens 8 to 12 weeks may qualify for TNVR. Contact us for details.
  • Check in on them frequently and throughout the night.
  • After their operation, cats need time to recover.
    Read this important article about post-op care by Alley Cat Allies Post Surgery Care
To learn all of the important steps about trapping and the care of trapped cats, visit
Neighborhood Cats – Trapping Basics.

Quick trap guide
Trap in action

Remember: Always keep trapped cats covered


Caretaker Updates

Keeping us informed about your colony has never been easier!

Now you can: register new cats, schedule trap returns, share pictures of your colony, change your contact info, and much more!


Colony Spay Day and Caretaker Registration

Welcome Caretaker!

Registering your colony and Spay Day were just the beginning of our journey together.

Resources and Articles for Caretakers and Feral Cats
© 2021 Jason Houge, All Rights Reserved; Licensed to Cats Anonymous, Inc

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Dust Rolling; New Franken, WI 2014; © 2021 Jason Houge, All Rights Reserved https://jasonhouge.com; Licensed to Cats Anonymous, Inc

Caretaker Resources

Advice and Resources for Caretakers Resolving Conflicts Hopefully conflicts never happen, but when they do here are some ...
Boxer; Algoma, WI 2013; © 2021 Jason Houge, All Rights Reserved https://jasonhouge.com; Licensed to Cats Anonymous, Inc

Shelter Construction

Outdoor Shelters They need not be expensive or complex But they do need to provide protection from the ...
Family Dinner; New Franken, WI 2014; My Feral Family © 2021 Jason Houge, All Rights Reserved https://jasonhouge.com; Licensed to Cats Anonymous, Inc

Feeding Stations

Safely Feeding Feral Cats An important management step to ensure cats are healthy and avoid conflicts within your ...
Jolene and Her Babies; New Franken, WI 2014; © 2021 Jason Houge, All Rights Reserved https://jasonhouge.com; Licensed to Cats Anonymous, Inc

Found Kittens

Find a Kitten? What To Do If You Find a Kitten - How to Make the Right Call ...
Ernie on Spay Day; New Franken, WI 2014; © 2021 Jason Houge, All Rights Reserved https://jasonhouge.com; Licensed to Cats Anonymous, Inc

Trapping

How To Safely Trap Cats for TNVR Trapped cats require care and continuous monitoring. For the best outcomes: ...
JasonHouge_MyFeralFamily_07 © 2021 Jason Houge, All Rights Reserved https://jasonhouge.com; Licensed to Cats Anonymous, Inc

Volunteer Registration

Volunteer Registration ...
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