The Problem

Feral cats are abandoned domestic cats or their offspring, which have reverted to a "wild" state.  There are large colonies of feral cats living in Moscow, Pullman, Palouse, Lewiston, Clarkston and other nearby areas.  Pullman and Moscow in particular have tremendous populations of feral cats in and around the university campuses.  These cats are living a very harsh existence and often die of disease, starvation, or predation.

Part of the Solution

Feral Cat Solutions is a non-profit program based on the principle of trap, spay/neuter, release and maintain.  This program is a full management plan in which feral cats already living outdoors in cities, towns, and rural areas are humanely trapped, evaluated, vaccinated, and sterilized by veterinarians.  Kittens are adopted into good homes while healthy adult cats too wild to be adopted are returned to their familiar habitat under the lifelong care of volunteers.  Similar programs are in existence across the country including statewide programs in California, Hawaii and Utah as well as single-county and shelter-run programs.

Rehabilitating and locating homes for feral cats is not often a viable option, but by eliminating the ability of these cats to continually breed, we can stabilize the population size and improve the health of individual cats.

We hold regular spay/neuter clinics at local veterinary hospitals and shelters.  We try to spay or neuter approximately 40-50 cats in each clinic.  In our two years of existence, we have cared for over 500 feral cats.

Services Provided to Feral Cats

• Spays and Neuters

• Rabies and FVRCP Vaccinations

• Parasite Control

• Testing for Feline Leukemia Virus (FeLV) and Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV) other necessary medical procedures

Cats that test positive for FeLV or FIV are humanely euthanized to prevent spreading the disease(s) to the entire feral cat colony and to prevent suffering of the individual animals.  By decreasing the prevalence of FeLV/FIV in the feral cat population, pet cats will be protected from these deadly transmissible feline diseases. 

Benefits of Our Program

1. FCS spay/neuter clinics reduce population size, thus reducing the number of homeless cats in the area.  Sterilization particularly improves the lives of female cats that will no longer have to support litters of kittens under challenging conditions.
    

2. Over time, limiting the ability of feral cats to breed reduces the number of cats predating on wildlife.
    

3. Spaying and neutering reduces the spread of diseases such as Feline Leukemia Virus (FeLV), which are spread through maternal transmission to kittens and through inter-male aggression.
    

4. Feral cats share space with humans and their pets.  By vaccinating for rabies, a buffer zone is created that decreases the risk of exposure to companion animals.
    

5. FCS is an educational resource.  We provide information about how to best manage feral cat populations, and we teach and encourage good care practices for owned cats so that a future generation of feral cats may be prevented.

How Can You Help?

FCS is entirely run by volunteers and operated on donated funds.  We need dedicated, hardworking volunteers at our spay/neuter clinics, caretakers for feral cat colonies, volunteers to assist in trapping, volunteers to tame kittens and provide foster homes, and barn homes for feral cats that must be relocated.  FCS is also in need of cat food and monetary donations.  We also accept doghouse donations as shelters for feral cats.  Checks should be made payable to Feral Cat Solutions, and donations are tax deductible.  Your help can really make a difference; please call for more information. 

Responsible Pet Ownership

Every year in the United States an estimated 5 to 7 million cats are euthanized in animal shelters.  By becoming responsible pet owners and spaying and neutering our pets we can help reduce the number of unwanted animals.  Local shelters are full of wonderful, adoptable animals that should become new pet family members rather than allowing pets to breed and add to the overpopulation problem.

If you are in a situation where you can no longer keep your animal, be aware that domestic pets (cats, dogs, ferrets, rabbits, etc.) have lost the instincts that would allow them to survive without humane assistance.  Make sure that your pet either has a new home or transfer ownership to an accredited shelter.  Abandonment is cruel, illegal and should never be an option! 

Contact Us

Feral Cat Solutions
Phone (509) 334-7099
PO Box 8847
Moscow, ID 83843