Please contact us with any suggestions: cats are protected by animal cruelty laws, and those in managed programs like SMU's are protected by animal law. We respect the fact that not everyone supports the campus cat program. While the program is a longstanding part of SMU, supported by the Office of the President and the Summerlee Foundation, we try to be as unobtrusive and cooperative as possible. While a few campus cats have become habituated to students and are quite friendly, most have no interest in bonding with humans. Over the years since the program’s inception, we have reduced the population by half to about 50.įeral cats are not candidates for adoption. Ferals differ from friendly, neighborhood stray cats. They are largely unapproachable by humans. In addition to providing a regular place to monitor the cats for optimal health, feeding programs help us to regulate TNR timing. Spay/neuter efforts depend on the cats being at a certain place at a certain time. Veteran-approved managed programs are the most humane, effective, and "green" approach.įeeding stations help us manage the campus cats. This controls the numbers of cats with proven methods. Most university campuses employ a "managed" protocol for their feral cats. Managed programs are normally staffed by volunteers from the campus, and are dedicated to TNR – Trap-Neuter-Return – spay/neutering and vaccinations, as well as providing food. ![]() Stray Cat to House Cat Some stray cats are friendly enough to be adopted into. Also, when cats are removed from an area, through whatever means, other feral cats simply move in to replace them, known as the "vacuum effect." Feral cats tend to be more nocturnal and furtive due to their fear of humans. Attempts at relocation do not work because the cats have strong homing instincts. Theyre usually short haired, slightly built, with a large head and have. You cannot simply "relocate" the cats. Feral cats are naturally territorial. Theyre solitary and predominantly nocturnal and survive by hunting for their food. Unaccustomed to humans, a feral cat will avoid contact with people.įeral cats are everywhere. You can go years without seeing a feral cat because they are generally nocturnal, but they're there! They survive on rodents, insects, and handouts (or discarded food.) No one put the cats there – they are the generational offspring of abandoned, unsterilized neighborhood family pets and are part of the ecosystem. Feral cats are nocturnal and more active in colder months, while owned cats are typically more active in the daytime and in warmer weather. A 2011 study published in 'Wildlife Management' found that, due to vastly different behavioral patterns, pets and feral cats rarely cross paths. ![]() A feral cat is unsocialized, one not raised in captivity. Feral cats are equally unlikely to tangle with our beloved pets.
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