01/12/2025
Relocating Ferals: A Last Resort
We frequently have people reach out and ask us to come get the feral cats from their neighborhood and take them somewhere else. Sometimes it is because they feel bad for the cats and think that we can find somewhere better for them. More often it is because they don't want the cats around. Regardless of the reason, our answer is going to be the same 99.9% of the time. DO NOT RELOCATE FERAL CATS.
A feral cat colony is not the same as the friendly domestic cats in your house. Feral cats are skilled survivalists. Part of what is crucial to their survival is the relationships they have with the other cats in their colony and their familiarity with their environment. Each colony has adapted to the threats specific to their location. Urban cats are better at avoiding cars. Rural cats are better at avoiding predators. Each colony is unique and the cats in that colony are important to its survival.
Relocating cats is almost always a death sentence. Full stop. Dropping a cat into a location it isn't familiar with is not going to end well. The cats don't know what threats are in this new location. They don't know where the food sources are. Once released, most cats will run blindly as far as they can, trying to find their way back home. During that panicked run they will most likely be killed by a car, predator, the elements, or starvation.
If you have to relocate feral cats, they need a very careful acclimation process. They need to be contained in a large kennel, tack room, chicken coop, etc for AT LEAST 6 weeks, during which they must be provided with food, water, and litter. After the acclimation period, you will open the door to their enclosure so they can leave, but continue to provide food and water so they recognize that as their home base. Even with a proper acclimation process, there is a high risk of the cats not accepting a new location and still trying to find their way back home.
If you think you have a situation where cats needs to be relocated, reach out and we will be happy to discuss and talk through the best options for the cats. We know that community cat politics can be tricky and are experienced at finding solutions.
