feral cats & the Dakin Community spay/neuter clinic
what are feral cats? I found a cat, or am feeding a cat outside, is she feral?
Feral cats are wild cats that cannot be touched by people; if you can touch a cat, she's probably stray, not feral. Click here for detailed information about how to tell if a cat is feral.
have questions about where feral cats come from...
...whether their lifestyle is a good idea, and why they can't just go somewhere else? Click here for more information.
how can I provide for feral cats in my neighborhood?
Learn about providing food and water and winter shelter to feral cats outdoors.
How can I keep feral cats (or neighborhood cats) out of my garden?
Click here for some helpful tips in preventing your garden or yard from being turned into a giant litterbox.
bringing feral cats to the dakin community spay/neuter clinic
Feral days/times: No appointment is needed; bring up to 3 feral cats/kittens at 8 AM any Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday. If you are trapping a large colony and want to bring more cats at a time, please call us.
- Drop-off and pay at 8 AM.
- Pick up the next morning at 9 AM.
Cats must be in humane traps. Humane traps, as shown in the photo above, allow you to catch the cat/kitten without touching him/her, using food as bait. They will not injure the cat.
For the safety of the cats and our staff, we cannot perform surgery for feral cats brought in anything except humane traps (for example, cat/dog carriers, etc.)
Please cover the trap completely with a blanket or sheet. This will help the cat feel safe, and will prevent the cat from hurting him/herself in the trap.
Where to get humane traps. Dakin's Adoption Centers have traps for loan. Visit either one of our locations, Springfield or Leverett, any time during our normal business hours to borrow a trap. A refundable deposit is required. Some rental agencies (for example where you would rent tables and chairs for a party) have traps for rent.
How to use humane traps. Click here for information on how to trap feral cats for surgery. Have hard-to-catch cats? Click here for advanced trapping tips.
Ear tipping. An ear tip (as shown in the photo above) is mandatory with the feral cat package. An ear tip is the surgical removal, while under anesthesia, of the top 1/4 inch of the right ear. The ear tip enables the cat to be easily identified from afar as already spayed or neutered.
When is a feral kitten old enough for spay/neuter surgery? Kittens are ready for surgery when they are 2 pounds in weight (8-10 weeks of age). Rules of thumb: They are faster than you when they are about 6-7 weeks old. The mom cat usually brings kittens to start eating food at about 7-8 weeks old.
So if you have been seeing kittens out and about, eating food- they are old enough for surgery. If you have caught feral kittens when they are quite young (the younger the better- best is about 4 weeks old while their eyes are still blue), and raised them in your home so they love all people, including strangers, then congratulations! They are now tame kitties and can be placed in loving homes at 8 weeks of age.
Services and fees. Our feral cat package is $35 and includes spay/neuter surgery, rabies vaccination, ear tip, and pain medication. We strongly recommend adding FVRCP (distemper) vaccine for $10 and Revolution (flea, roundworm and ear mite treatment) for $5. We accept cash, credit or debit cards. We do not accept checks.
Feral cat questions? For spay/neuter questions, call the Community Spay/Neuter Clinic at 413-781-4019. For all other questions about feral cats, contact our Adoption Centers; Springfield at 413-781-4000 or Leverett at 413-548-9898.
