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Feral cat spays and neuters, as well as vaccinations, are provided free by ADLA's Feral Cat Program. Leave a message at 773-8018. Do not trap cats or take to vet until you have talked to an ADLA representative.

The Problem
Feral cats live amongst the wild. They live difficult lives of scrounging for food, hiding from danger, and fighting for their lives. It is not surprising that they soon become distrustful of humans, so much so that many cannot be resocialized. Their descendants, unless caught young, are also unlikely ever to become trusting enough to live in homes with human companions.

Feral cats are domestic cats gone wild. These cats have been abandoned, lost, or otherwise separated from their human families. Their lives become much more tragic and difficult than a typical house cat.

Feral cats usually live together in colonies, and reproduce at an alarming rate. They fight, spray, and make loud noises at night, sometimes causing people in the neighborhood to take action. Some well-meaning citizens call animal control, but any feral cats taken to the pound are euthanized. This approach in the long run contributes to the overpopulation problem.

The Solution
The mission of ADLA's Feral Cat Program is to reduce the number of homeless cats in Northern Arizona by means if sterilization.

What we do:
1. Trap homeless cats
2. Test for diseases and vaccinate
3. Have the cat spayed or neutered
4. Tab the left ear for identification
5. Attempt to socialize and place kittens or friendly cats
6. Euthanize cats thought to have serious and/or contagious diseases

What we don't do:
* Provide other veterinary care
* Relocate cats
* Spay or neuter cats with homes
* Euthanize healthy cats
* Participate in cat trapping for release to shelters

Prevention
As the saying goes, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Our sterilization program alone will never solve this problem. For that, we rely upon members of our community to treat their animals responsibly and compassionately.

Every cat should be spayed or neutered!
This is extremely important in preventing the suffering and deaths of millions of cats every year.

Every cat should be vaccinated!

Every cat should wear an ID tag to help him find his way home when lost, even indoor cats.

Most importantly, when adopting a cat, please remember that this is a lifetime commitment. For cats, that can be up to 25 years. Remember that the feral cat problem is caused by people who abandon their cats, and that as long as people continue to do so, we can never fully solve the problem.

You can help
Volunteers are needed who are willing to trap and transport cats to veterinary clinics, pick them up, keep them overnight, and then return them to their colony. Training and instruction are provided, as well as all the necessary equipment. This work is not for everyone, but it is extremely rewarding when you realize how far-reaching your efforts will be in terms of prevention of suffering and death.

Volunteers are needed for trapping and transport. Foster homes for kittens and friendly adults are also needed until homes can be found.

Our program is funded entirely by donations. Funds are always needed to cover the cost of sterilization, equipment, cat food, and other expenses.

To volunteer or foster, call (928) 773-8018 or email us at adla@adlaz.org.