Extent of the Problem

The size of the feral cat population is unknown. Differing interpretations of the terms "feral," "unowned," and "stray" make categorizing populations difficult, and geographic mobility complicates efforts to obtain an accurate count in any single community (Berkeley 2001). Two surveys on pet ownership in California provide estimates of the magnitude of the unowned cat problem. The 1994 study included a question about the number of unowned cat

s who were fed but not owned by the household. The responses indicated that 10 percent of households in Santa Clara County fed cats that they did not own (Johnson et al. 1993). This included 49 households (47 percent) that did not own any cats. Survey respondents estimated that they fed 351 unowned cats, accounting for 40 percent of cats enumerated in the survey.

Feral cat populations are sizeable in some parts of the country. Alley Cat Allies, one of the largest nonprofit feral cat advocacy organizations estimates that 30-60 million stray and feral cats live in the United States (Holton and Manzoor 1993).

(Community Approaches to Feral Cats, Margaret R. Slater, 2002)

According to the San Jose Mercury News, in May alone, 1,307 kittens and cats were brought to the center. Local animal groups took 96 of them for their adoption fairs and the center adopted out 97.

After the lost ones were reclaimed by their owners, that meant 931 had to be euthanized.

After a six-year study and daily observation of a feral cat colony, it was documented that stray female cats start cycling when they are 4-6.9 months old, or as soon as the days are long enough. January and February are the start of the kitten season, with the litters born in March and April. These cats have an average of 2.1 litters per year of 4.25 kittens. 42% of the kittens will die by the age of two months of natural causes. Many more will end up at the shelter. Those who escape early death and the shelter go on to be prolific bearers of kittens over their short lifespan of approximately three years.

Taking the mortality into account, along with birth and death rates, the average stray female will have 5.25 litters in her lifetime, encompassing 22.3 kittens. At age two months there should be 12.9 survivors, roughly six females and seven males (at maturity, roughly 2/3 of the stray cat population is male), due to the high mortality of females during first pregnancy and birth, which will decrease to four females over time. These six females will go on to have their 22 surviving kittens each. Realistically, over 12 years, one unspayed female, with all her unspayed female offspring, reasonably can be expected to be responsible for over 3200 kittens if there is no human intervention.

The Humane Society of Santa Clara Valley estimates over 50% of their stray cats euthanized are either wild, or their unweaned offspring. Once the offspring of these feral cats are over about six months of age, it is nearly impossible to socialize them to the degree necessary to be placed as house pets. An unsocialized cat is an unadoptable cat. The Cities and Counties pay for the handling of these stray cats and their offspring. Reducing the number of kittens born to these cats would substantially reduce the number of cat euthanasias at the shelter, thereby reducing the costs borne by the taxpayers to handle and kill stray cats which cannot be socialized.

Unowned/wild cats are routinely euthanized at shelters. Even though the kittens can often be socialized for placement, it does take a minimum of two to three weeks of intensive work. Shelters simply don't have the time, personnel or cage space to socialize the kittens. Many do not have foster care available for this work. The alternative, for the most part, is euthanasia.

(Cat Fanciers, http://www.fanciers.com/other-faqs/feral-trap.html)