For years, neighborhoods in Gilbert, Arizona have had problems with feral cat colonies. These situations usually begin with careless pet owners neglecting spaying and neutering laws. It seems that the economy and rapid increase in home vacancies due to the numerous forclosures have exacerbated the growing feral cat problem. It appears that families, having suffered forclosure, have been forced to leave pets behind to fend for themselves. Meanwhile, many other Arizona residents are finding a marked increase feral cat populations throughout the greater Phoenix area.
Feral cats have been recently reported living on people’s rooftops, in trash piles and in back yards throughout Phoenix and surrounding areas. While this may seem like a wonderful solution to the area’s roof rat and general rodent woes, it only presents a new list of problems and concerns. Should you encounter a feral cat on your property, there are a few things you should know:
1. Animal control will not assist a home owner to deal with a feral cat. Maricopa County has absolutely no funding to catch and kill cats.
2. Cats roam to look for food and to mate. Spayed and neutered cats in a colony won’t roam more than 300 feet from their food source. Unaltered animals will roam much further.
3. It is against the law to relocate cats. If you remove, catch, and then dump a cat at another location you could be charged for abandonment of that cat, and the owner of the property where you dropped it could sue you criminally, civilly, or both.
4. If you capture a feral cat and take it to be euthanized at the County shelter it will cost you $95.
5. Cats can begin reproducing as young as five to six months of age and usually have two litters a year, with six kittens in each litter. This means that a single pair of cats can become over 2000 cats in two years.
6. There is no need to fear feral cats. Generally, these cats will never let anyone get near enough to grab them so the risk of a bite is minimal. What may concern you, however, is the prevalence of FIV in feral cat population. If you have a pet cat, you should strictly limit exposure to feral cats to prevent the spread of this virus. Humans will not catch the virus.
To avoid the problem entirely, home and business owners can call a wildlife management company such as Rodent Proof L.L.C. Companies such as Rodent Proof L.L.C. will live trap and remove feral cats from an area so that one might avoid the hassles and fees associated with taking care of the problem on their own. If you notice a colony of feral cats in your area, you should abstain from feeding them. Any cats you feed belong to you in the eyes of the law – regardless of where they are fed. Whether they are fed on your porch, at the back door of a restaurant, or at a lumber yard, all cats you either feed, take to the vet, spay or neuter, and vaccinate are YOUR cats. Choose the most humane and sane solution to a feral cat problem in the Phoenix area: the wildlife management professionals at Rodent Proof L.L.C.
Pest Control & Exterminating in Phoenix