Unwanted feral cats are a serious problem in many neighborhoods. Statistically, a single mother cat can potentially produce up to 100 kittens within her lifetime, and a pair of mating cats and their offspring can produce up to 420,000 kittens in 7 years. This is why it's so important to make sure that cats are spayed and neutered. If you have unwanted stray cats in your neighborhood, here's how you can fix the problem.

Feed

The ultimate goal is to spay and neuter as many cats as you can, but you should start by feeding them. Feral cats typically won't be friendly enough to be petted, but they will warm up to you if you provide regular feedings. In addition, regular feeding creates a pattern and ensures that when you're ready to capture one, the kitties will actually show up when you put food out. Simply putting out some kibble and water everyday should suffice.

Catch

Next up, you will need equipment to capture the cats. The best way to do this is to buy a trap that's typically used for cats or raccoons. You can put a bit of food at the end of the cage, and when the cat walks in, it will step on a trigger that will shut the door behind it. This will safely capture the cat and prevent you from putting yourself at risk of getting bitten or scratched in an effort to capture the cat.

Fix

With the cat captured, it's time to go to the veterinarian. Vets typically recommend that cats go without food for at least 12 hours prior to being spayed or neutered in order to prevent vomiting during the operation. If at all possible, catch the cat the night before and head to the vet in the morning.

Most vets will gladly fix strays, and may even offer a discount to do so, since you're helping to reduce the unwanted cat population. In any case, once the procedure is done, you should take the cat home and release it back into the wild. The kitty can live a longer, safer life, without adding any additional unwanted kittens into the local cat population.

Repeat these steps until you've captured all of the local breeding cats. In time, the local cat population will diminish, and you'll experience fewer of the unwanted behaviors of cat fights and marking of territory near your home.

For more information, you will want to contact a professional, such as those at Miramonte Veterinary Hospital.

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