Orange County Animal Services is proud to join The Bark Report with a special column called “Paws and Effect.” This column will be dedicated to informative animal services and adoption topics such as the importance of spay and neuter programs, adopting and adapting during COVID-19, introducing new pets into your home, and tips for helping pets and people adjust during family gatherings and celebrations. Join us for this monthly column to help spread the word about helping pets in many ways!

 

 

We are approaching that time of year when shelter populations start to swell due to free-roaming cats. Many refer to this time as “kitten season,” and most animal shelters experience this influx of felines – which typically begins as we start to enter warmer weather and can last well into November.

Traditionally, trapping and bringing free-roaming cats to shelters has been a popular choice for population control. However, many of these cats may not be adoptable and may be euthanized at shelters. This “catch and kill” method has often proven not to be effective since removing the cats from an area can be an invitation for more cats to enter that territory. So, people are frequently caught in a vicious cycle where free-roaming cat populations are not controlled. Therefore, we support more progressive and humane approaches to controlling free-roaming cats in our own and other communities.

What are free-roaming cats? They exist in communities around the world and come in different forms. Some cats are allowed outdoors periodically but also spend time indoors with their families. Others are fed by their caretakers but live outdoors only. Some free-roaming cats are former pets that were lost or abandoned. There are also cats that live most of their lives outdoors in a wild or semi-wild state, and they are often called feral cats.

What is the best way to control free-roaming cat populations? Make sure the felines are spayed or neutered! Please feel free to contact Orange County Animal Services about possible spay/neuter options.

How do I keep free-roaming cats off of my property? We highly recommend humane deterrents that include but are not limited to:

  • Smells that repel cats: To keep cats out of yards or gardens, plant the herb rue or sprinkle dried rue. Citrus or lemon scents (orange peels, lemon peels), garlic, ammonia, vinegar, coffee grinds, pipe tobacco, mustard, citronella, or eucalyptus all deter cats as well. The scents diminish over time, so you’ll need to reapply.
  • Motion-activated sprinklers: These have motion sensors that trigger a short blast of water.
  • Motion-activated, ultrasonic alarms: These alarms emit a high-pitched sound that repels cats, but cannot be heard by people.
  • Secure outdoor trash: Make sure your outdoor trash has a secure lid so that cats do not get into your trash to eat. A food source is obviously very attractive to them!
  • Digging deterrents: Plastic mats with flexible plastic spikes discourage digging but are not harmful to cats. Place the mats on the ground with spike side facing up.
  • Other digging deterrents: Use pinecones, lava rocks, concrete pavers, or stones as mulch to prevent cats from digging. Place large river rocks throughout the garden or use poultry fencing or landscape wrap around plants.
  • Blocking off access: Cats seek out dry, warm shelter away from the elements. Block off access to the places in which you don’t want cats (making sure no cats are inside before doing so). To guide cats away from those areas, provide another shelter. There are many inexpensive options for community cat shelters.
  • Talk to your neighbors: If anyone is feeding free-roaming cats that live on their property, have them contact Orange County Animal Services about spay/neuter resources. We can also give them tips on helping their community cats be good neighbors.

At Orange County Animal Services, we strive to help all free-roaming cats have happier, healthier lives. We also want to help control their populations in humane ways and help all humans involved find better solutions to dealing with these felines. If you have any questions or need more information, please call us at 919-942-7387 or visit www.orangecountync.gov/animalservices.

 

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