Summer and feral cats

[sandyrivers]

Hi everyone,

As the warm weather is here for some of you (lucky you are), and approaching for some of us (still waiting in my case being in Montreal...), I just want to take a moment to say this...

1- Kitten season is at our door! If you have a TNR programm in your area, and you can trap a few cats, it is always of great help for them. Many TNR programs will also vaccinate the cats at the same time!

2- Our feral friends also need shelter in the summer months! Having a place in the shade in the summer is just as important for them as having a warm shelter in the winter. It can be as simple as setting up a patio umbrella, a tarp, or a fancier contraption for them. I usually put two patio umbrellas on my back patio for them to take shelter from the sun in the hot summer months, and set up a 4X8 plywood sheet on cinder blocks in the yard (for the shy ones who wont come to my patio)

3- WATER. If you already take care of feral cats by feeding them, don't forget to give them water twice a day! Even if you don't feed the feral cats on a regular basis, (yes, it can get expensive), providing them with a fresh supply of water daily could very well save their lives in the hot summer months, and giving them a watering station is absolutely free! A few ceramic or stainless steel bowls set out for them and voila! Ceramic and stainless steel are the best, as plastic containers can harbour bacteria...They may not consider you as a ''feeding person'', but they sure will consider and appreciate you as a ''watering person''. Many people feed the ferals, but amazingly enough, not everyone who does also provides water... Just don't forget to wash the bowls daily...

Happy feral summer!

sandyrivers