Neighborhood Cats strongly discourages relocation of feral cats except in extreme circumstances where all other options have been thoroughly explored and ruled out. The process of relocating ferals is a time-consuming, difficult and uncertain one, and offers no assistance in attaining the overall goal of ending feral cat overpopulation.

That said, for specific instructions on how to safely relocate feral cats, we highly recommend Alley Cat Allies' fact sheet entitled "Relocation - Guidelines for Safe Relocation of  Feral Cats," available on their website on the Info Center page (www.alleycat.org). The fact sheet covers every aspect of the process and should be carefully read and followed, especially the recommended confinement period in the new territory of 2 to 3 weeks. Many people mistakenly believe they can simply let a cat go in a new area and it will be ok. In fact, the cat needs to be trained (through confinement) that her food source has changed, or else she is liable to run off in search of her old territory, never to be seen again.

Our experience is that relocation is often the first thing a caretaker proposes when they contact us. This is because the situation is usually in crisis due to too many cats and no development of good community relations. The first instinct is to flee rather than go through the hard work of making the situation right. This is almost always a losing strategy.

First off, there are millions of feral cats in this country and only so many barns and sanctuaries. Even if you find a new home, often the circumstances are uncertain. You may be dealing with a collector, or someone in a financially precarious position, or a person whose long-term commitment to the cats is not strong. There just aren't that many good places to do a relocation. (If you do think you found a good place, it's absolutely essential that you personally inspect the premises, interview the primary caretaker and request proof of financial soundness).

Second, feral cats are extremely territorial and have deep ties to their original homes. You owe it to them as their caretaker to do everything you possibly can to see they are allowed to remain where they live. It's a risky proposition to think their colony structure and relations will not be adversely effected, even if a relocation is carried out properly.

Third, by removing a feral colony, you've created a vacuum. If a food source remains, it's highly likely new cats will at some point move in. This is the same problem which is the downfall of the trap-and-kill approach. You're just trading one colony for another. So you might as well deal with it now.

So, when people first call and say "Relocate!", we say not so fast and instruct them on steps they can take to implement TNR and work with neighbors. Most of the time, if the caretakers make the effort, they are pleasantly surprised at the results. Neutering the cats removes most of the crisis-causing problems, the community calms down and the cats are able to stay in their home.

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