Dealing With Stray Cats The Right Way In Your Amarillo Neighborhood

If you're wondering what to do about the stray cats hanging around your house in Amarillo, Texas, you're not alone. I've seen several strays pop up around my house recently, and several people I've spoken with talk about the number of strays they see in their neighborhood. Fortunately, there are some steps you can take that won't harm the cats and will help you get them off your property at the same time.

The Old "TNR" Method Of Reducing The Number Of Cats

TNR is a fancy acronym for "trap, neuter, return". The idea is that you trap the cat without harming it, and get it fixed. That cat didn't ask to be born, so let it live out its days peacefully without the capability of bringing other cats into a forced existence. It's not their fault they're just trying to survive.

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Supposedly, this is the most humane way of dealing with problematic cat populations. That is if you ask the activists who have been spearheading efforts for decades to make it the go-to method of dealing with feral felines. There are other ways.

See About Getting Involved In The Barnyard Cat Program

The Barn Cat Program in Amarillo is handled by Animal Management and Welfare in Amarillo. They take in suitable barn cats (cats that don't make for good in-home pets but still love ridding your property of pests) and try to match them with suitable adopters. Keep in mind that a barn cat is not a pet. Don't think you're going to get a ton of cuddles from your barn cat.

While the barn cat page doesn't give much info on how to get a cat into the program, I'm sure a phone call wouldn't hurt.

Contact An Organization That Can Help You

Several organizations in the area would love to help you with the cats you don't want hanging around your property. Contact them or just jump on Google and you'll find what you need.

What you don't want to do is feed them constantly. It's okay if you're going to do so in order to get them to a safe place, but we all know THAT one neighbor. It's the one that puts a paper plate out every single day with cat food on it, and the next thing you know there's a whole tribe of felines walking up and down your alley like they own the place. It's happened in several places I've lived. Doing this just perpetuates the problem. The cats now have a social gathering place and will reproduce ensuring generations continue to haunt your alley.

Whether you go with the TNR method (which lets the cat continue being a community cat), or you contact a shelter, get the cats fixed. As sad as an adult cat can be, a kitten is ten times worse.