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Feral Cats
Unfortunately, we have a small but persistent population of feral cats on the UCSC campus. The term feral is applied to any animal which is typically considered domestic, but has reverted back to a wild state. A feral cat is a housecat that is not truly living in the wild, as they are usually found wherever people are. They result from irresponsible pet owners (e.g., when unsterilized lost or abandoned housecats breed and produce feral kittens). Although they may look cute and cuddly, they can actually be quite wild, since they can quickly develop a fear of humans once they have been abandoned. Feral cats tend to be nocturnal, but are sometimes sighted on campus during the day - primarily in the early morning and twilight hours. Feral housecats wreak havoc on the natural systems. They feed extensively on native animals such as birds, rodents, reptiles, rabbits and other wildlife. This of course lowers the carrying capacity of the area for native animal predators that belong here, such as raccoons, foxes, bobcats and coyotes. Feral cats also serve as a reservoir for a host of human and wildlife diseases and parasites, including rabies, FIV ("feline AIDS") and feline leukemia. Feral housecats are very prolific, producing up to three litters of 2 to 10 kittens per year. They are fertile at 4-6 months of age, and they reproduce exponentially - one pair of breeding cats can potentially produce 420,000 offspring in just seven years! However, life is not easy for feral housecats and, for the most part, they have an extremely short lifespan (about 3 to 5 years, as opposed to 15-20+ years in captivity). Many feral housecats die at a young age due to disease, predation and starvation. Feral kittens can make very nice pets, especially if they can be captured when they are very young (6-8 weeks). Extreme caution should be taken since feral mother cats are very protective and will vigorously defend their young. Do not try to catch feral cats on campus; instead, please contact the campus Animal Control Officer. The feral cats on campus have probably come from a number of different sources. In the 1970's, when pets were allowed on campus, there was a serious problem with students and other campus residents abandoning their companion animals at the end of the school year. Packs of abandoned dogs and colonies of feral cats arose and caused a multitude of problems, including threatening people and killing wildlife. Since it only takes one pair of sexually reproductive cats to start a feral cat colony, their population quickly exploded. Even now, the problem is worsened by people who continue to dump cats here on campus. An all-too-common scenario is the "dorm cat" - a student "adopts" a kitten (often a feral kitten found on campus), lets it roam through their residence hall for the school year, and no one ever takes responsibility for the cat. At the end of the year, the cat (which was never neutered and is now old enough to reproduce) is "set free" to fend for itself outdoors. The cats which aren't eaten by coyotes or raccoons are left to face disease and starvation. Everyone needs to understand that cats are NOT wild animals, and do not possess the skills to survive in the wild. They are domestic animals which were created by humans as companions, so humans have the responsibility to humanely care for them. Abandoning animals is extremely inhumane (and illegal) and only serves to cause more suffering. Another problem is that well-meaning people feel sorry for feral cats and set out food for them. This does nothing to help the cats, and only serves to perpetuate the situation. Their numbers will actually increase, and they will continue to kill wildlife and pass diseases. The humane solution is to trap the cats so they can be neutered, socialized and adopted into caring homes. UCSC is committed to preserving the flora and fauna of the campus lands. In view of the severe impact that feral housecats have on the natural systems, it is the responsibility of the campus Animal Control Officer to humanely trap and remove them from campus. Cats are prohibited on the UCSC campus. Except for those exempted (see the Non-Research Animals on Campus Policy for further details), all cats found on the UCSC campus are impounded and either taken to the Santa Cruz County Animal Services Authority or placed into temporary foster care until they can be adopted. What you can do to help reduce feral cat numbers:
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