all they want is a room somewhere...

(why we can't simply "take them all in" - and why they wouldn't want us to)

When the subject of cats on the street arises, we commonly get the question, "Why can't we just find them all homes?"  Ideally, those cats which have come from a home, been lost or abandoned, or which for other reasons are friendly/socialized to humans, should absolutely be removed from the street, vetted, and placed in loving adoptive homes...these "stray" cats may obviously be found in the free-roaming cat population, living alongside their feral counterparts...

A few words on why the traditional model of “rescue” does not apply to feral cats, however, which comprise the vast majority of the free-roaming feline population.  As mentioned many times across this site, the term “feral” denotes an animal specifically not socialized to human beings.  Feral cats and kittens are not candidates for adoption; they do not make suitable pets, and should not be placed in homes for several reasons.

scat cat?

(you may think they're better off "elsewhere" - but the truth may surprise you)

Removing the cats in any given area will not solve the issues in the neighborhood...here's why in plain English...

February Smittens bring April Kittens

'tis the time of year when a young cat's thoughts turn to...well, you know...


If you suspect that one of the cats in your neighborhood is pregnant and/or just gave birth, you have several options.

Most importantly, kits should not be taken away from their mother until 5 weeks of age at the very least - otherwise they stand very little chance of survival.  Of equal importance is that there is no such thing as a shelter that will pick up kittens...that has little to do with them being overwhelmed, it is unfortunately just reality - the only "shelter" on SI is Animal Care and Control, and they are a city-contracted KILL shelter, so that's not a good option for them anyway - not to mention that if the mother is feral, she would be euthanized at the shelter as un-adoptable.  Visit our Kitten Info page for helpful guides to everything from newborns, to development, to socialization, and our TNR/Rescue Resources page for a link to a pretty extensive list of NYC Rescues that might or might not be able to take the kits once they've been weaned.