Humane Society of Catawba County has recognized for many years that Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) is the most humane and effective method for managing “feral” and stray cats, known as “Community Cats,” and reducing their numbers. A feral cat is unsocialized and tends to be fearful of people and will keep a distance. These “Community Cats” are most often found living outside, usually close to a food source, in groups know as colonies. Most of these colonies originate from un-sterilized stray cats, and privately owned unsterilized cats that are allowed to roam.

We will no longer accept feral cats for spay/neuter surgery without an appointment. If you have a prepaid feral cat package, please call the shelter at 828-464-8878 and schedule an appointment for that package. If you are a “no-show” for that scheduled appointment, there will be no additional “no-show” charge, but you must call the shelter to re-schedule the appointment. There will be an allotted number of feral surgeries scheduled on most days.

Feral cat package appointments MUST be scheduled by calling the shelter at (828) 464-8878. These appointments can not be scheduled online.

HSCC offers a Feral Cat Package to our community and surrounding areas. The package is $50 and includes spay/neuter surgery, a Rabies vaccine, and an *ear-tip. This pricing does not include coverage for pregnancies or cryptorchid surgeries.

*An ear-tip is the universal sign of an altered feral cat. Under anesthesia approximately one centimeter is removed from the tip of the left ear in a straight line. Ear-tipping is readily visible from a distance, making it easy for caretakers and animal control personnel to immediately identify a cat that has been altered.

All surgeries, including the feral cat package, must be pre-paid before the day of surgery. This can be done by calling Tuesday-Friday 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m

SURGERY WILL NOT BE PERFORMED IF PAYMENT HAS NOT BE MADE.

Feral cats must be brought to HSCC in a humane trap. One cat per trap. The feral cat will then be returned to the trap after surgery. HSCC STAFF WILL NOT ACCEPT A FERAL CAT FOR SURGERY IN A REGULAR CAT CARRIER.

Humane Society of Catawba County offers humane feral/stray cat traps for a seven day rental period.

The rental fee is $50 for the seven days. $40 of the rental fee covers the cost of spay/neuter surgery for the captured feral/stray, including the cost of a 1 year rabies vaccine and eartip. The remaining $10 of the fee is a deposit.

There will be an additional fee of $10 per day over the rental period paid only at the time of return. A full deposit will be refunded on return, IF the trap is clean and in good, working condition.

Deposits will NOT be refunded in the case of lost, damaged, or stolen trap.

If the renter wishes to continue to use the trap for another cat, another agreement MUST be signed.