It may prove to be someone’s lost pet, giving it a chance of being reunited with its owners.

If you have a stray visiting you, think about taking it to a local vet or shelter, where it can be scanned to see if it has a microchip, and given a health check. Hunting for food puts native wildlife at risk, and with unrestricted breeding, they can add thousands of kittens a year to the cat population, adding to the burden on animal shelters.īut what if, instead of just putting out a bowl of food and water, we decided to take more responsibility for the cats we fed? What can you do? If a stray cat turns up at your door for a meal, then goes about its business again, it qualifies as a ‘semi-owned’ cat.īecause of disease and the injuries caused by fighting and vehicle accidents, these free-living cats tend to have short, harsh lives – often just three years compared to 12-15 years for a pet cat that is desexed and cared for.

With more than half a million unowned cats in South Australia, and thousands of good-hearted cat-lovers out there, many people are feeding strays.

Download feeding stray cats