Stray cats, which I always associate with the Aristocats, but their life is not always a Walt Disney fairy tale and, it must be said, it is not always easy to manage their presence in a garden or in an area where people live. not necessarily cat lovers like me. There are ways to intervene and help stray cats and at the same time ensure that gardens, yards, urban parks and streets are not abandoned to decay.
This is a problem that is faced both in cities and in small urban centers or in the countryside. There are feline colonies, protected by law, and also spontaneous initiatives that need to be studied in order to be effective.
Stray cats: how to help them
When you see stray cats around, it often comes naturally to think that the best thing is to take them home and have them become pets. This is not always the case: felines belonging to the feline colonies are not used to constant contact with humans and it is not automatic that they willingly accept our hospitality. We also do not know the state of health and origin, so it is better to ask the local authorities before taking action.
If, on the other hand, stray cats are former domestic cats, lost, we may have more chances if we adopt them, but not before having verified that it is not possible to trace their owner who is most likely looking for them desperately.
While we wait to understand how to deal with the stray cats in the area, to help them it is first necessary to provide them with a bowl of water, preferably lukewarm. The menu of stray cats can be very varied, we focus on dry food, which keeps better over time, but sometimes leftovers and “hot meals” can be a pleasure.
Stray and cold cats
In winter, life as a stray cat is harder than ever, it is important to give these animals a hand against the cold, especially at night. If we are dealing with a feline colony located a few steps from our home, we can prepare a corner of the covered porch by improvising a sort of kennel in which the felines can stay in case of rain or too cold temperatures.
Let’s not imagine who knows what: the strays are satisfied with old sweaters or clothes that are no longer in use. If the group of cats to help is instead in an area far from our home, we can get involved or get involved in an association that deals with it on a large scale and make a donation in euros or in blankets and food.
A small but useful precaution, for stray cats in winter, concerns antifreeze products. Often they remain residues, when someone uses them to remove the ice from car windows or driveways, and they are lethal for animals that come into contact with them by mistake, being stray it can happen!
Stray cats: diseases
Stray cats can be carriers of disease, as well as very healthy ones. It is useless to worry without having elements to know the truth. If in doubt, contact a veterinarian or an association that deals with abandoned animals.
Stray cats: reads
We talked about cat colonies, let’s see what it is. It is not a way of saying to describe an “organized gang” of stray acts, but a concept defined and protected by a specific law. These colonies are often managed and cared for by volunteers and volunteers, declared, recognized and marked with signs.
The organization of a feline colony is not improvised and if you want to contribute and lend a hand, the managers must be contacted so that our help can be useful.
