Feral Cats

We support feral cat caretakers in a number of ways, including providing free spay/neuter services.

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Taking care of community cats

Feral cats received little to no socialization as kittens and thus do not feel comfortable around humans. Therefore, they do not have the demeanor to be house cats. They live outdoors, frequently in colonies with other feral cats, often in outbuildings, barns or small shelters provided by property owners. Feral cats are also referred to as “community cats.”

Many feral cats rely on the kindness of human caretakers and community members to provide regular access to fresh food and water. One of the best ways a caretaker can support a feral cat is through trap-neuter-return (TNR). With TNR, the cat is safely and humanely trapped so that it can be altered and vaccinated before being returned to its colony. This reduces the number of offspring in the colony and makes the colony and its individual cats healthier and safer.

Spay/Neuter Surgery

At the AWS Community Veterinary Clinic, the following services are administered at no cost for feral and free roaming cats trapped in Maine:

Mandatory Services

  • Sterilization surgery (including a small tattoo applied near the incision)
  • Ear tip of the left ear – ear tipping is mandatory for cats receiving free services through this program. It is a universal symbol that indicates the cat has been spayed/neutered.
  • Rabies vaccination and distemper vaccination
  • Single dose of Revolution (for fleas, hookworm, roundworm, ear mites)

Optional Services

  • Microchip: $25
  • FeLV/FIV Combo Test: $45

Because we require all cats going through this program to receive a rabies vaccination, cats must be at least 12 weeks of age.

If you have cat(s) on your property and would like to participate in TNR at no cost, please note the following:

  • Cats are required to come in a feral trap NOT a carrier.
  • No appointment needed; however, if you have more than 2 cats to bring in, please contact us at (207) 292-2424 in advance to coordinate.
  • Early morning drop off is Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday between 8:30am and 9am.
  • Cats are ready to be picked up between 4-4:30pm the day they receive surgery.
  • They must recover for 24 hours with their caretaker before being released back to their colony.

Humane Trapping

Feral Kitten Socialization & Adoption

In the case of feral kittens, if young enough, a litter may be able to be socialized in foster care, giving them the confidence and demeanor needed to become house cats. In these cases, kittens go up for adoption, rather than be returned to their mother’s colony. Call our Adoption Center at (207) 985-3244 to learn more.

Cat Shelter Plans

Feral cat shelters can provide a safe place for a cat or colony to take refuge. They can be a straw-lined sizable rubbermaid container with several portal to serve as doors, or they can be more elaborate, made of wood with multiple places for cats to rest and get warm. If you’d like to build a feral cat shelter of your own, we have detailed plans and diagrams, step-by-step instructions and materials lists for you.

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Ready for the cutest creativity event of the season?!

AWS’ Youth Programs Coordinator, Miss Amanda, as well as professional artist, Piper Castles, from River Tree Arts will be hosting a fun and interactive drawing workshop here at the Boston House at AWS! Designed for students in Grades 6+, children will learn and practice drawing skills of springtime animals while also being able to interact with them! What’s better than drawing alongside some adorable, hoppy bunnies?!

Join the event on Saturday, April 6 from 9 am- Noon. Registration is through River Tree Arts, but you can access the registration form on our website! 50% of all proceeds will be donated directly to AWS. We can’t wait to see your little artists there!
St. Patrick's Day may be over, but we can't miss the opportunity to share this sweet Happy Homes story of a dog previously named Shamrock. Adopted from us years ago, his human sister wrote in to tell us how happy she is with her best friend, now named Coda. We'd definitely say he's one lucky little shamrock alright! 

"Coda is just the most amazing dog ever! He is so humorous and adventurous and I could not think of another reason that I would ever wake up early and walk in below freezing temperatures. But he inspires me to take that nightly stroll! He is so fluffy and loves being snuggled and going to his occasional ice cream stops. I got him when he was just a puppy and I was only in 2nd grade. Now I am 17 and we sure have grown up together. I love him!" 🍀

We love Happy Homes stories like these! Share your own with us by writing in online or posting below!
𝗗𝘂𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗮 𝗽𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗮, 𝗔𝗪𝗦 𝗶𝘀 𝗰𝗹𝗼𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝗰 𝗦𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗮𝘆, 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵 𝟮𝟰. While our friends at @klpdnews work hard to get the electricity up and running, our aptly named bunny Snowball wants everyone to know that AWS' staff, volunteers and resident pets are doing just fine. 🤍