Feral Cat Information

SOS of Ohio requires an appointment for feral cats to be brought in for spay/neuter surgery. Feral cats can be scheduled for a Monday, Tuesday, or Thursday, and should be brought in between 7:30am and noon the day of their appointment. They will then be available for pick up the same day between 5:00pm and 6:00pm. We will only accept feral cats who are brought in live humane traps - cat carriers are not safe for you, the cat, or our staff. It is also not safe to try to get more than one cat into each trap. Please line the trap with newspaper so that the cat's toes don't slip through the bars, and cover the trap with a sheet or towel to help them stay calm.

Feral cats that are brought in a trap AND are ear-tipped are $55 for the surgery itself. This is a lower cost than that of owned cats because ferals are not handleable by nature and therefore do not receive a pre-op exam. If you have a friendly outdoor kitty that you would like examined, or do not bring the cat in a humane trap, or do not want the cat ear-tipped, then the surgery will cost the same as it does for owned cats. Any additional services requested will cost the same as they do for owned cats.

Trapping Quick Notes

• If you can handle the cat, then they are NOT feral.
• SOS of Ohio requires that feral cats arrive in traps, and that there be only one animal per trap for the safety of our staff, the cats, and for you as well.
• Trap the morning of your appointment, and bring them in immediately after.
• NEVER attempt to pick up or move a feral cat to a carrier. We require the cats to be in live humane traps.
• Bring them in between 7:30am and noon, and pick them up between 5:00pm and 6:00pm.
• Franklin County requries that all animals receive a rabies vaccination.
• Feral cats can have their ear tipped at no additional charge.
• Feral Cat Trapping Guide
• Feral Cat Post-Op Instructions

Importance of Eartipping
Eartipping is a universally accepted method to identify a spayed/neutered and vaccinated community cat, and is a standard part of most Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) programs because it’s the best method to let everyone know at a glance that a cat has gone through a TNR program. The eartip is performed under anesthesia, where the veterinarian removes the distal quarter of the left ear. There is little or no bleeding, it is relatively painless to the cat, and the eartip does not significantly alter the appearance or beauty of the cat. Eartips are a critical safeguard for outdoor cats. Some outdoor cats prefer to keep their distance, but most eartips can be seen from even several feet away. Plus, no matter who interacts with the cat, they can all tell that they have an outdoor home. That’s a big deal when it comes to animal control agencies and shelters, and it allows a caregiver who is setting traps to know this cat has already been sterilized.