Remove trash and secure garbage bins – human scraps are among the top food sources for feral cats. Clean up any leftover food, drinks or pet food. Avoid feeding cats or other wild animals on your property. Prohibit access to dry, covered spaces such as porches, sheds, garages and other structures.

If you stop feeding the cats, they will likely stay in the same area but be forced to expand their search for food. The large number of hungry cats can create conflicts with other cats and humans in the area. To remove feral cats from your property, be sure to remove any sources of food or shelter.

Will these cats starve? The answer is usually no. Stray cats will not usually starve if you stop feeding them. Cats are natural hunters and even domesticated cats have the instinct to hunt for prey as cats normally would in the wild.

In any case—ill, picky, or feral—a cat that doesn’t eat might survive for as long as two weeks without food, but not without serious health consequences. A cat that goes about three days or more without eating will begin to utilize fat reserves for energy, just as a human will.

Feed once a day, be it in the morning or evening. Ideally, it’s best to leave the food down for about 30 minutes or an hour, let the cats eat each in their own turn, and then to pick the food bowls up for the night so the remaining food doesn’t attract wildlife.

It is not bad to feed stray cats and it is a humane act to feed homeless and hungry cats. However, many vets and cat experts do not encourage feeding them. This is because they need health care and should be checked to ensure that they are not carriers of diseases or even rabies.

Feral cats live a dangerous and short existence because of the threats from fighting, disease, and often traffic. They can rarely be domesticated, and may carry diseases such as toxoplasmosis or cat scratch fever, both of which affect humans.

What do I do next?

1. For scared stray cats: Maximize their chances of adoption into a home.
2. For calm stray cats: Find them a good adoptive home.
3. For feral kittens: Socialize them for adoption.
4. For feral cats: Return them to their colony home outdoors.

Almost all feline species live (mostly) solitary lives. However, some feral cats will live in colonies that loosely resemble lion prides. Adult male cats do not live within a colony, but amicable behavior between females and males can occur, especially where there is considerable familiarity.

While a minimum should be 2 weeks, there may rarely be times it is less – I once had a cat confined who never relaxed; she peed and pooped all over the cage, in her bedding and even in her food.

Here’s how you can create a calming situation for her to relax:

1. Give the cat as much time as possible to calm down.
2. Take her to quiet place where she can be alone–if you’re in your home, a bathroom works well.
3. Follow a routine for all daily activities like feeding and cage cleaning.
4. Cats mark their territory by smell.

The cat often miraculously finds its way back home, even if it takes months or even years. They determined that one feral cat had a home range of 1,351 acres. Conversely, the mean home range for pet cats in the study was less than 4.9 acres. To handle any of these distances, cats put their incredible senses to work.