1. I am moving and cannot take my cat with me, what can I do?

  • Call the Humane Society of Naples, 239-643-1880, and get on their waiting list as soon as possible. The waiting time to surrender your cat is usually 4-6 weeks.
  • Call the Naples Daily News, 239-263-4700, and put an ad in the classified under “Free Pets”. The ad is at no cost to you. It runs for a week and you can renew it as often as you need to.
  • Make a flyer on your cat with a good picture and all of the wonderful personality traits and information. Post the flyer at all of the local veterinarian offices in your area.
  • Keep a flyer with you at all times and talk to everyone you know- friends, neighbors, co-workers, bosses, relatives about the cat.
  • If you have run out of all of these options, you can take your cat to Domestic Animal Services, 239-530-7387, on Davis Road in Naples, just west of Santa Barbara Blvd. Domestic Animal Services is run by Collier County and they are a “kill” shelter (“euthanizing” over 300 cats/month).

2. I am feeding a really friendly stray cat but cannot keep it. How can I find a home for it?

  • Continue to feed the cat every day.
  • Bring the cat into your garage or a bathroom of your house.
  • Buy “Revolution” flea treatment and treat the cat for fleas.
  • Take the cat to your local vet office and have the cat checked for a microchip (they should do this for free). If the cat is microchipped, you will be able to find the owner and return the cat to its home.
  • If the cat is not microchipped, or fixed, it is most likely a lost or abandoned cat. Buy a certificate from Friends of Gummi, 239-290-2485 for $60.00 (cash or check) that includes the blood test for FIV and FeLV, a fecal test, a physical and the sterilization surgery. The certificate can be used at several vets around the Naples area.
  • Bring the cat to one of the vets on the list.
  • Advertise the cat in the Naples Daily News 239-263-4700 under “Free Pets” (the ad is free).
  • Take a picture of the cat, make a flyer and post it at the vet offices and Pet Supermarkets and anywhere else.
  • Talk to everyone you know- friends, neighbors, co-workers, bosses, relatives about the cat.
  • Contact all the rescue groups and shelters by email with a picture of the cat so they can network for you.
  • Put the cat on Petfinder.com and 1800saveapet.com
  • If you have run out of all of these options, you can take the cat to Domestic Animal Services, 239-530-7387, on Davis Road, just west of Santa Barbara Blvd. Domestic Animal Services is run by Collier County and they are a “kill” shelter (“euthanizing” over 300 cats/month).

3. I am feeding a mom cat with little kittens, what do I do now?

  • 1. Keep feeding mom cat- all she can eat and she will eat a lot
  • 2. If the mom cat is friendly-
    • - Find a bathroom in your house or someone else’s house to put the mom and kittens.
    • - Set her up with a large litter box, towels in a corner for a nest for the kittens, food and water.
    • - Call all the shelters ASAP to see who may be able to take the kittens when they start to wean from the mom (about 8 weeks after birth). Don’t wait until they are weaned to try to get help.
    • - Take pictures of the kittens and email to all the shelters- Take a picture of mom cat and make a flyer on her. Distribute the flyer to everyone you know and all the vet offices, Pet Supermarket stores and anywhere else you can post it.
    • - Advertise the mom cat in the Naples Daily News under “Free Pets”. The ad is free for 5 lines. You can run it as often as needed. Start running the ad right away. Do not give the mom cat to anyone before the kittens have been weaned and she has been sterilized.
    • - Sterilizing the mom cat and kittens affordably-
      Go to Domestic Animal Services on Davis Road in Naples on Saturday morning between 10:30 and Noon to buy a certificate from Volunteer Services for Animals for $35.00 which is good at a number of vets around Naples and will buy you the surgery and a rabies shot.
  • 3. If the mom cat is unfriendly-
    • -Find a bathroom in your house or someone else’s house to put the kittens. Set it up with a large litter box, towels in a corner for a nest for the kittens, food, water and toys.
    • - Getting a trap
      Borrow a trap from Domestic Animal Services on Davis Road in Naples (deposit required) or buy a trap from any hardware store (Havahart #1079) for approx. $50.00
    • -Trapping the mom cat and kittens
      Call the vet office you are going to take the mom cat to and make sure they can take the cat on the morning you plan to have your cat in the trap. Don’t worry about whether you get the mom or kittens first- just get them trapped.
    • -Locate the trap where you feed. Cover the back, top and sides of the trap with a towel to make it more appealing. If the trap is near sprinklers, cover the trap with a black garbage bag first and overlay the bag with a towel.
    • -Put the trap out just after dusk and check on it during the night if you can. Otherwise, check early in the morning before anyone knows it is there.
    • -If you have the mom cat or kitten in the trap, cover the trap completely with towels to calm them down.
    • -Cover the back seat of your car with garbage bags and transport the mom cat or kitten to the vets office ASAP. Be prepared to pick the mom cat or kitten up by the end of the vet office’s work day- check their hours.
    • -After you pick up the sterilized mom cat from the vet, put newspaper down on the floor of your garage and put the towel covered trap on the newspaper overnight.
    • -Bring the covered trap with the mom cat back to your feeding location early the next morning and release her.
    • -After you pick up the sterilized kitten from the vet, put the kitten in the prepared bathroom and go back and trap the other kittens.
    • -Call all the shelters ASAP to see who may be able to take the kittens. Don’t wait until they have overcome their fears and are friendly and loving (usually takes 2-3 weeks).
    • -Take pictures of the kittens and email to all the shelters. Use the pictures to make a flyer and distribute the flyer to everyone you know and all the vet offices, Pet Supermarket stores and anywhere else you can post it.
    • -Advertise the kittens in the Naples Daily News under “Free Pets”. The ad is free for 5 lines. You can run it as often as needed, don’t be impatient. Start running the ad right away.
    • -Spend at least 3- 20 minute sessions a day working with the frightened kittens. Sit on the floor and use a fat shoestring to play with them and get them to come close to you. When they come close, stroke them gently from the middle of their back to their tail. Do not put your hand in front of their face or try to pick them up right away. Be patient and let them come to you. Never grab for them or chase them. Talk softly and move slowly. They will respond to your kindness and gentleness. For more information on taming kittens go to- http://www.alleycat.org/pdf/socializingferal.pdf

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4. There are stray cats that I want to help, what do I do?

  • 1. Feed the cat(s) every day at the same time and place
    • Feeding Location and Time-
      Locate the bowls of food and water in a protected area that is out of sight from public view. You do not want anyone doing harm to the cats. Feed just after dark or very early in the morning so no one sees you. If ants get into the food, buy “food grade diatomaceous earth” from the feed store (or online at www.dirtworks.com) and sprinkle on the ground around the area. It will kill the ants but will not be harmful to the cats.
    • Feeding Station/Shelter-
      You can make an affordable covered feeding station/shelter for the cats by buying a large 4 foot Rubbermaid container from Home Depot. Take the lid off (use lid for something else), turn it upside down, cut out both of the ends and use 2 bungee cords to strap it to a wooden pallet (can be acquired from grocery stores and other business, usually for free).
  • 2. Trap, neuter and return (TNR) them to the same place
    • Sterilizing the cat affordably-
      • Go to Domestic Animal Services on Davis Road in Naples on Saturday morning between 10:30 and Noon to buy a certificate from Volunteer Services for Animals for $35.00 which is good at a number of vets around Naples and will buy you the surgery and a rabies shot.
    • Getting a trap-
      • Borrow a trap from Domestic Animal Services on Davis Road in Naples (deposit required) or
        Buy a trap from any hardware store (Havahart #1079) for approx. $50.00
    • Trapping the cat-
      • Call the vet office you are going to take the cat to and make sure they can take the cat on the morning you plan to have your cat in the trap.
      • Locate the trap where you feed. Cover the back, top and sides of the trap with a towel to make it more appealing. If the trap is near sprinklers, cover the trap with a black garbage bag first and overlay the bag with a towel.
      • Put the trap out just after dusk and check on it during the night if you can. Otherwise, check early in the morning before anyone knows it is there.
      • If you have the cat in the trap, cover the trap completely with towels to calm the cat down.
      • Cover the back seat of your car with garbage bags and transport the cat to the vets office ASAP. Be prepared to pick the cat up by the end of the vet office’s work day- check their hours.
      • After you pick up the sterilized cat from the vet, put newspaper down on the floor of your garage and put the towel covered trap on the newspaper overnight.
      • Bring the covered trap back to your feeding location early the next morning and release the cat.
      • The cat may disappear for several days but will be back to resume normal activities.
  • 3. Continue to feed and care for the cats
    • Feral cats can live as long a life outdoors as a domestic indoor cat. However, most die younger from a dog attack or a fatal run in with a car.

5. I am feeding older kittens that are too wild to be socialized, what do I do for them?

  • Treat these kittens like an adult cat- trap, neuter, return and continue to care for them. See answer to question #4 for more information.

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