It has long been known that interaction with animals is good for our health. Research tells us that pets can help lower blood pressure and improve a person’s overall wellbeing. Much of this research has been focused on pets that are owned and cohabit with their humans. Research has not focused on community cats (also known as stray or feral cats) and how they contribute to the improved health of their caretakers. Physical functions and psychological status improve through a person’s compassion and sense of responsibility for caring for an animal. My hope is to elevate the importance of these often-forgotten felines we call community cats and show that the human/animal bond transcends the notion that an animal must be “owned” to be viewed and valued as a companion animal.
All photos/video © Rob Day
Research confirms what many of us know to be true: people are happier and healthier in the presence of animals. Numerous scientific studies substantiate that pet ownership provides important forms of social and emotional support for older adults. This mutually-beneficial human/animal bond certainly applies to people who care for unowned, outdoor community cats.
Kids who learn to care for animals also learn to show compassion & kindness to themselves and others.
The human-animal bond is a mutually beneficial and dynamic relationship between people and animals that positively influences the health and well-being of both. Research shows that companion animals may reduce depression and loneliness in socially isolated homebound older adults.
While it is vitally important for community cats to be spayed and neutered, it is also vitally important for them to have opportunities to just be cats: to play, to have food and shelter, and to give and receive unconditional love and affection.
People who care for community cats often develop as strong of bonds as many traditional pet/pet owner relationships.
A component of Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) is to work with rescue and foster groups to place tame cats and kittens into to loving homes.
Reducing the number of community cats and managing their care is the goal of Trap-Neuter-Return programs.
The face of a cat advocate. This girl and her family are caring for the unowned community cats in their downtown neighborhood. Indy Neighborhood Cats is working with the family to get all of the cats spayed, neutered, and vaccinated. The family is ensuring that all the kittens have a safe place until they are weaned, socialized, and old enough for adoption.
“We love the cats. Even though they’re outside cats you still love them. You gotta love ‘em. They’re babies. We call them our babies.” - John in Indianapolis, on having the outside cats returned after TNR
All members of the domestic cat species with whom we live belong to the same domesticated species, Felis catus, regardless of how socialized they are.
Who benefits from this cat-caretaker relationship the most: the cat or it’s human?
Boy Scouts in Indianapolis building winter cat shelters for community cats.
Neighbors who spay/neuter/vaccinate community cats are taking responsibility, acting humanely, and taking a positive action instead of doing nothing at all.
All living creatures have a basic instinct to live and have the best life they can. Acting as their advocate or "voice,” we should strive to improve their lives and promote ideals that are more reflective of a caring and humane community.
People who care for community cats often develop as strong of bonds as many traditional pet/pet owner relationships.
Stray, feral and pet cats are all members of the same species; they are all domestic cats.
Time and time again, we see the special bond that develops between a community cat and their caretaker. Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) is a city wide program in Indianapolis that requires all of us to be involved.
Stray and feral cats are some of the most at-risk domesticated animals in America. The most comprehensive data in the United States indicate that nearly 72% of cats that enter animal shelters are killed. For feral or unsocialized cats, the kill rate in shelters increases to virtually 100%.
A broad range of scientific studies have found that human-animal interactions can reduce anxiety, depression, heart rate and blood pressure. Showing compassion to other living beings is good for your health and promotes a sense of well-being.
Trap- Neuter-Return (TNR) is the only non-lethal method to reduce the number of free roaming cats both immediately and in the long term.
By fixing and caring for cats in their neighborhood, caretakers are taking a step towards ending the homeless cat overpopulation as well as improving their lives.
Many studies have found that kindness & compassion is related to higher levels of self-esteem and wellbeing.
Care and compassion for the most vulnerable
Community cats are typically not socialized or friendly to people. They are generally unadoptable and cannot live indoors however these cats often form strong bonds with the people who care for them.
Compassion helps children develop into well-rounded human beings that approach the world with a concern and respect for others.
Compassion is empathy in action.
Research shows that companion animals may reduce depression and loneliness in socially isolated homebound older adults.
Community cats often are not socialized to people or suitable for indoor homes. They can still have happy lives as part of supervised colonies, which they consider their families. They can also give their caretakers a sense of responsibility and provide ongoing love and appreciation.
The human-animal bond is a mutually beneficial and dynamic relationship between people and animals that positively influences the health and well-being of both.
Grayson and his human
Although most community cats are unsocialized to people, they, and the people who care for them, often develop as strong of bonds as many traditional pet/pet owner relationships.
The term “community cat” is commonly referred to any unowned outside cat. They are also know as stray, feral or alley cats. They have been either lost, abandoned by a previous owner, or born outdoors to cats allowed to roam unaltered. These cats are the same species as a typical domesticated pet cat. Community cats often form strong bonds with their caretaker.
If left to their own devices, community cats live in an endless cycle of breeding and scavenging for food. It is important that they become part of a structured trap-neuter-return program that improves their lives on the streets while also decreasing overpopulation.
Community cats often are misunderstood as being nuisances and wild, disease-carrying animals. In actuality, they are simply kittens born to stray cats that are taught to fend for themselves in a world that doesn’t always appreciate them.
Research has found that caring for an animal can help older people feel less lonely.
It all started a couple years ago feeding one hungry stray cat. One litter of kittens led to another. Take a moment and listen to John talk about what it means to care for a large colony of healthy, fixed and ear tipped cats:
