Fix a Feral Cat Clinics
Thanks to the support of generous donors, the ARL offers free spay and neuter TNR clinics (trap, neuter and release) each year to feral cat caretakers in Boston.
During the clinics, cats receive a behavioral screening to identify “friendlies,” stray animals who could re-adjust to living with people as pets. In addition to spay/neuter services, cats also receive vaccines and other veterinary services.
The ARL’s Fix a Feral Clinics are held on Sundays and are fully staffed by volunteers, including veterinarians who offer their services free of charge.
Fix a Feral clinics are one of many of the ARL’s community spay/neuter programs.
Learn more about other ARL spay/neuter programs
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What Are Feral Cats?
Domesticated cats who have has reverted to a wild state are referred to as “feral.” They have not been socialized with people and, as a result, cannot easily adapt to living indoors as pets.
Spaying and neutering feral cats is recognized as an effective and humane way to prevent and manage animal homelessness.
Feral cats live hard lives. Their numbers grow when owned cats who are not spayed or neutered are put outdoors or abandoned by their owners. Their offspring have offspring and the cycle continues.
Spaying and neutering feral cats reduces the number of homeless animals born every year. It also has benefits for the human community where feral cats live. Nuisance behaviors like yowling, marking, and aggressive behavior are greatly reduced after spay/neuter.
The ARL offers assistance to caretakers and trappers who do not have a place to house the cats overnight for up to 30 cats per clinic. Cats coming into the ARL clinic receive spay/neuter surgery, vaccines, and other veterinary services.
Email feralcatinfo@arlboston.org for more information about upcoming clinics. The ARL accepts 75 cats for spay/neuter surgery per clinic.
Qualifications
Qualified cats:
Clinics are open to any colony caretaker/trapper with feral cats that need to be spayed or neutered. The clinics are designed for healthy feral cats only. During admission and the veterinary examination, cats are checked for symptoms of disease or injury. If such symptoms are found, the caretaker is advised to bring the cat to his/her own veterinarian for treatment. Caretakers and trappers are screened to ensure that the cats will be released into managed colonies, are not pet cats nor are intended to be adopted into homes.
Cats that do not qualify:
We will not accept cats that appear to be pets, or that do not appear healthy. For example, they may be injured, obviously ill, breathing strangely, etc. In these cases, caretakers and trappers are encouraged to contact our Animal Rescue Services Team at 617.426.9170 or a local emergency veterinary hospital.