Orange County's Outdoor Cat Problem

• 211,000+ Feral Cats estimated to be in Orange County

• Where Outdoor Strays and Feral Cats come from

• Issues faced by Outdoor Cats

• OC Community Cats: what they do and how to help

Orange County has a Cat Problem.

While it's not an issue unique to OC, it is one that deserves more attention than its received.

Orange County has tons of outdoor and feral cats, but just how many are there? By using a formula created by PetSmarts research team, one can determine that Orange County, California has an estimated 211,000+ Outdoor and Feral Cats (Take an areas human population and divide it by 15 for an estimate on outdoor/ feral cat population).

Feral cats are most often the offspring of abandoned/ stray house pets, and unlike their parents, they've never known humans or developed a relationship with them. These cats are scared of humans and become standoffish and sometimes violent if approached. Outdoor/ stray cats on the other hand have usually had a relationship with humans, and while they may be a bit shy they are at least socialized to some degree and can be rehomed; where as feral cats most often remain feral.

Most of these cats spend each day dodging cars, searching for food, and playing the lottery to determine whether they'll survive another day being threatened by disease, parasytes, dogs and other larger predators, harsh weather, and even humans who see them as pests and try to exterminate them.

Some of Disney's 200+ Feral Cats spotted during the day; a rare occurrence for them

Although some feral cats live surprisingly decent lives, like Disneylands pack of 200+ cats that provide pest control (sorry Mickey) for the park. These cats have been spotted since the park first opened in 1955 and are now under the care of staff and even receive vaccinations. Sadly these cats are an outlier and the vast majority suffer.

Thanks to organizations like OC Community Cats, however, outdoor cats are catching a break and getting the help they so desperately need.

A list, with descriptions, of what OC Community Cats does for cats in their care.

OC Community Cats is a 501(c)(3) non profit that goes above and beyond to provide help for outdoor stray and feral cats. They provide a variety of services through their organization to help Orange County's cats survive and to humanely decrease the population.

They do this through TNR or Trap-Neuter-Return, feeding of the cats, providing urgently needed medical care, and set up foster care + adoption for non-feral strays.

OC Community Cats also utilizes their Social Media to promote the cause and educate the public on the issues faced by Outdoor and feral cats. On their instagram, you can see updates on injured cats they've rescued and given medical attention, cats they currently need homes for, and information on how to get involved with them.

OC Community Cat's most recent post: A request for donations to cover medical costs of four sick cats (they received the amount needed!)

Sadly to many people, outdoor cats are seen as pests that carry diseases. Although they can become infected with a disease due to their living conditions, groups like OC Community Cats provide medical care to ensure that these cats can live healthy lives and overcome their afflictions so they won’t spread them to others.

OC Community Cats is an organization made up primarily of volunteers. If you’d like to help them in their mission you can visit OCCommunityCats.com for information on volunteering or Donate directly to them through their website.