Friends of the Animals Community Spay & Neuter Clinic

We provide safe, effective sterilization for unowned outdoor cats living in community colonies. These guidelines help protect the cats, caretakers, and clinic staff.

What Counts as a Feral / Community Cat

Community cats are unowned outdoor cats—including neighborhood colonies, barn colonies, trailer parks, or industrial areas.

To qualify for our feral/community cat package:

• The cat must be unowned and living outdoors.

• The cat must arrive in a covered feral cat trap (not a carrier).

• All cats must be returned to the same location where they were trapped.

• Caretakers handle all post-surgery recovery at home.

Note: Any cat from a colony must arrive in a trap for safety, even if friendly.

Trap Requirements

To keep the cat safe and calm:

• The trap must be fully covered with a towel, blanket, or trap cover.

• Provide one clean towel or potty pad for recovery.

• If a towel/pad is already inside, bring a second clean one for surgery recovery.

Appointments & Pricing

• Feral/community cats in traps can be scheduled most open clinic days.

• Pricing is the same as regular cat spays/neuters.

• Financial assistance may be available depending on need and funding.

• All scheduling must be done by email only:
  scheduling@fotas.org

What’s Included in the Feral / Community Cat Package

Required services:

• Ear-tip (mandatory; done under anesthesia)

• RCP vaccine (protection against rhinotracheitis, calicivirus, and panleukopenia)

• Topical flea/ear-mite treatment if parasites are found (lasts ~30 days)

To qualify:

• The cat must be unowned and part of a community colony.

• The cat must arrive in a covered trap.

• Ear-tipping is required for all feral/community cats.

Medical Protocols for Feral / Community Cats

• For the safety of our staff and the cats, feral/community cats do not receive a full hands-on physical exam prior to sedation. Only a brief visual assessment is performed. A more complete exam is done once the cat is safely anesthetized.

• No e-collars are placed on feral/community cats.

• All cats receive a single 24-hour pain injection.

• We do not use long-acting/multi-day pain meds because they can affect mobility and awareness—important for survival after release.

Contact & Coordination

If you are managing multiple cats or a colony, or if you need to inquire about trapping exceptions or financial assistance, please email us in advance at:

📧 scheduling@fotas.org
(Email is the only communication method for feral/community cat scheduling.)