Illegal to Feed Feral Cats?

November 7, 2019

Question: I’ve seen a couple of feral cat feeding stations located around urban areas. I thought that feeding feral cats was illegal under the California Code of Regulations Title 14, section 251.1, “Harassment of Animals.” I know you folks have a lot more important things to do, but is this something we should notify our local game warden about? (Mark G.)

Answer: Section 251.1 states that “no person shall harass, herd or drive any game or nongame bird or mammal or furbearing mammal. For the purposes of this section, harass is defined as an intentional act which disrupts an animal’s normal behavior patterns, which includes, but is not limited to breeding, feeding or sheltering.” But feral cats do not meet the definition of “game or nongame mammal” or “furbearing mammal” – and as they are still technically domesticated, they are not considered to be wildlife.

Even though the code does not apply to domestic animals, there may be local (city) ordinances that prohibit feeding feral cats. Large cat colonies can attract larger predators, including coyotes and mountain lions, which is never a good idea in an urban area. Your local animal control office will be able to answer questions about feral cat management in your area.

If you don't feed them they don't get enough fat on em to work well in the crab pots. 

If you don't feed them they don't get enough fat on em to work well in the crab pots.

Brings new meaning to the word "catfish"...

If you don't feed them they don't get enough fat on em to work well in the crab pots.

Sick.

I feed them in my Have a Heart traps and turn them in at the no kill shelter...
The shelter returns them after spaying  to my neighborhood and I catch them again and release them in the inner city.

Cats around here develop a taste for hot lead.

If you don't feed them they don't get enough fat on em to work well in the crab pots.

this post nearly start an argument with my stray cat feeding wife as she was looking over my shoulder when I started to chuckle. She asked what I was laughing about and I quickly told her it was about a fishing trip that happened long ago before I met her. The story belongs in not humanly possible