Participating Veterinary Clinics : Please click this link to view a current listing of EPVMA member clinics who are participating in the Feral Cat Program.

Feral cats are wild, unowned, outside cats that can not be handled.

Program Goals

Start-up date:  Now in effect (January, 2001)

To reduce the number of feral cats in the El Paso metro area. 

To reduce the number of cats euthanized each year in the El Paso area.  

How You Can Help? 

Bring trapped feral cats from your area to participating veterinarians to have them spayed or castrated and vaccinated against Rabies. 

Release the sterile cats back into their original environment allowing them to stabilize the population without increasing colony numbers. 

Remember:

Vaccinating against rabies helps prevent the spread of this fatal disease to people and their pets.

Castrating male cats helps to reduce behaviors such as fighting, urine marking and late night howling.  Less fighting decreases the spread of infectious diseases. 

Fewer young mouths to feed means better nutrition and health for the existing colony. 

Trapping and removing cats from an area opens up a slot for another fertile cat to repopulate.  Sterilizing and returning to the area helps keeps another fertile cat from entering the area.

Why Release Them? 

True wild cats are rarely tamed and do not make good household pets. 

Removing the cats from their environment merely opens up the niche for other wild cats to move in and does little to control the population numbers.  

Trap that Cat! 

Once the Program has started, visit your local Valley Feed Pet Food Center to borrow an approved cat trap.  Be sure to bring your refundable $50 deposit.  You will have 2 weeks to return the trap. An instruction sheet will be provided.  

Participating Veterinarians

Click on the above link for a current list of participating veterinarians.  In the fall, once you have trapped the cat, you can call to make a special appointment for the cat’s surgery. 

What Cats are Qualified? 

Only true wild cats that cannot be handled and are un-owned will be allowed to participate in the program.  Cats must be at least 12 weeks of age.  

How Much Does it Cost? 

The Program pays for surgery and Rabies vaccination for qualified cats. 

If you want additional vaccinations, tests, or treatments you will be charged based upon the veterinarian’s fee schedule.  

Funding for the Program 

Participating veterinarians volunteer their time for this very important project. Funding for traps, materials, drugs, and vaccinations will come from the El Paso Veterinary Medical Association, Valley Feed Pet Food Centers, community foundation grants and donations from community members like you.   

Contributions should be made out to “EPVMA Feral Cat Program” and mailed to EPVMA Feral Cat Program, PO Box 808, Santa Teresa, NM 88008.  

Thank you for your interest and your donation.  This important and worthwhile community program is now in effect (January, 2001).