Community Cats & Kittens
Community cats, sometimes called free-roaming or feral cats, are are cats who have either never had any contact with people or their contact with people has diminished over time. They are different than stray or indoor-outdoor pet cats (cats who are owned and cared for but are either separated from their families or have a home but spend time outside).
For community cats, their home is outdoors and in the community. Typically these cats aren't likely to ever enjoy transitioning into a house and traditional pet lifestyle.
Community cats are spayed/neutered, vaccinated, and then returned to their community through a process called Trap Neuter Return or "TNR". You can often recognize those that have gone through this process by an "ear tip" - a missing tip of either ear. It's a universal sign that this cat has been spayed or neutered.
Why spay and neuter community cats? Without this measure of population control, cats living in the community can have too many litters of kittens, leading to poor quality of life and possible overpopulation issues. TNR helps community cats by relieving them of the stresses of mating and breeding, and protecting them from diseases.
In the town of New Fairfield, New Fairfield Animal Control handles emergency calls for injured or sick cats.
If you find an injured or sick cat in New Fairfield please call: (203) 885-4417
What to Do When You Find a Community Cat
If you find a community cat (remember, not a friendly stray --- For info on what to do if you find a friendly stray cat see the "Lost and Found" page of our website), the first thing to do is look to see if the cat already has an eartip. The most common type of eartip is a flat quarter-inch taken from the top of the left ear, which is painlessly performed surgically while the cat is sedated for spay/neuter. Other TNR programs may use ear notches or use the right ear instead of the left. Ear-tipped cats have already been sterilized and rabies vaccinated, and can be left where they are found.
If no eartip is present, this cat has most likely not been fixed, and you can help by contacting a local organization with a TNR program. Many programs have humane traps for rent or provide full TNR services.
NFSAW provides TNR for New Fairfield and surrounding towns. For more information or assistance please click the button below:
Other TNR Resources
Danbury Animal Welfare Society
The DAWS Trap-Neuter-Release program improves the lives of feral cats, improves their relationships with the people who live near them and decreases the size of colonies over time.
Call: (203)790-6511
Friends of Felines
Trap-Neuter-Return programs, rescue of strays, rehoming of cats in bad situations, responsible adoption programs, and community education.
Call: (203)363-0220
Email: cats@fofct.org
Cat Tales
Spay CT
Promote affordable & accessible spay/neuter resources in CT & surrounding areas
Call: (860)216-1449
Tails
We support spay/neuter of cats and dogs locally and beyond, concentrating in our home area of Fairfield County.
Call: (203) 222-1992
Email: info@tailsct.org
What to Do If You Find Kittens
When kittens are very young, their best chances of survival are with their mom. If the kittens are in an unsafe locations, appear distressed or mom hasn't returned after several hours, first make sure they're warm, and then reach out to one of the local resources we've mentioned here.
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Learn More / National Resources
The Kitten Lady
Tons of resources on kitten care and what to do if you find kittens in the wild
Alley Cat Allies
Resources for becoming more involved in community cat management or understanding more about community cats.
ASPCA - Understanding Community Cats
Community cat article
National Kitten Coaltion
Resources and education on kitten care and increasing kitten survival rates.
Best Friends - Community Cat Resources
Find a TNR program near you and learn more