When you think about it, many of us have had an encounter with an unowned “community cat” whether it is feral, abandoned, a drifter or one looking for new territory.

My most memorable experience was a large tom that paid occasional visits from a nearby feral colony and often fought with my cats.

After numerous wounds and abscesses my cat Toby contracted Feline AIDS (FIV), which is transmitted via cat-to-cat bite wounds. Two years ago his immune system weakened and I had to euthanize him due to an overwhelming infection.

Many of the people feeding unowned felines may not realize the impact these free-roaming cats have on the populations around them.

Anyone providing food to any cat is considered a “caregiver,” like it or not. Caregivers have good intentions but beyond feeding, many are unwilling or unable to have their cats spayed/neutered, vaccinated, and tested for contagious diseases such as FIV and Feline Leukemia (FeLV).

Once a food source is provided cats will be attracted and will congregate, exhibiting group behaviors such as socializing, breeding, hunting, and fighting. Before you know it, a colony has formed and will grow exponentially if the food source can support it.  

The risk of disease is higher in groups of cats since many infectious organisms transmit via saliva, respiratory secretions, and feces. Social grooming, eating/drinking from the same bowl, etc. can transmit the respiratory viruses, Feline Leukemia, and rarely FIV.  

Bite wounds can transmit FIV and Rabies, not to mention lots of bacteria. Fecal material can transmit panleukopenia (a parvovirus) and intestinal parasites.

External parasites such as fleas, ticks, and ear mites thrive within cat colonies since they have a smörgåsbord of individuals to feed from.

Many infections and parasites have “carrier” or latent stages, where the individual appears healthy yet can transmit disease to other cats or people.

And worse yet, a pregnant female can transmit FeLV or FIV to her fetuses, so kittens may be born infected and will appear healthy during the first few months of life.

Often caregivers try to befriend and handle unowned cats, putting themselves at risk for bites and scratches.

Anyone trying to pet or catch a cat with unknown vaccination status should be aware of a few health risks.

Cats are now the most frequently reported domestic rabid (infected with rabies) animal in the U.S., and anyone bitten by an unvaccinated cat should take preventative measures against the disease. For some baffling reason rabies vaccination is not required by law for cats in this state or county.

Cat scratches, often a minor painful nuisance, may transmit Bartonella (aka Cat Scratch Disease) a vague illness of fevers, swollen lymph nodes, aching, and malaise.

All this information may seem a bit alarmist or may discourage some from befriending stray cats altogether.

I would like to reinforce, though, that it is not enough for caregivers to just provide food for community cats.

They should make every attempt to get these cats spayed or neutered, tested for FeLV and FIV (and eliminated from the population if carrying either) and vaccinated against rabies, the respiratory viruses, parvovirus and leukemia.

A trap-neuter-return (TNR) program, such as the new Catsnip program sponsored by Lake County veterinarians, helps accomplish these goals by providing a free surgery and rabies vaccine.

In addition, most of the participating hospitals offer discounted pricing – for cats in the program – for the other feline vaccinations and testing.

Let me reiterate from Dr. Jeff Smith’s previous article that only unowned cats qualify for this free program.

Contacts for the program are: north county – Vicki Chamberlain, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.; south county – Animal Coalition of Lake County, 707-995-0552; and Middletown – Erica Bergstrom, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Please consider the health of the surrounding human and animal communities when feeding unowned cats.

Lisa Takesue, DVM, works at Main Street Veterinary Clinic in Lakeport, Calif. Her guest commentary is endorsed by her colleagues at Middletown Animal Hospital, Animal Hospital of Lake County, Wasson Memorial Veterinary Clinic and Clearlake Animal Hospital.