Dear Members of the Campus Community,

In the interest of safety, please do not approach any feral cat (nor other wild animal), either on or off campus. In particular, never feed, handle, touch, grab, or make sudden movements toward the animals.

Feral cats live outdoors in communities, in the vicinity of a food source or shelter. They are typically born in the wild with little to no human interaction. If you get too close, a feral cat will see you as a threat, and may respond by biting or scratching. Even if the cat is not infected with rabies, cat bites inject a great number of harmful bacteria under the skin and often into the muscle, leading to serious infections if not treated promptly and aggressively.

Fordham has a feral cat management program, and has engaged a specialist to oversee the University’s non-lethal trap, neuter, release (TNR) program to humanely trap feral cats, spay or neuter them, vaccinate them against rabies and other diseases, and surgically “notch” the cats’ ears to identify them visually. The cats are then returned to the feral colony on campus. We ask that anyone who observes a cat without a notched ear to notify Campus Custodial Operations at (718) 817-3975.

The TNR program is based on recommendations from the ASPCA and New York City’s Feral Cat Initiative to reduce the numbers of feral cats. An established cat population is territorial and keeps new cats away, and in time, the feral cat population is reduced by spaying or neutering. The treated cats also assist in managing rodent populations.

The vast majority of feral cats cannot be rescued because they are afraid of—and aggressive toward—humans and cannot be socialized enough for adoption without a prohibitive expense of time and effort. In any case, removing the feral cats on campus (whether for adoption or euthanasia), would simply open up a new territory for other feral cats to inhabit, increasing the overall number of feral animals without solving the problem.

Please do not hesitate to contact Campus Custodial Operations at (718) 817-3975 or Public Safety at (718) 817-2222 if you have any questions.

Thank you, in advance, for following precautions to protect yourself and other members of the University community.

Sincerely,

Robert Fitzer, Associate Vice President
Fordham Department of Public Safety