So where did all these cats come from, anyway?

The cats you see wandering the streets of Baltimore fall into one of three different categories:

• Owned pet cats who are allowed to go outside
• Former pet cats who are lost or have been abandoned
• Feral cats

Although it's not a very good idea, many Baltimoreans allow their pet cats to go outside. If you find a cat who acts friendly and seems well-fed, it probably has a home. Cats wearing collars can usually be assumed to be owned, but not always... lots of pet cats get dumped or abandoned still wearing their collars.

Don't make the mistake of assuming that every cat you see on the street has a home, though -- the majority of them don't. Sadly, many pet owners in Baltimore are uneducated about basic pet care, leading pets to be abandoned or "put out" for issues that could be easily resolved -- spraying, scratching, fleas, female cats going into heat, etc. Cats are often left behind when a family moves, or the owner simply grows tired of the cat when it's no longer a cute kitten and puts it out on the street.

The result is that many of the cats on the streets of Baltimore are perfectly nice, sweet pets who previously had homes... and would VERY much like to have one again!

Some of the cats you see on the streets are feral, meaning they are unsocialized and are not pets, but these cats need help too. They need reliable sources of food and water, shelter, and most importantly, they need to be TNRed (spayed or neutered) so they don't breed and produce more feral cats.

Click here for information on how to tell a feral cat from a stray

Click here for information on what to do if you've found a tame stray

Click here for information on what to do if you've found a feral