There's a growing conversation in Great Falls centered around feral cats, with many residents expressing frustration over cats roaming through yards, digging in gardens, and causing problems on private property.
Pet Paw-See president Leslie Raynes says the first step is determining whether the cat is truly feral or simply someone's pet. “If they're tame, go talk to your neighbors. Let them know that you're not happy with their cat being allowed to free roam,” Raynes says.
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Raynes says they are trying to move away from the term feral cat and instead use community cat, referring to cats that have had little to no human interaction. While some may be fed or given water by people, they are generally not socialized and will run when approached. “There are feral cat colonies in Great Falls. They've always been here,” Raynes explains.
Years ago, many of these cats were trapped and euthanized, but Raynes says a more common and humane approach today is trap-neuter-return, or TNR. She says truly feral cats often cannot be rehomed because they behave more like wild animals than house pets. “You can't rehome a feral cat. It's a bunny. It's a squirrel. It's an animal that lives in the wild,” Raynes says.
Through the TNR process, volunteers with Pet Paw-See go door to door explaining the program, humanely trap the cats, take them to veterinarians for vaccinations and surgery, then return them to the area where they were found. “It stops the fighting. It stops the reproducing. It's calmer for the community,” Raynes says.
She says the organization has received many recent calls from people wanting to address the issue, both within Great Falls and in rural parts of Cascade County. “People want to fix the feral cats on their property rather than the alternative of letting them have babies. The babies get sick. It's horrible for people to see,” Raynes says.
For those frustrated by roaming cats, Raynes says it is important to have a plan before trapping one, including arranging a vet appointment. The City of Great Falls Animal Shelter does not accept stray cats, and veterinary clinics are already stretched thin. “We can either be proactive or reactive. We want to be proactive. Let's give these animals the opportunity to live where they need to live,” Raynes says.
There are also ways residents can discourage cats from lingering on their property without harming them. Raynes suggests using orange rinds in gardens or installing timed water sprinklers. She also encourages people to contact rescue organizations and check whether a cat has a microchip before assuming it is feral.
Pet Paw-See says it has worked on two large cat colonies in Great Falls this year, each with roughly 60 cats. “You'll see us out and about. We have permission from the property owners. They feed and water the cats. They like the cats. They just don't want to see them have babies and see them outside struggling,” Raynes explains. Volunteers often trap cats late into the night while coordinating with veterinarians and covering medical costs.
She adds that spaying female cats can significantly improve their quality of life. “Kitties are 63 days gestation, then they can go back into heat six to eight weeks after giving birth. They can reproduce at four months of age,” Raynes says.
Residents can also help by reporting community cat colonies in their neighborhoods to Pet Paw-See. Raynes says pet owners have a responsibility as well, noting that a city ordinance in Great Falls does not allow cats to free roam. “We don't do it with our dogs. We don't open the door and say, go play and come back when you're done,” Raynes says.
Microchipping cats and having them spayed or neutered are additional ways pet owners can be part of the solution. Pet Paw-See regularly offers low-cost clinics. “As a community in Great Falls, we've got this. We can do it,” Raynes says.
Raynes says the issue is not unique to Great Falls and she is happy to speak with smaller communities that also want to address the problem while helping the cats. Those wishing to support Pet Paw-See can donate online or by mail. The organization operates through donations, grants, and community generosity.
