CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA (CVILLE RIGHT NOW) – When people hear the phrase “cat colony,” they often imagine something informal or self-sustaining – cats living independently, largely taking care of themselves. In reality, there is a critical difference between managed and unmanaged colonies, and that difference directly impacts the health, safety, and survival of the cats involved.

At Caring For Creatures (CFC), we’ve spent the last four years working closely with a nearby unmanaged community cat colony, and what we’ve learned has reshaped how we think about community cats – and how urgent proper management truly is.

What Are Community Cats?

Community cats are unowned or loosely owned cats who live outdoors. They come from many different circumstances:

  • Some are born outside
  • Some once had homes and wandered off or became lost
  • Some were abandoned when families moved or faced housing challenges
  • Some were left behind because they didn’t get along with other pets

What they share is vulnerability. Despite common myths, cats living outdoors do not reliably thrive without human support.

Unmanaged vs. Managed Colonies: A Clear Distinction

An unmanaged colony is one where:

  • No one provides consistent food
  • Cats are not spayed or neutered
  • Vaccines, including rabies, are not administered
  • Medical care is unavailable
  • There is no appropriate shelter
  • No long-term plan exists to stabilize or reduce the population

This was the situation we encountered not far from our sanctuary.

The property owners involved cared deeply about the cats – but caring alone isn’t enough. They simply didn’t have the financial resources, medical access, or infrastructure needed to manage a growing population. Over time, the number of cats increased rapidly, health declined, and conditions became unsafe for both the cats and the people trying to help them.

Why We Stepped In

When we first became involved, the colony was struggling:

  • Cats were reproducing unchecked
  • No rabies vaccinations were in place
  • There was no routine medical care
  • Shelter was inadequate, especially during winter months
  • Food was inconsistent

The situation wasn’t sustainable – and without intervention, it would only worsen.

What Management Looks Like in Practice

Over the last four years, CFC has:

  • Worked with 185 cats from this colony
  • 80 cats were successfully adopted into permanent homes
  • Provided complete medical care, including spay/neuter, vaccinations, and deworming
  • Built two large, roofed feeding stations
  • Installed 15 insulated dog houses, filled with clean straw that is replaced multiple times each winter
  • Transported all shelters back to the sanctuary twice a year for thorough cleaning and disinfection
  • Supplied 150 pounds of dry food every week

Today, 50 – 60 cats remain at the colony, now stabilized and monitored.
67 cats from this colony currently live at the sanctuary, while others have been transferred to partner organizations, adopted, or have passed away.

We also built a small residence at the sanctuary – Magnolia Cove – to house colony cats and work patiently on socialization.

The Myth of the “Feral” Cat

One of the most surprising – and hopeful – lessons we’ve learned from working with this unmanaged colony is that approximately 90% of the cats are not truly feral. Equally encouraging, none of the 185 cats we have tested have been positive for feline leukemia or FIV.

Many of these cats are simply frightened and have lacked positive human interaction. With time, patience, and consistency, they often learn to trust, engage, and even seek affection. Cats labeled as “feral” are frequently not wild at all, but fearful survivors – many of whom once had homes – who learned to protect themselves in order to survive. When placed in a caring environment where their needs are met, they are often able to rebuild trust and truly thrive.

 

A Word of Caution for Well-Intentioned Helpers

Good intentions alone can unintentionally cause harm.

Cats reproduce quickly. Without immediate spay and neuter efforts, a small group can grow into an unmanageable population in a short time. Once numbers increase, care becomes exponentially harder – emotionally, logistically, and financially.

If you’re feeding outdoor cats:

  • Act quickly
  • Seek spay/neuter assistance right away
  • Connect with rescue groups and low-cost clinics
  • Ask for help – resources do exist

Community cats are not disposable animals, and the idea that cats can simply “take care of themselves” is a myth. Without management, they face disease, injury, starvation, and shortened lives.

Why This Matters

Community cats exist everywhere – in neighborhoods, rural properties, and commercial areas. Ignoring them doesn’t make the problem go away. Thoughtful, humane management does.

The purpose of this article is not to place blame, but to shine a light on these often-invisible communities and show what is possible when compassion is paired with structure, resources, and action.

With care, commitment, and collaboration, community cats can live healthier, safer lives – and entire populations can be stabilized rather than left to suffer.

Local Spay & Neuter Resources

If you’re caring for outdoor or owned cats and want to help prevent unwanted litters, there are several local and regional resources that provide low-cost or affordable spay/neuter services, Trap-Neuter-Vaccinate-Return (TNVR) support, and related assistance:

Charlottesville & Central Virginia

  • Cat Action Team (C.A.T.)- catactionteam.org , (434)738-2228 or (email) info@catactionteam.org
  • Spay/Neuter (Stuarts Draft)- (540)480-7582 or spayneuterinc@yahoo.com
  • The Jessica Beath Clinic (Ashland)- (804)752-7729
  • Prevent A Litter (Richmond)- (804)359-6369 or preventalitter.org
  • Susan Markel Clinic at the Richmond SPCA- (804)521-1330
  • Jones Vet Care (Richmond)- (804)402-4883 or jonesvetcare.com
  • Fredericksburg SPCA- (540)898-1500 or fredspca.org
  • ACAP (Animal Care Assistance Program) – Provides funding support for low-income pet owners in central Virginia, helping cover routine vet costs including vaccines and basic care (information available through Animal Care Assistance Program resources)
  • The United Spay Alliance database offers an interactive map you can use to find low-cost spay/neuter clinics, voucher programs, and TNR-friendly veterinarians across Virginia by ZIP code or city.