An estimated 600 million stray cats worldwide face disease, predation, malnutrition, and human persecution, while also impacting wildlife — requiring humane, evidence-based management.
Stray cats experience chronic suffering from infectious disease, trauma, starvation, and cold. Yet lethal control programs often cause further suffering through inhumane methods and fail to achieve lasting population reduction. Welfare science supports TNR programs combined with adoption as more humane and often more effective, while acknowledging ongoing debate about wildlife impacts.