Street cats and feral cat colonies: how to help without getting it wrong

Cats that live on the street are protected by law. What a managed colony is, what the council does and how you can lend a hand.

Community cats

Ley 7/2023 (the Animal Welfare Act) calls community cats those that live free, without an owner, in a particular area. If they are in a managed colony they are fed, counted, given health checks and neutered using the CER method: capture, sterilisation and return to their spot.

Who is in charge

Ley 7/2023 gives councils the job of managing community cats, unless the law of their community says otherwise (art. 39). They usually do it with shelters and accredited volunteers. Neutered cats in a colony are marked on the ear so they can be recognised: the law expressly allows this (art. 27.b).

If you want to help

Ask your council or a shelter whether there is a registered colony in your area and whether they are looking for volunteers.
Do not feed them on your own without asking: in many municipalities only authorised people can do it, to keep the area clean and the colony under control.
If a new cat appears, especially if it looks lost or has a collar, let them know: it may have a family.
If you see an injured or sick cat, tell the council service or the shelter.