Mesa Animal Control is committed to providing education on feral cats and information about Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) to encourage an effective strategy for humane population control.

City and State Laws
Within the City of Mesa, there are no regulations or leash laws that apply to cats. They are free-roaming animals.  It is not legal to harm a cat,  or abandon or dump a cat in someone else’s neighborhood, public property, or the desert. It is a violation of state statue, ARS 13-2910A, Animal Cruelty; to intentionally harm any animal; this can be a criminal Class 1 Misdemeanor or a Class 6 Felony charge.

Feral Cat Facts

• A feral cat is a cat that has minimal to no contact with humans
• The population of feral cats in a neighborhood can grow quickly if they are not spayed or neutered
• An unaltered (not spayed) female cat can have an average of 3 litters per year, up to 12 kittens in each litter and expand exponentially from there
• Removing feral cats from a community creates a vacuum effect causing other feral cats to take over the voided territory to expand their area
• Having unmanaged feral cats may result in noise disturbances, offensive odors, property damage, waste left from cat feeders, and exponential growth
• Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) is a proven solution to managing feral cats and reducing related nuisances

Solutions to Neighborhood Disputes

Whether you love or dislike feral cats, Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) is an effective solution to reducing their population. This approach also aides in decreasing most cat-related nuisances, poses no threat to public health and safety, and keeps rodent control in place. Nonetheless, disputes between neighbors arise from feral cats living among them. Many of these disagreements can be resolved if both sides are willing to work together. As with most disagreements, it is important to view both sides of the matter.

Cat Caregiver Perspective
Most of the time, people that have taken on the responsibility of feeding and caring for feral cats did not create the cat problem. Their compassion towards animals prompted him/her to take action. It is extremely important for cat caregivers to understand how they can be most effective in dealing with feral cats. Responsible caregiving can help to alleviate many nuisance behaviors and support neighborhoods in peaceful solutions to feral cat challenges. See Best Practices For Feral Cat Caregivers [PDF] for ways to encourage responsible cat caregiving.

Neighborhood Perspective
Feral cats create a legitimate nuisance: destroying gardens, scratching furniture, leaving offensive odors, and yowling at various hours. Upset residents value their peaceful living space and are frustrated by the impact the feral cats have on their property and belongings. Typically, residents experiencing challenges with feral cats just want the cats to be gone and do not want to have to deal with TNR or cat deterrents. They may also be frustrated with those that are caring for the feral cats and not understand the value of TNR and other responsible cat caregiving practices. Our Cat Deterrent Tips [PDF] support Mesa residents in deterring cats from their property. These tips mixed with TNR efforts can be helpful in significantly reducing or eliminating nuisances.

Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) is a humane and effective method to help control the feral cat population and reduce nuisance behaviors including fighting, spraying, destructive behavior, and predation. Cats are humanely trapped, spayed/neutered, ear-clipped, and returned to their environment. The Animal Defense League of Arizona (ADLA) has a Spay and Neuter Hotline that connects people with TNR services.  For more information, contact the Spay Neuter Hotline at (602) 265-7729 or visit the ADLA website.