SPRINGFIELD, Mo.– There’s a good chance you’ve seen a cat roaming the streets of Springfield.

Many wonder how the problem can be solved, and a local veterinarian said it depends on how you treat that stray cat hanging around outside your house.

• If the cat is friendly, feed it and make an appointment with the SAAF spay and neuter clinic.

• If there’s a group of angry cats outside, call a cat rescue to trap it.

Rescue One and the SAAF spay and neuter clinic work together in this type of situation.

Veterinarian Colby Hodges says there’s a lot of cooperation involved.

Colby Hodges, Rescue One Vet Clinic, said, “Rescue One’s clinic vets Rescue One’s animals and then we do some TNR. Whatever we can’t get into SAAF. SAAF does all public animals and then the feral cats that the public brings in. But we do take some of our ferals to SAAF as well.”

Emily Pyle explains how the program works.

Emily Pyle, SAAF Spay Neuter Clinic, said, “One specific person that I can think of that she goes out and she has a list of different cat callings that she goes out and traps, brings them here. In fact, these three directly behind me, or two behind me, are some of the Rescue One outreach program’s TNR cats. They come from a cat colony.”

SAAF and Rescue One say money is never an issue in this situation. SAAF offers financial assistance programs, and Rescue One’s outreach program pays for spaying and neutering.