MCALLEN - We see them everywhere:  on the streets, near garbage cans, and even hanging out near homes.  Here in the Rio Grande Valley, the feral cat population is largely increasing.

Many feral cats create homes in front of houses because people feed them, but these wild cats can be dangerous, especially if kids get too close. 

The Palm Valley Animal Center reminds the public to be aware that many of these wild cats carry alot of viruses and infections, since they live on the streets.  Directors from the Palm Valley Animal Center also emphasize that the cats are beings who need need love and attention, but the problem is: the more people feed them -- the more they come back -- creating an even larger population.

Many animal centers throughout the valley provide feral cat traps for small fees. In turn this could decrease the problem, because then they could be trapped, spayed, and neutered.