What is TNR?
What is it?
TNR = Trap, Neuter, Return.
TNR is the only humane alternative to euthanasia available for feral cats.
How do you do it?
Cats living outdoors are located by caring citizens. Their movements are tracked for a few days to see what their habits are, and then a trapper makes an appointment for a spay/neuter at a local shelter. The trap is placed the night before the appointment and, using some tasty grub, the cat gets trapped humanely and covered up and left in a safe, quiet place until their surgery time. During the surgery, the cat gets the snip, tip, & chip: spayed/neutered, vaccinated, eartipped, microchipped, and checked for any illness. If the cat is friendly, we can find them a home. If they’re definitely feral (don’t like people), we put them back where they came from.
Why do you put them back?
Because that’s their home! Cats in the wild can help people control rats, which are a major issue in a lot of cities. And if we didn’t put them back, other, non-sterilized cats would just show up in that place because it’s got resources. That’s why they were living there in the first place!
What’s the ear tip for?
The tip identifies a cat who has already been TNR’d so we don’t trap them again. It helps us keep track of colonies to know who needs the snip and tip and who’s already been done.
Do the microchips track people?
NO! The chips are to track and identify the cats. If they wander away from their home colony, we know how to find their home.
Do you put diseases in the cats to hurt the community?
NO! That’s crazy talk. In fact, we do the opposite: we vaccinate the cats for rabies to make sure there are no threats to people or other animals.
Who feeds the cats?
That depends. A lot of times, someone is already feeding the cats that live there. When the cats are put back, we encourage them to keep feeding them and watching out for new cats who need TNR that wander into the colony. If no one is there and the situation is over-crowded or dangerous, we can sometimes relocate the cats to places and homes that want cats.
Where do I get a trap?
Call your local shelter. They usually rent them out for low cost or free.
Can you help me trap?
Hit me up and see where I’m at. I might be able to help.
