Local agencies and groups that provide assistance with Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) or offer spay/neuter of free-roaming community cats* are listed below. 

Always ask if there is grant money to cover the cost of community cat spay/neuter.  

 

 

This list is current as of 12/2020 and is for informational purposes only

TNR QUICK TIP SHEET

Thank you for spaying & neutering the cats you are caring for.  There are many online resources to help you safely and efficiently Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) your colony.  It is ESSENTIAL to educate yourself BEFORE undertaking a trapping project.   These sites are recommended for their expert content for TNR and colony caretaking:

www.neighborhoodcats.org/resources/books-videos-more (download the TNR HANDBOOK for free & use it!!)

www.alleycatallies/resources   (lots of great info including differentiating a feral cat vs a stray cat)

We strongly encourage you to watch the Neighborhood Cats mass trapping video.  Even if you are only trapping a few cats, this video is excellent for showing best practices.  Here are some BASIC TRAP-NEUTER-RETURN (TNR) tips:

  1. Feed at the same time(s) every day & count your cats. (Note any lactating moms, kittens, injured cats, etc… because these situations require special planning—read the Neighborhood Cats TNR Handbook for specifics)
  2. Talk to your neighbors. If they are also feeding, discuss the TNR plan. Tell them to keep pets inside on trapping days.
  3. Make your appointments for spay/neuter. Do not trap without scheduled appt.  Be sure the agency handles ferals. 
  4. Get your traps and make sure they all work. Get a trap divider (metal fork).  Gather all the equipment you will need including bait, trap covers, newspaper, tarps, gloves, canned Friskies pate, paper bowls, etc…
  5. Prepare your holding space with a tarp on the floor. Must be warm, dry, quiet, and safe for the trapped cats.
  6. Plan on trapping the day before surgery. If more than 8 cats, inconsistent cats, or bad weather, plan on 2+ days.  Don’t trap the morning of surgery.  Cats will be too stressed for safe surgery.
  7. Withhold food the day before trapping. Tell any other feeders to do the same.  Always leave water.
  8. Set baited traps (tuna in oil often works well) near where you feed along the routes the cats travel. Set traps next to structures, shrubs, fences and not out in the open.  Make sure back door is locked.  Observe/listen from a distance. When a cat is trapped, cover it completely until calm, then carry out of the area.  Set another trap in this “hot spot”. Never leave traps unattended.  If you trap an ear-tipped cat, release it.  Otherwise don’t release cats.  Extra cats can often be accommodated on surgery day.  If you trap 2 cats in one trap, call an experienced trapper to separate.
  9. Keep your trapped cats in the holding space, covered. Remove food at 11pm the night before surgery; water ok.  Label the trap with description of cat, colony location, and feeder name/number.  Never let a cat out of the trap. 
  10. At the clinic, your cats will get spayed or neutered, vaccinated for rabies (ask for distemper too), and eartipped.
  11. Make sure your cats are awake when you pick them up after surgery. They recover in the holding space in their trap.  Using the trap divider, provide food, water, and clean newspaper at least twice daily. Males are ready for return 24-48 hrs post-op; females 48-72 hrs post-op.  Females who were pregnant- longer.  Cats must be alert and eating prior to return.  Lethargy, bleeding, panting, difficulty breathing, other worrisome signs….do not release / call your vet.     
  12. When alert & ready to go, release the cats at the exact same location where you trapped them. Continue to provide food and water daily.  Don’t leave food out in the dark.  Watch for new cats and fix promptly.
  13. Safety first! If you get scratched or bitten – wash the site with soap and water and go immediately to the ER.

CONTACT local shelters & rescues regarding adoption for kittens and friendly cats.  
CALL Community Cat Action League (CCAL) for questions regarding TNR, colony management, trap loans.  302.241.0181