Does TNR of Feral Cats Make a Difference? #AdoptACatMonth

Does TNR of Feral Cats Make a Difference?



Does TNR of Feral Cats Make a Difference



This month is Adopt-a-Cat month but instead of sharing a single cat that needs some help or a litter of kittens. Adopting a Cat is Awesome. Fostering a litter of kittens to they can grow up in a home environment away from the noise and diseases at a shelter is fantastic. But there is a very serious issue when it come to cats and kittens. They arrive at shelters in such large numbers that they do not find their way back out again.
The bigger discussion is how we cut down on those numbers to really make a difference. That discussion focuses on feral cats and how we can cut down on Feline Euthanasia Rates in Shelters through TNR efforts. Every little thing helps but in order to make the biggest impact and truly make an impact TNR seems to be the way to go.



Habersham County Animal Care & Control



What is TNR?
TNR is Trap – Neuter – Release
What happens is that you or an organization you call in sets out humane traps in order to catch all of the street cats and feral cats in your area. They then take the cats to the vet to be spayed or neutered and given their rabies vaccination. Once the cats have healed from their surgery they are released right back to where they came from. Yes right back into your neighborhood to continue their mouse hunting. Right back in your neighborhood to keep new cats outs and most importantly not to produce another litter of unwanted kittens. The cats can now do their “job” without risk of contracting rabies and spreading the disease to your own dogs or cats. Some TNR organizations will even give the cat a dose of flea and tick preventative to help keep fleas and ticks out of your area.



Donate a Trap to Help Local TNR efforts



Does TNR Make a Difference?
Yes, it makes a huge difference. TNR of unwanted cats allows shelters to release these cats into the community to keep rodents at bay. More importantly it keeps the cages empty or at least not overflowing. Feral cats rarely find a place to call their own. All they want is a dry place to sleep and get out of the weather which is why is rural communities these cats often find homes with farmers to keep their field free of rats and mice and their barns clean too. But farmers can’t take them all which means that large numbers of cats are Euthanized each year.

I live in a small rural community. Last year our County Animal Control had to Euthanise 800 unwanted cats and kittens because they had no room for them and no where to take them. This year that number as of 2 weeks ago was 75. The shelter obtained a local grant that allowed them to test out the TNR thing. And it worked. There were no healthy cats put down the entire month. So the shelter director searched for large animals facing organizations that offer grant money for TNR and got back to work.

How does TNR work?
The shelter will receive a call about a colony of cats. They will schedule that colony to be on the next transport to see the vet. The night before their scheduled appointment the shelter will go out and put out traps to catch the cats and kittens and they will pick them up early in the morning before the sun comes up for transport to the vet. They are spayed or neutered and given their rabies vaccination and taken back to the shelter to recover before being put back where they were found. If the people really don’t want them or don’t watn them all back the shelter will find somewhere else that the cats can live that is near people for food and shelter.

What Do You Think. Does TNR of Feral Cats Make a Difference? Join the Discussion

What Do You Think. Does TNR of Feral Cats Make a Difference?



This post is sponsored by BlogPaws. I am being compensated for helping spread the word about Adopt-a-Cat month, but Two Little Cavaliers only shares information we feel is relevant to our readers. BlogPaws is not responsible for the content of this article.






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Comments

  1. You are welcome to your opinion but if it includes that the TNR released ferals are going to run into traffic and get killed please go post elsewhere. We live in a very rural area and none of the cats are being released into a dangerous situation.

    That and the fact that the spayed and Neutered street cats that lived on our block in Miami not a single one of them died a horrible death or got run over or any other horribleness you care to share. New cats did not just show up and cats from other colonies even close-by did not come to eat or try to move in.
    Felissa Elfenbein recently posted..Easy Homemade Dog Treats – Spinach Oat BarsMy Profile

  2. I have to say since I first became aware of TNR I became a fan. In a world where there are so many animals being killed each year although not ideal it is most definitely a step in the right direction!
    Lauranne recently posted..Where’s WallyMy Profile

  3. Yes, the TNR program does work. We have been operating a TNR program in our small town in conjuntion with our local shelter since 2009. The statistics prove the value of such a program.

    In 2009 our city recorded almost 300 calls complaining about cats. In 2013 that number had dropped to just under 70 calls. In 2009 the percentage of animals coming into the shelter who were euthanized was 29% by 2013 that number was down to 9%. We still have room for improvement but the numbers show our program is working. It takes a lot of work, the cooperation of the community and volunteers.

    We spay/neuter, give rabies and distemper vaccinations, a dose of flea/tic medication (Revolution), and a microchip. With feral cats we also tip the ear so they can be identified as coming through our program.

    I also encourage everyone who has some time to contact their shelter about fostering kittens. I have two 6 week olds and three 3 week old babies at the moment. When they are eight weeks old and two pounds weight they will go back to the shelter for spay/neuter and then go up for adoption. It is a very rewarding program plus lots of smiles are guarenteed.
    Cindi Lou & The Kitty Krew recently posted..Flower Friday with Mindy and DaphneMy Profile

  4. This is something that is illegal in most of Australia and therefore TNR is not widespread here at the time.

    It does help from the research I’ve seen but it’s something that our governments are yet to acknowledge.
    Kevin recently posted..Ten Top Tips to Keep Your Pet’s Winter Blues Away (with an Infographic to share)My Profile

  5. TNR absolutely makes a difference! The last thing a shelter needs is more cats/kittens, and TNR is one way to prevent that from happening. Thanks for sharing 🙂
    Chelsea Price recently posted..Quasi, the “Ugly” Cat Who Will Win Your HeartMy Profile

  6. Great story. I actually didn’t know what TNR meant, although I have heard of trap-neuter-release. It’s astounding how many communities are attempting the same, because of the number of feral cats around. We’re fortunate not to have this problem in our community, but that doesn’t mean that it’s not a problem nearby. What worries me is when I see someone giving away kittens in front of a grocery store instead of taking them to the shelter – I worry these will grow to be feral cats when someone realized their not ready for the responsibility of pet ownership.
    Kimberly Gauthier recently posted..Exploring How We Avoided Littermate Syndrome TwiceMy Profile

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