A Little TNR: An Answer to the Growing Stray Cat Problem

Finding kitty poo in the garden? Screaming cat fights keeping you up at night? Feel like rounding them all up and dumping them at the local pound? There could be a better solution.

Feral cat colonies are made up of cats abandoned or lost by their owners and the offspring of unaltered pets. Organizations like KittiCo and Alley Cat Rescue (ACR) help to control the populations of feral cat colonies by using a method called TNR.

T - Trap

In this step, feral or stray cats are humanely trapped using food as bait.

N - Neuter

Now, the trapped cat is taken to a veterinarian and spayed or neutered as well as vaccinated. The left ear of the altered kitty is then clipped to indicate that it has been sterilized. This is done while the cat is under anesthesia, so the process is painless.

R - Return

Finally, the cat is released back to its original environment.

Why not euthanasia?

Euthanasia is not the answer to the growing feral cat problem. Once a cat colony is reduced by systematic euthanasia, neighboring colonies continue to grow and move into the newly opened territory. In seven years, one healthy female and her subsequent litters can produce up to 420,000 cats.

Every minute, 400 cats and dogs across the United States are euthanized. Sad, yes, but also expensive; kill shelters require millions of taxpayers' dollars a year to operate, while programs like KittiCo and ACR are funded by donations and staffed by volunteers.

Although euthanasia can be the only option in certain cases (sick or dying animals), TNR is a humane method that not only controls the stray cat population, but benefits the community as well.

Benefits of TNR

Sharing your community with a colony of sterilized feral cats can help control pest problems such as snakes and rodents. In addition to keeping pests away, the colony will also keep other cats from moving into the area.

Sterilized cats are less likely to spray, fight, and yowl, eliminating the three biggest complaints concerning stray cats.

Other benefits extend to the cat caretakers. Cat colonies, sterilized or otherwise, are often sustained by human intervention. These caretakers are often elderly - a population susceptible to depression, neglect, and loneliness. Countless studies have shown that taking care of animals have health benefits such as lowering blood pressure and relieving stress.

Ways you can help

Spay or neuter your cat. If your cat has been outside for any length of time, expect that he or she has found the time to mate. Prevent the birth of homeless or unwanted kittens by having your pet fixed.

Adopt a homeless animal. Be responsible for the pets you adopt by vaccinating and neutering them.

Support a local organization that uses TNR. Organizations across the country are using this method to stabilize and care for feral cat populations; however, they require support through private donations and volunteers.

Spread the word. Many people may be willing to help but have never heard of this method. Get in contact with an organization that uses TNR and help raise awareness.