• A decrease in feral cat overpopulation over time through increased colony stability and reduced birth rate.
  
• A decrease in the cats’ hormone-driven ‘nuisance’ behaviors such as yowling, fighting, spraying and roaming. Even the odor of cat urine improves after spaying or neutering—by about 50%.
  
• A decrease in the overall number of cats euthanized at animal shelters.
  
• Improved health for colony cats. While feral cats in unmanaged, unsterilized colonies have an average life span of two years, cats in TNRed colonies may live up to 10 years of age. One major factor in the lower average life span for non-TNR colony cats is the high infant mortality rate—less births means less competition for food and less kittens dying shortly after birth.
  
• Improved protection for colony cats. Our TNR program requires that colony caretakers register their colonies. This record-keeping will make it possible to track, and hopefully deter, acts of cruelty aimed at feral cats. In addition, the tipping of the left ear is an internationally recognized sign that a cat is a member of a managed colony. Should such a cat be injured or end up in an animal shelter, it would be easier to return the cat to his/her colony caretaker.
  
• Improved relations between colony caretaker and neighbors as ‘nuisance’ behaviors are reduced.
  
• Improved relations between feral cats and the human community. As we take responsibility for the human-originated feral cat overpopulation problem — as we directly and indirectly participate in community guardianship of feral cats — we will contribute to better human-animal relations in general and more compassionate and humane treatment of felines in particular.

Calling or stopping in to register colonies is the first step each colony caretaker will take toward beginning the TNR process. Colony registration will make it possible for us to maintain statistics on neighborhoods and areas with feral cat overpopulation problems; to track the progress of our TNR program reducing colony overpopulation over time; and to keep track of any cruelty cases involving feral cats.

General over-the-phone information as well as pamphlets and brochures about TNR will be available to the public.

Colony caretakers will be able to rent traps from us for TNR purposes at no charge. Only a fully refundable deposit will be required.

Registered colony caretakers who qualify can take advantage of our low-cost feral cat ‘package’, including surgery, vaccinations, ear-tipping, and treatment for any infections or parasites. Special intake procedures will make the clinic experience less stressful for feral cats.

In addition to funding for those who qualify through Crafty Cats, we will seek funding to provide free feral spay/neuter days and other forms of aid.

As much as foster home availability permits, kittens under 10 weeks of age will be placed into volunteers’ homes for temporary care and socialization. Those kittens who are healthy and well-socialized after their foster term, will be placed into HSSA’s Cat Adoptions for potential adoption.

A stray is a domestic cat that has been lost or abandoned. Strays are usually socialized. A feral cat, in contrast, is a cat that has reverted to a wild state.

Ferals are not socialized, and they often live in family groups, called ‘colonies’, near a reliable food source and shelter. Research indicates that most cats that start off as strays will eventually become fully feral after three years of living outdoors with minimal human contact.

While socialized strays may often be placed in adoption, ferals do best in managed colony settings. <Back

HSSA is a progressive animal welfare organization. As much as funding and community support permit, we do our best to keep up with the most current, humane practices in animal welfare.

Changes in policy and protocol usually reflect changes in beliefs about the most humane way of doing something. In the case of feral cat colony management, TNR has been around long enough now that statistics and research findings have been compiled across the country—and even internationally.

These statistics and findings indicate that TNR is the most humane solution to feral cat overpopulation.<Back

HSSA is only accepting cats for TNR from registered colony caretakers. To participate in our TNR program, colony caregivers must agree to continue to provide food, water and shelter for their colony cats.

When we return cats post-surgery, then, we are returning them to the person who has already been caring for them. The cats have already established bonds with each other, their caregiver and their territory. <Back

All cats will receive a rabies vaccine and a basic exam. Additional treatment for parasites or minor injuries will also be provided. If a cat is very ill, the colony caretaker will be contacted about additional needs. The tip of each cat’s left ear will be cut as a sign that this cat has been TNR-ed.<Back

Cats will be treated for parasites if these are apparent. However, the cats will be returning to an outdoor environment where they will be interacting with other animals, re-exposing them to parasites, etc.

Leukemia and FIV rates in the general cat population are believed to be only 1-2%. Testing for parasites and diseases such as leukemia, then, is costly and, for the most part, unwarranted.<Back

Since we are only setting traps on the property of colony caretakers who have requested our services, volunteers are unlikely to encounter direct hostile reactions to the trapping.

It is up to the colony caretaker to inform his or her neighbors about TNR. We have created a door-hanger for colony caregivers to distribute prior to our trapping date.

The greater challenge regarding TNR will be that of educating the public in general about the benefits of TNR.<Back

As long as foster homes are available and the kittens are healthy enough, those who are too young for surgery but young enough to be socialized will be placed into volunteers’ homes for temporary foster care. If their rehabilitation goes well, they will be placed into adoption as would any other healthy, socialized kittens.<Back

Initially, HSSA will be facilitating TNR for colony caretakers who are willing to pay for the low-cost services or who qualify for various assistance programs we already have in place. Our Marketing and Development Department is working on other forms of surgery sponsorship and funding. <Back

It is recommended that male cats not be released for at least 12-24 hours post surgery and females 24-36 hours post-surgery. Pregnant cats may need an extra day. The cats will be left in their traps for recovery.

In most instances, we will expect the colony caretaker to make sure the cats remain in their traps at least overnight after surgery. In some cases, we may need a volunteer to foster the cat (in its trap) over night.<Back

The international sign used to indicate that a cat is a spayed/neutered member of a feral cat colony, is ‘eartipping.’ Eartipping is a painless procedure that involves removing ¼ inch of a cat’s left ear while the cat is under anesthesia.

The tipped ear allows the cat to be identified from a distance—something you want to be able to do since it’s hard to get close to feral cats.

Other forms of identification such as microchipping require directly handling the cat and collars and tags could easily get lost or potentially strangle the cat. If you trap a cat with a tipped left ear, you should release the cat.<Back