TNR Handbook - Neighborhood Cats

Recommendations

Info

2. What is Trap-Neuter-Return? The Neighborhood Cats TNR Handbook Trap-Neuter-Return, commonly known as TNR, is a method for humanely and effectively managing feral cat colonies and reducing feral cat populations. The process involves trapping the cats in a colony, getting them neutered, eartipped for identification and vaccinated for rabies, then releasing them back into their territory. Whenever possible, friendly adults and kittens young enough to be easily socialized are removed and placed for adoption. A designated caretaker provides regular food and shelter to the returned cats and also monitors the colony for newcomers and mediates any conflicts between the cats and the surrounding community. TNR offers a number of benefits on both the colony and community levels. As a TNR activist, it’s wise to be knowledgeable about these advantages and be able to articulate them whenever necessary. TNR is still a relatively new concept and many people don’t understand why it’s a good idea to put the cats back where you found them. So let them know! • The advantages of TNR – colony level For a particular colony, getting the cats neutered has the following advantages for the local neighborhood: 1. No more kittens and a gradually falling population. If all the cats are fixed, or at least all the females, no more litters will be born. If newcomers to the colony are quickly trapped and altered or adopted out, the size of the colony will tend to decline over time. 2. Noise is dramatically reduced. Most of the noise from an unmanaged feral colony comes from mating and fighting – behaviors which are greatly reduced by neutering. 3. Odor becomes much less noticeable. Unaltered males mark their territory by spraying urine tinged with testosterone, causing a particularly noxious odor. Neutering eliminates the testosterone and its foul odor. In addition, most altered male cats will mark less frequently or stop all together. 4. Rodent control is maintained. Cats provide a natural form of rodent control, primarily as a consequence of their scent. Returning the cats allows this to continue. 3
The Neighborhood Cats TNR Handbook 5. A healthier and less visible colony. Neutering, regular food and adequate shelter greatly improve the colony’s health. One benefit of this is far fewer parasites, including fleas. In addition, neutered cats tend to roam much less and thereby become less visible. 6. Removal of the pity/sadness factor. Concerned neighborhood residents no longer have to observe such plights as hungry cats or dying kittens. 7. The presence of a caretaker. With TNR, someone is there to take responsibility for the colony, watch over them and work out any problems with neighbors. 8. Prevents a new, unaltered colony from forming. Removing most or all of a colony leaves the territory vulnerable to re-colonization by new, unaltered cats and the resumption of the same problems as before. Neutering the colony and then leaving them in place breaks this cycle. • The advantages of TNR - community level The advantages of TNR when the method is practiced on a community-wide scale extend well beyond each individual colony: a) Feral and stray cat population reduction for the community as a whole. Current theory holds that when 70% of the homeless cats in a given geographical area are neutered, births equal attrition and the population stabilizes. Above 70%, the population starts to decline with the rate of decrease growing increasingly faster as 100% altered is approached. b) Lower euthanasia rates. Fewer feral cats in the community as a result of TNR lower euthanasia rates at local shelters in two ways. First, fewer unadoptable feral cats are brought in and immediately put down. Second, fewer feral kittens are brought in and adopted out, freeing up shelter space and homes for cats who otherwise would have been euthanized for lack of these resources. c) Fewer complaints to animal control. A declining feral cat population achieved through TNR means less nuisance behavior in the community at large (yowling, fighting, unaltered males spraying, marks on cars, feces) and so fewer complaints. d) Mobilization of volunteer work force. Because TNR is life affirming, it attracts large numbers of volunteers unlike efforts to trap and kill feral cats. With estimates on the number of feral cats in the U.S. in the tens of millions, the ability to mobilize an army of volunteers is essential in order to put an end to feral cat overpopulation. 4
Page 1 and 2: The Neighborhood Cats TNR Handbook
Page 3 and 4: Contents The Neighborhood Cats TNR
Page 7 and 8: Foreword The Neighborhood Cats TNR
Page 9: The Neighborhood Cats TNR Handbook
Page 35 and 36: 6. Winter Shelter The Neighborhood
Page 45 and 46: 8. Trapping The Neighborhood Cats T
Page 47 and 48: This is easily gotten around by tap
Page 61 and 62:
The Neighborhood Cats TNR Handbook
Page 63 and 64:
• Hard-to-catch cats The Neighbor
Page 65 and 66:
Page 67 and 68:
Page 69 and 70:
• Directions for use by Laura Bur
Page 71 and 72:
Page 73 and 74:
10. Caring for Cats in Traps The Ne
Page 75 and 76:
Page 77 and 78:
Page 79 and 80:
Page 81 and 82:
Page 83 and 84:
Page 85 and 86:
Page 87 and 88:
Page 89 and 90:
Page 91 and 92:
13. Return to the Colony The Neighb
Page 93 and 94:
14. Relocation & Sanctuaries • Re
Page 95 and 96:
Page 97 and 98:
Page 99 and 100:
Page 101 and 102:
Page 103 and 104:
Page 105 and 106:
Page 107 and 108:
16. Feral Cat Resources Neighborhoo
Page 109 and 110:
Page 111 and 112:
Page 113 and 114:
Page 115:
show all

TNR Handbook - Neighborhood Cats

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?