TNR Handbook - Neighborhood Cats

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The Neighborhood Cats TNR Handbook change, but we are a long way from that time. Resources are better spent neutering the feral population rather than going through the long and uncertain process of socializing and placing feral cats. For the cat’s sake, too, allowing a feral to live out his life in the wild may be a more compassionate choice than having him spend years in a cage or hiding under a bed. Relocation to a safer site or a sanctuary is a solution people often jump to when they first come upon a feral colony in distress. But there are few reputable sanctuaries and little room in them. If you’re going to relocate to a new site, you have to find a suitable place yourself and a reliable caretaker willing to make a life-long commitment to the cats. If you succeed in finding a good situation, the relocation process is difficult, too, requiring two to three weeks of confinement in the new territory to teach the cats that their food source has changed. If everything is done properly and by the book, a substantial percentage of the cats will probably still disappear if the new territory is not fenced in. Rescue and relocation also suffer from many of the same defects as trap and kill when it comes to population control. Removing ferals from their territory without permanently altering the habitat by removing the food source means some combination of the vacuum effect, overbreeding and repopulation by abandoned cats will likely return the colony to its former size. Do nothing If nothing is done, then the size of a feral cat colony will reach a natural ceiling, that being how many cats the available food and shelter can support. When the carrying capacity of the habitat is exceeded, population control comes in the form of disease and starvation. All the problems associated with unmanaged feral colonies remain, including noise, odor, complaints, dying kittens and costs to animal control when attempting to address the situation. In sum, trying to simply remove feral cats from their territory – whether to euthanize, rescue, relocate to another site or place in a sanctuary – does not end up lowering the number of feral cats. In nature’s ongoing cycle, new cats replace the old ones and nothing much changes in terms of overpopulation and nuisance behavior. Leaving the cats where they are and neutering them through TNR is the only hope for improvement. 7
The Neighborhood Cats TNR Handbook 3. The TNR Process – An Overview Properly implemented, TNR is not only about trapping the cats and getting them neutered. It’s also about creating a safe, healthy environment for them to live in. So practicing TNR also includes setting up feeding stations and good winter shelter, and building good relations with the community. Every situation will present its own unique challenges that require creative solutions. The process described here is best understood as a general framework to be adapted as needed. Each step will be covered in more detail in following chapters of this handbook. Note that “trapping” comes towards the end of the process, not the beginning. The best way to stay out of trouble and avoid ending up with a household full of feral cats is to think things out first and have as much set up and arranged as possible beforehand, then trap. Not every problem can be anticipated and prepared for ahead of time, but most can. Step one: Build good community relations Most feral cat colonies are found within a community, not off by themselves in the woods. Whether it’s a backyard, a parking lot, a factory, a barn or an alley behind an apartment building, the cats have human neighbors. The effectiveness of your TNR project and the long-term security of the cats will depend in large part on the cooperation and understanding of the people who live and work in the area. They need to be educated about your work and have their own concerns heard and taken into account. Step two: Set up feeding stations and shelter, and establish a feeding pattern Regular feeding will improve the cats’ health and will also better prepare them for the stress of trapping and surgery. Health problems can often be resolved through improved nutrition alone, including ringworm, parasites and upper respiratory infections. Warm, dry shelter, especially in wintertime, is also a key to good health and a must if spayed females with shaved stomachs are to be released in cold weather. In addition, the location of feeding stations and shelters can help reduce tensions with neighbors. At least two weeks before the trapping, the cats should be fed at the same time and place on as consistent a basis as possible. Establishing a feeding pattern will let you get to know the colony. How many cats are there, what condition are they in, are any adoptable? Knowing all this ahead of time allows you to arrange for special vet care, line up foster homes and find out what your options are. A consistent feeding pattern will also make the trapping much easier because you will have trained the cats where and when to show up. You won’t have to go searching throughout the territory for them – they’ll come to you instead. Step three: Secure a holding space During the trapping period and after the spay/neuter surgery, the cats will need to be kept confined. At all times, except for the surgery, the cats should remain in their traps as a matter of safety and to prevent escapes. If you use the techniques described in this 8
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• Directions for use by Laura Bur
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TNR Handbook - Neighborhood Cats

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