TNR Handbook - Neighborhood Cats

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The Neighborhood Cats TNR Handbook Fleas are sometimes a concern. If the cats are well fed and healthy, their immune systems will be strong for fighting off parasites and it’s unlikely they will have severe flea infestations. But they may still have some. In our experience, it’s rare for a flea infestation to occur in the holding space as a result of the presence of the cats for a week. If the traps are kept mostly covered with a light sheet and the space is cleaned or vacuumed thoroughly after the project, there shouldn’t be a problem. If there is, flea bombing the space afterwards might be necessary. Another way to cut down on the risk, if you can afford it, is to have flea medication applied to the cats during the spay/neuter procedure. One trick, if the cat is staying in your bathroom, is to place the trap in your bathtub on top of some bricks, raising the trap off the bottom of the tub by a few inches. Then fill your bathtub with an inch or so of water. Between the trap being covered with a sheet and the moat, it would be very hard for fleas to spread. Another concern sometimes expressed is whether the cats will make a great deal of noise. Simply put, they won’t. Feral cats are very quiet in captivity, trying to make themselves as unnoticeable as possible. Once in a while, you might get a colony where one cat meows softly and others join in for a couple of minutes, but even that is rare. Most of the time, they remain still and silent. If you do get a cat who’s meowing a lot and appears to be crying out for attention, this may mean the cat is actually an abandoned domestic and not feral. If you are going to hold the cats in part of your home, segregate your own cats to minimize any risk of disease transmission. During the project, the holding space can also act as your command center where you keep the equipment, supplies and records, and meet up with volunteers. For how to set up the holding space, see “Preparing the holding space” in Chapter 10. 4) Schedule the spay/neuter Once you have an accurate count of the cats and have secured an adequate holding space, then you can confidently schedule an appointment with your spay/neuter clinic or veterinarian. Clinics usually take one of three forms: (1) a mobile spay/neuter van that travels out into the community, (2) a fixed clinic housed in an agency’s building, or (3) a Mass Spay Day held on a periodic basis which is designed to handle large volumes of animals in one day. When you schedule your appointment, find out the unique procedures for that clinic and be sure to follow them closely. The availability of low cost or free spay/neuter is a significant issue in many communities, especially for feral cats. It’s one of the most important factors in determining how quickly TNR can advance in a given area. If there is no organized clinic for ferals where you reside, then advocating for this may become part of your work. Study the advantages of TNR discussed in Chapter 2 and meet with officials from your local humane society, SPCA, Department of Health or animal control agency and begin a dialogue. Especially in places with severe feral cat overpopulation, you might find a willing audience. Propose a pilot project to start, one that will not demand many resources but can demonstrate TNR’s effectiveness. Contact us at Neighborhood Cats for further guidance and materials. 35
The Neighborhood Cats TNR Handbook But don’t wait for a spay/neuter clinic to open before you begin to get your cats fixed. Lobby local veterinarians to give you discounted rates for ferals or hold one low cost spay/neuter day per month. Contact local animal rescue groups to find out which veterinarians they use – you might get a good rate from them. Referrals might also be gained through local humane societies or shelters. Sometimes a veterinarian who has recently opened his practice and hasn’t built up a client base yet is happy to have the business, even at a heavy discount. See if there are any low cost spay/neuter certificate programs in your area. These certificates can be purchased from a nonprofit then redeemed at one of their participating veterinarians. If you use a certificate, always check two things: (1) make sure the veterinarian you have in mind will work with ferals, and (2) get a complete cost estimate before the spay/neuter surgery so you’re not unexpectedly charged for services you thought were included in the certificate price. Two national programs are: SPAY/USA – call 1-800-248-SPAY; phone counselors are available Monday- Friday from 9 am to 4:30 pm, EST. Or register for a certificate online at: www.spayusa.org Friends of Animals (FoA)– call 1-800-321-PETS, or purchase certificates online at www.friendsofanimals.org 5) Arrange for transportation Unless your clinic offers a transport service or a mobile spay/neuter van will be parked outside your holding space, you’ll need to bring the cats back and forth from the spay/neuter clinic. Transportation may also be needed during the trapping if the cats’ territory is distant from the holding space. Plan for this ahead of time. If you’re thinking of using your own vehicle, figure out how many traps will fit inside. You may need to rent a cargo van, at least for the Spay Day, in order to transport all the cats at once. If more than one person is volunteering their car, draw up a schedule and let everyone know in advance when they will be needed. When you do the actual transporting, line the seats and floor of the vehicle with thick plastic to catch any urine, such as a plastic drop cloth at least 3 millimeters thick. Roll up the plastic carefully when you’re done and throw it away. 6) Reserve or secure traps and dividers Once your spay/neuter date is set, arrange to have the necessary number of traps at the appropriate time. Always get two or three more traps than there are cats. This is recommended for two reasons. First, a cat you didn’t know about may appear. Second, when you’re down to trapping the last cat or two, it’s easier to do this when you have a couple of extra traps. With three traps to catch the last cat instead of only one, you can cover more of the territory and give yourself more chances to catch her. The types of traps to use are discussed in Chapter 8 under “Recommended Equipment.” In addition to traps, arrange to have at least one pair of trap dividers on hand. As explained in Chapter 10, the dividers are essential tools for feeding and cleaning while 36
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Page 3 and 4: Contents The Neighborhood Cats TNR
Page 7 and 8: Foreword The Neighborhood Cats TNR
Page 35 and 36: 6. Winter Shelter The Neighborhood
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Page 63 and 64: • Hard-to-catch cats The Neighbor
Page 69 and 70: • Directions for use by Laura Bur
Page 73 and 74: 10. Caring for Cats in Traps The Ne
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14. Relocation & Sanctuaries • Re
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16. Feral Cat Resources Neighborhoo
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TNR Handbook - Neighborhood Cats

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