TNR Handbook - Neighborhood Cats

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• Preparing the holding space The Neighborhood Cats TNR Handbook Spread the plastic drop cloth over the floor of the holding space. The plastic will catch any waste that escapes from the traps. When the project is over, the plastic can be rolled up and thrown out, which will usually take care of any odor. To cut down on the smell during the project, replace the plastic when the cats are gone for surgery. If possible, arrange for tables to place the traps on. Six foot long craft tables are ideal and can comfortably fit five traps each. While tables are not essential, the work of caring for the cats goes faster and easier when the traps are raised up off the ground. If you do use tables, also cover them with plastic. When the cats are brought in, line up the traps in rows, the rear and front doors all facing the same direction. Every trap should be covered and leave a few inches between them, if you can. If you know two particular cats are close friends or mother and kitten, press their traps up against one another length-wise and use one sheet to cover both traps. The holding space must be warm (at least 65 degrees Fahrenheit). Keeping confined cats in too cold of a space could result in illness and even death. In hot weather, fans can be helpful in keeping the temperature down. Be sure all electrical cords and appliances used are safely installed. • Feeding and cleaning Below are the steps for cleaning the trap and putting in fresh food and water. This process should be performed twice a day for each cat. Wear latex gloves for cleanliness. 1) Start at the front door end of the trap. Get the cat to move to the other end by folding back the sheet in the direction you want him to move. Ferals tend to move from light to dark and will retreat when the sheet is undone. If this doesn’t work, tap the side of the trap lightly and shoo the cat. If he still won’t move, insert one of the dividers from above and give a gentle shove. 2) Once the cat has moved to the rear end, insert two trap dividers from above into the middle of the trap, one right behind the other (Figure 1). The cat is now sectioned off and cannot escape when you open the front door. You should ALWAYS use two trap dividers and not get complacent and only use one. Figure 1 67
The Neighborhood Cats TNR Handbook The occasional cat will be strong enough to bend the outer tong of the divider and squeeze through or push the divider up and crawl out underneath. None of this can happen if you simply use two dividers back to back. This is an essential safety measure. If you do find yourself stuck one day with only one divider, then insert it horizontally through both sides of the trap instead of vertically from above (Figure 2). Make sure the divider has gone all the way through the opposite side. This method is also secure, though more time-consuming than putting two dividers in from above, especially if you’re working with multiple traps lined up close to one another. Figure 2 3) While the cat is isolated on the rear end of the trap, open the front door and line the bottom with thick newspaper. If this isn’t your first time in the trap, remove any dirty newspaper first. The newspaper makes the trap more comfortable for the cat and serves as their litter. Don’t try putting in a small litter tray or you’ll end up with a real mess. The newspaper works fine and some of the cats will even shred it. If you’d like, place the small towel at the front door end. The cats do enjoy sitting on the towel, though it tends to quickly get trashed. 4) Close the front door, making sure it’s locked, and remove the dividers. Then fold the sheet back over the front half of the trap. 5) Go to the rear end of the trap, pull back the sheet and move the cat to the front end. Insert two dividers from above, back to back, then open the rear door. Replace any dirty newspaper before placing fresh newspaper on the floor. 6) In the trap near the rear door, place food on a plate and water in a low, flat-bottom container. Don’t use cat food cans for the water – they can cause cuts. Bird food cups which hook to the side of the trap are good for water, while small plastic snack containers also do the job. 7) Shut the rear door, making sure it’s locked. Remove the dividers and fold the sheet back over the rear of the trap. When dealing with large numbers of cats, it can be helpful to work in an assemblyline manner. First put enough newspaper on top of each trap. Then go down the rows and do all the front ends first. Next, prepare all the food plates and water dishes and put them on top of the traps. Last, do all the rear ends of the traps, placing the food and water in as the final step for each one. The reason you start at the front end and finish by putting the food in last at the rear is so that you don’t end up backing the cat up into the food and water during the feeding 68
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The Neighborhood Cats TNR Handbook
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Contents The Neighborhood Cats TNR
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Foreword The Neighborhood Cats TNR
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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 63 and 64: • Hard-to-catch cats The Neighbor
Page 69 and 70: • Directions for use by Laura Bur
Page 73: 10. Caring for Cats in Traps The Ne
Page 91 and 92: 13. Return to the Colony The Neighb
Page 93 and 94: 14. Relocation & Sanctuaries • Re
Page 107 and 108: 16. Feral Cat Resources Neighborhoo
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TNR Handbook - Neighborhood Cats

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