TNR Texas

07/02/2025

Yes... it is also important to TNR the males. This is only one of the many reasons.

05/02/2025

A pretty sweet feeding station for those with large colonies or sanctuaries with outdoor cats. Or those who want to just incorporate some of the special features (like Cedar mulch to keep ants away).

05/02/2025

03/02/2025

When you are missing a pet, it is easy to get sucked in by scam artists... even though you may suspect something is not right. Yes - be careful.

Scammers have contacted owners of lost pets, demanding that they pay large sums of money for "surgery" via online banking apps.

25/01/2025

This is for those who want to make the best possible winter shelters and are open to possibly learning a few new tricks!

Join us for a FREE webinar on January 29 to learn how to build 4 different kinds of simple shelters to protect feral and stray community cats from harsh winter weather!

Design #4: Deluxe Simple Ice Chest Shelter
This design really only requires a plastic ice chest cooler and an entry hole. The cooler is made of heavy-duty insulation sandwiched between layers of plastic, so it's warm and waterproof. The material can be cut using an ordinary kitchen knife. These coolers are usually on sale in colder months, just when the cats need them.

Free Webinar: Building Shelters for Outdoor Cats
Wednesday, January 29, 2025
5:00–6:30 p.m. ET
Register: https://bit.ly/BFCIBSR

Can't attend on 1/29? No problem! Everyone who registers will receive links to the webinar recording and handout the next day.

25/01/2025

Congratulations (and Thank You!) Operation Kindness for making such a positive impact for animals in 2024!

23/01/2025

What can we do better to help others understand what we know? Community Cats are the results of people failing them. They are not disposable. They are not evil. They are not worthless.

21/01/2025

Who's got snow?

20/01/2025

Check out these winter tips for trapping. Are there any that you don't agree with as being relevant here in Texas? Or anything you would like to add?

WINTER TIPS FOR TRAPPING

I've received questions expressing concerns about trapping in sub-freezing temperatures. Whether you are just beginning your TNR career or a 1-2 time trapper, if you would like some winter weather GUIDELINES, these are from Alley Cat Allies, editted to reflect my protocols.
🐈‍⬛️💞🐈💞🐈‍⬛️💞🐈

Female cats go into heat year round & can give birth before the snow melts. That’s why most kittens are born in the springtime, or whenever the weather in an area begins to warm up. Doing TNR in the cold months is the best way to get ahead of this “kitten season.”

Don’t be afraid to break out the humane traps in the cold season. Remember, cats live and thrive in all sorts of climates, including during the harsh winters in areas like Canada and even Siberia. Wherever community cats are, you can do TNR all year round.

1. Use your best judgment. This may seem obvious, but if the weather is too severe for you to be out in it, don’t do TNR. The cats may already be hiding in the places they know are safe and warm.

2. Don’t trap if dangerous weather is forecasted.
The less time community cats spend confined indoors, the better—for them and for you. If dangerous conditions are on the way, wait for a longer stretch of milder weather before starting TNR at all.

3. Try to trap during warmer times of day,
instead of after the sun goes down.

4. Use oil-based bait.
To inhibit freezing.

5. Never leave traps unattended. It’s impossible for a community cat to stay warm while confined in a trap when its below freezing.

6. Make sure you have a climate controlled environment in which to hold all the cats prior to surgery and for recovery after.
Setting up a dry, temperature-controlled (70-75˚F is best) recovery or holding area for cats is a standard part of TNR. It’s especially important when it’s cold out! If you are unable to provide a warm, safe environment for recovery DON'T trap. TNR is about reducing the number of kittens being born & helping adult cats live healthier/longer lives, NOT putting their lives at risk.

7. Yes, it’s okay to return cats in the cold. If the weather is around the typical temperature for your area in the coldest season, as cold as that may be, community cats are used to it and will be fine. Their bodies had weeks to prepare for cold temps and their heavy undercoats serve them well. That said, a female will have a large section of her belly shaved before surgery, so make sure she has a warm place for recovery & shelters when she's returned. Against most TNR clinic's protocols, I will wait for a warmer day to return them outdoors. And return them during the warmest part of the day to minimize the difference between the warm recovery area and outside.

8. NEVER return a cat the same day of surgery. Hold male cats for 24 hours & female cats for at least 48 hours. Some of you know I hold females that are in heat or late term pregnant for 2 weeks. I've arrived at this practice after learning more about the seriousness of such major surgery and what they need to ensure a successful recovery and survival. I've never had a female that failed to thrive, eat and rest well during a longer stay. Well cared for ferals (members of managed colonies or an observant/capable caregiver) can live as long as indoor cats & 2 weeks is relatively insignificant in the big scheme of things. Community cats need to go back to the home they know and their feline family outdoors, unless of course you have been able to determine they are stray, not feral & you have the means to find homes for them. Rare & NOT typical for TNR, but it happens.

*Feral Cat Project adjusted text from Alley Cat Allies & Stray Cat TNR/ image from Alley Cat Allies

20/01/2025

Today is the day we honor Martin Luther King Jr for all he stood for. We celebrate the man who fought for Equality, Fairness, Trust and Transparency, Non-violence, Courtesy and Respect, and Hopes and Dreams. It sounds much like what we in cat rescue also strive for.

Paws up for someone who truly made a difference and to each of you doing the same.

19/01/2025

What do you do to keep water from freezing for your outside cats?

Here are some tips:
Use a heated bowl
Use a heated electric bowl with a protected cord
Warm up canned food and water before serving
Insulate the bowl
Use a dark-colored bowl to retain heat
Use an insulating foam border
Put the bowl inside a Styrofoam shipping container lined with a plastic bag
Put the bowl inside a larger bucket and fill the space between with straw, hay, or shavings
Use a plastic insulated bucket holder
Add a floating object
Put a floating ping-pong ball in the water to keep the surface moving
Put a plastic bottle filled with water and a cup of salt in the water bucket
Place the bowl in a sunny area
Use a bowl that is deep rather than wide
Avoid using metal bowls
Change the water multiple times a day

17/01/2025

Rodent Bait Stations are showing up in so many places (apartment complexes, restaurants, your neighbor's backyard, etc.). The rodent eats some of the bait but does not die right away. When cats, owls, foxes, and other rodent predators catch one, they also usually die. We have even seen them on properties where there are a lot of community cats. It is doubtful that they have a rodent problem. Educating those individuals about the reality of these bait boxes can be helpful. They might not realize that other animals are also dying. https://www.facebook.com/share/p/157Wtrd7cC/

Lie - “Wildlife are safe because the rat poison is contained in a bait box.”

Truth - The poison leaves the box inside the rodent that ate it…

Rat poison kills its way up the food chain. Second Generation Anticoagulant Rodenticides are killing our predator species. Please don’t ever use it.

17/01/2025

This is a great example of what we mean when we say "it takes a village". Such a great outcome!

15 cats in traps… And no clinic!

Do you know what it feels like to have helped trap 15 cats, get up early to drive 72 miles to transport them to the clinic - only to find out the vet is sick and the clinic is being canceled? Your heart drops to your toes and you think oh my gosh what am I going to do for all these cats? You can't release them - you'd never get them all again! And getting 15 appointments again is not going to be easy… Or fast!

Your mind begins to race with the logistics of it all: where to house them extra time as needed… Is it possible any of them are lactating… how many schedules am I going to have to change to make all this work!?!

This is where the reality of being connected in Rescue really shines through. While the folks at the Feral Cat Spay Neuter Project got on the horn to try and find spaces...
- one rescuer contacted a Rescue minded mobile vet who agreed to neuter all the male cats that same day.
- another rescuer volunteered to change her plans for the day and help out with the mobile vet.
- yet another rescuer helped the transporter determine the s*x of all these cats in the traps- there ended up being five boys, nine girls and happily one ear tipped girl!
- the transporter was able to talk to The NOAH Center and while they would have tried to work some in the same day, the timing was off. But they agreed to take five of these girls the next day!
- and then, in the final climax of collaboration, the Everett Animal Shelter agreed to spay the last four cats the next day!

The rescue world is a very challenging arena – we all know it's not an easy thing to be involved in. And it's all volunteer, rescuers put their heart and soul into improving the lives of the cats and - improving the community as a whole. There are ups and downs and sometimes it's discouraging, but when you are connected to each other and you work together, there's just no better feeling.💖

So many people were involved helping the cats and helping each other – our thanks go out to all in Rescue who work to be a force for good. And for this challenge a heartfelt thank you to Sara, Laurie, Janis and Marilyn for adjusting their plans and stepping up to help! You know, sometimes it really is a wonderful world💖

14/01/2025

Animals do a great job of showing us what love looks like. If only humans could be more open to loving and caring for those who are different from them.

If you have photos of animals showing their love or compassion, we would love to see them!