10/12/2023
TNR is a humane and effective method for managing feral and stray cats and reducing their numbers.
Here are the seven steps:
Step 1 - Know your stuff: Working with feral cats safely and effectively requires some training. You can read online guides, watch videos, or attend workshops to learn the basics of tnr.
Step 2 - Work the neighborhood: Before you start trapping, you should get to know the cats and the people in the area where they live. Talk to the residents, feeders, and property owners, and explain the benefits of tnr. Address any issues or concerns they may have, and recruit volunteers to help you with the trapping.
Step 3 - Establish a feeding pattern, count the cats and set out shelters and feeding stations: To prepare for the trapping, you should feed the cats at the same time and place every day, and remove any uneaten food after 30 minutes. This will help the cats get used to a routine and make them easier to trap. You should also count the cats and identify any that have special needs, such as young kittens or injured cats. Additionally, you should provide the cats with shelters and feeding stations to keep them safe and comfortable.
Step 4 - Find a holding space: You will need a secure and quiet place to hold the cats before and after the surgery. This can be a garage, a basement, a spare room, or any other indoor space that is warm, dry, and well-ventilated. You should have enough space to accommodate one trap per cat, and enough supplies to care for them, such as food, water, newspapers, towels, etc.
Step 5 - Arrange for spay/neuter, traps and transportation: You will need to find a veterinary clinic that offers low-cost or free spay/neuter services for feral cats, and make an appointment for the day of the surgery. You will also need to borrow or rent enough traps for the number of cats you plan to catch, and arrange for a vehicle to transport them to and from the clinic.
Step 6 - Action!: On the day of the trapping, you should withhold food from the cats for at least 12 hours to make them hungry and more likely to enter the traps. You should set up the traps near the feeding area, bait them with smelly food, and cover them with a sheet or a towel. You should monitor the traps from a distance, and check them frequently. Once a cat is trapped, you should cover the trap completely to calm the cat down, and transport it to the holding space. You should repeat this process until you catch all the cats you can.
Step 7 - Caretaking: After the surgery, you should keep the cats in their traps in the holding space, and provide them with food, water, and medication as instructed by the vet. You should monitor the cats for any signs of complications or distress, and contact the vet if needed. You should let the cats recover for at least 24 hours, or longer if they are sick, injured, or lactating. When the cats are ready, you should return them to their original location, and release them from the traps. You should continue to care for the cats by providing them with food, water, shelter, and medical attention as needed.
https://www.neighborhoodcats.org/how-to-tnr/getting-started/the-7-steps-of-tnr
https://www.neighborhoodcats.org/how-to-tnr/getting-started/what-is-tnr
You've made the decision - you're going to get the feral cats in your life fixed! Now what? Here are the seven basic steps for doing a TNR project.