Trap-Neuter-Return also known as TNR is the most humane and fastest way known for helping to reduce the numbers of feral and stray cats.  These cats live in what is called “colonies”.  TNR, to be successful, is to come in and trap all cats in the known colony, take them to be spayed/neutered, get a rabies vaccine and their ear would be tipped.  The ear tip is a universal sign that the cat is altered.  After 24 hours of surgery, they would be returned back to their original home where the caretaker would help to provide for them.  If cats/kittens are found in the colony to be friendly- they could be removed for adoption, but that would only be at a time that shelters could take them.  We are not in the business of rehoming or finding cats / kittens homes.  There are many shelters in the local and surrounding area that could possibly take them which we discuss in our Helpful Resources Tab.

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The colony should decline over time as the cats are fixed and therefore not able to reproduce.  Outside colony cats also don’t have a very long shelf life, unfortunately, usually due to the conditions where they live, which is another factor to fix the cats so many don’t continue to die repeatedly because of unnecessary births.

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Altering cats should help to reduce the nuisance behavior of spraying, fighting, yowling and other noises associated with mating.  The cats themselves will be returned healthier and are less to spread feline diseases as well as the males roam less looking for females to mate with so they become less visible.  Allowing the cats to continue to live out their lives will continue to provide a great pest control service to your home as they hunt mice, roaches and other pests.

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We go after the colony 100%.  If we happen to not catch all cats in the colony, then it is up to you to help to help get it to 100% so that it does repeat and start all over again. 

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Another advantage to TNR is that there is nothing else that works.  It is thought that removing cats or euthanizing them would help the situation.  However, there are many facts that prove that this is not a solution to the problem.  Removing cats from a location where resources are available creates what is called the “vacuum effect”. 

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TNR is for all cats – not just feral or wild cats.  In fact, we don’t have many feral / wild cats – most you see in our area are strays where they once belonged to someone and they threw them out or dumped.  If you have a trap and want to know how to trap them more efficiently to help with the TNR movement in the Corpus Christi and surrounding areas, keep reading as we will share with you our tips and tricks on how to be successful catching your colony cats to help make the difference.  It will take a village for us to start to see the pendulum swing and cats start to be less on our streets and in our neighborhoods, but one cat at a time, we can make a difference.

 

 

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• Make sure your trap is solid – meaning all corners and connections are tightly secure and cat cannot break free from the enclosure.  We suggest using zip ties to reinforce areas that might be weak.

 

• Make sure it is operational – many times traps get stuck and won’t go off when cat enters and steps on the foot plate.  You can grease the trapping mechanics with spray butter – the cats also like the taste!

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• If your foot pedal is small – you can extend it by using cardboard.  Cut it the width of the trap and tape it to the pedal so that the cat doesn’t try to avoid stepping on the pedal if they are smart to traps.

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• You can zip tie or lock your trap in an open position to condition the cats to go inside.  This way you only feed them in the trap for a few weeks before trying to trap them and they get accustom to eating in this enclosure and don’t fear it.  The night before your surgery, unlock it and catch your cat!

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• We use 2 different baits in our traps.  One meat, one fish as you never know what will entice them to want to eat.

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• we normally ask caretakers to stop feeding 24-48 hours before trapping so that way they show up hungry and go into trap faster.

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• We use two traps side by side to each other but facing opposite directions, this way when they smell the food of the bait at the end of the one trap – the one side to the second trap is nearby and they usually will enter this one instead of having to circle the one trap before finally entering.

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• Once caught – we quickly cover them with a towel to calm them down.