Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR)
is an effective, internationally recognized program to reduce community cat colonies naturally, eventually eliminating the colony through gradual thinning of the population.
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successfully decreases population,
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reduces birth rates
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improves overall colony health
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more humane
Advantages
How does TNR work?
Initially, cats are trapped, spayed or neutered, vaccinated, treated for ear mites and fleas, receive a left ear notch, and are returned to their original location.
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A community cat colony caretaker feeds the cats on a daily basis and takes them to a veterinarian if they require medical assistance.
The resultant group of cats, including any new cats entering the caretaker’s sphere, is known as a managed community cat colony.
Why spaying and neutering is so important ...
Feral kittens are regularly turned in to animal control, often sick and malnourished. If community cats aren't spayed/neutered, the cycle will continue and there will be over population, not to mention unnecessary suffering of innocent animals.
TNR is More Humane
than other approaches, such as trap-and-remove or trap-and-kill. Performed on a large scale, the success of such programs is felt at animal shelters where fewer cats are admitted to be killed.
It is more effective than removal
If cats are simply removed, others will move in to take their place. This is known as the "vacuum-effect".
TNR improves
community health
Because cats receive a rabies vaccination, community health is improved by reducing the chances of spread of the disease to other animals or humans.
It decreases problems and complaints about cats spraying, fighting and mating.
Ear
Notches
& Tips
FFF permanently notches or tips the left ear of all cats altered through our program.
An ear tip is the removal
of the tip of the ear.
The notched/tipped ear is the universally accepted way to permanently identify a cat to caretakers and animal control officials as a spayed/neutered cat that is a member of a stable, vaccinated colony.
An ear notch is a small
V-shaped notch in the
side of the ear.
Spay/Neuter Programs
​available through FFF
FFF offers two programs to help people with TNR of colony cats and stray community cats
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