TNR
TNR stands for Trap-Neuter-Return, and it is the most effective way to control the feral, community, and barn population. Feral cats are humanely caught in live traps by volunteers of HamCoCats or by concerned community members (like you!). Next, they visit the veterinarian for spay/neuter surgery, vaccinations, microchip implantation and an eartip, which easily identifies them as having already been fixed. Finally, they are returned to where they were trapped and released back to the neighborhood they know.
Community or Barn Cats to Fix?
Our Process
- Please contact us by email or through the Hamilton County Animal AdvoCATes Facebook page for TNR assistance. Include your name, address, phone number, and a good time for us to call you. An estimate on the number of cats to fix is helpful too!
- A volunteer will contact you to get the details and plan the project.
- Cats will be scheduled for surgery and kittens young enough to tame will be rescued for adoption!
Every TNR scenario is different. There may be one or two feral cats popping up around your home; you may have barn cats and want to prevent (or stop) a population explosion; you may be the caretaker of a colony of community cats; or you may have had your heart in the right place by taking in cats that needed a new home, and things quickly got out of hand. We are able to help in most situations.
One of the things that is most frequently asked about is the ear tip. An ear tip is a universal sign that an outdoor cat has been fixed. It is simply the removal of the tip of the left ear and is done under anesthesia during spay/neuter surgery so there is no stress or pain for the cat. If there is a large population of cats that we are helping TNR, it makes it easy for us to see which cats still need to be caught. We strongly recommend ear tipping for all outdoor cats and some communities require it. It also prevents the accidental trapping of a cat that’s already been fixed, causing unnecessary stress to the cat with another trip to the vet and wasting a surgery spot for one that’s already been fixed. An ear tip is not always noticeable from a distance, but it’s very obvious once the cat is in a trap.
There is no fee to participate in our Trap-Neuter-Return Program. The world doesn’t need more kittens! TNR is the most effective way to control the feral, community, and barn cat populations.
Our programs rely entirely on donations, and if you’re able, any amount is greatly appreciated!