trap-neuter-return

8/8/2020

TNR stands for Trap Neuter Return and is used to help control the feral cat and community cat population. TNR is a safe, humane way to keep cats in their neighborhood and make them a more welcome presence. TNR also helps to get kittens and friendly cats off of the streets and into rescues or foster homes.

One of the biggest complaints about feral cats is the noise from fighting and mating and the smell from them marking their territory. By getting the cats spayed/neutered, fighting over mates is eliminated and fixed cats are less likely to spray and be territorial. TNR also involves educating people about the benefits of fixing and returning cats instead of just trapping and removing them.

TNR not only helps cats, it also helps caretakers. When a cat colony is TNR’d, it not only stops them from reproducing, but it helps control diseases and fighting among the colony cats. When cats are TNR’d, most of the time they are also vaccinated, flea treated and given medical attention for any injuries they may have, making the colony healthier and stronger. The cats are also “ear-tipped” meaning the tip of their left ear is clipped off while they are under surgical anesthesia. So if you see a cat with a clipped left ear, that means they were part of a TNR program!

The Weirdo Cat Lovers of Cleveland TNR team was formed in 2019. So far this year we have TNR’d 44 cats! We also have a small foster program with 17 kittens and one momma cat currently in our care. We have also had local rescues take kittens and friendly cats for us and place them for adoption.

TNR takes lots of dedication and hard work. We encounter friendly cats and kittens as well as sick or injured cats, so knowing what to do with these cats and get them the help they need, is crucial.

We’d like to thank the following rescues for helping us by assisting us with trapping efforts and/or taking in friendly cats and kittens found during trapping projects:

If you’d like to reach our TNR team, please email [email protected] Or, if you’d like to donate to support our TNR efforts, please visit the donation page on our website.