Trap, neuter, return
For feral, and longtime street cats, TNR is a humane lifeline. Ultimately, it not only improves the health, and outcomes, of these cats, it also benefits the community by reducing unwanted behaviours. Mating, fighting, spraying and yowling all subside. TNR also prevents the spread of feline, and zoonotic, diseases via vaccination at the time of surgery.
What is TNR?
TNR is the process of identifying community cats (feral, roaming, lost, abandoned) and reducing the population through humane methods. Picking up friendly cats to find them new homes, getting missing cats back home, and trapping feral cats for sterilization, vaccination and parasite treatment are all part of the process. Feral cats will live out their lives in their community, with your help, while ensuring they don’t continue to reproduce. This is “Community Cat Management.”
What are Community cats?
Every block, in every city, has free-roaming cats living outdoors among human residents. You might assume cats you see, outside, are owned pets. Some of your local cats may be roamers, but many are homeless, friendly cats. And others may be feral cats, who will never willingly approach humans.
All unowned, or loosely owned cats, living outside are considered community cats. They live where they can find comfortable shelter, food, water and safety. Some cats look great, as though someone is caring for them while others look unkempt, with ear tips missing, shortened tails or matted fur. Most people believe cats who look great must live in a home and those who don’t look good must be feral. However, this is not the case. Many feral cats look like they’re owned and many homeless, friendly cats look terrible.
People also assume feral cats are mean and dangerous. However, reality is quite the opposite. Feral cats like to fly under the radar. They prefer to forego contact with those they feel are predators. This includes humans. These cats are very skittish and run at the slightest noise. They hide until they feel it’s safe to come out and stay as far as possible from human activity. Their behaviour is why it is difficult to get them in for spaying and neutering, and ensuring they get appropriate vet care.
What’s a community cat manager?
Community cat managers are caring people who help cats on their block live the best lives they can. They provide food, water and shelter, year-round, so cats have the necessities of life. Managers trap feral cats to have them spayed/neutered, vaccinated and tattooed, then return them to their block. Friendly, homeless cats can also make their way to feeding stations. Community cat managers scoop them up, ensure they are seen by a vet, get them spayed/neutered and adopt them out. They also pick up feral kittens, socialize them and find them homes, or may transfer them to rescues or shelters. Lastly, they monitor cats they have returned to the area for illness or injury, and take appropriate action based on what they observe.
Winnipeg’s latest Responsible Pet Ownership Bylaw amendment provides for TNR and community cat management. If you are under the auspices of an organization that specializes in TNR, you will be able to help your community. If you read other organization websites, you might see the use of TNVR or TNVRM. These acronyms refer to TNR, but include the added letters for vaccinate (V) and manage (M). It is the same process as TNR.
How much TNR makes a difference?
If every city block had a community cat manager, Winnipeg would be on top of the outdoor cat population. Sterilization would surpass their birth rate, contributing to a reduction in numbers. Unfortunately, not every block has someone willing to do this, so it often falls to one person serving several blocks. It can become costly for one person to deal with an area larger than a block. Partnering, or being part of a TNR organization, has its advantages. In areas with longstanding cat abandonment or a large feral population, the support of a larger organization may be necessary. Areas with large numbers, considered long-term projects, are still very worthwhile as communities see immediate benefits, even though it may take more than a year to sterilize every cat.
Experts estimate 70% of the cats, on a managed block, need to be spayed/neutered within two years, to stay ahead of the birth rate. Once an area has been completed, attrition by boredom and other natural causes reduces the population. Managers must continue to watch for newcomers and keep up with TNR, and rescue, even after their initial effort. Unlike in warmer locales, TNR is more likely to pay off in climates like Winnipeg’s where, sadly, many offspring do not survive our frigid winters.
If you are interested in embarking on a TNR journey for your area, WLCA is happy to guide you through the process. Fill out our contact form to receive more information. Under the guidance of WLCA and their reliable contacts for assistance and vet care, community cat managers can be successful in their endeavours.