At this time we cannot accept unscheduled cats for TNR. HSSA will work with all trappers to determine a convenient surgery date for the trapper based on our surgery availability. You must make an appointment BEFORE trapping cats. Cats must be in humane traps for TNR services – no crates or carriers. If you are trapping yourself, please call our clinic at 52 to determine surgery availability based on your planned trapping schedule. Unsocialized community cats, or feral cats, who live solely outdoors.

Kittens born outside and altered at a spay/neuter clinic before being socialized and adopted into loving homes.Rescued, friendly cats that are altered and ear-tipped at a spay/neuter clinic.Ear-tipping is a standard part of most Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) programs and helps trappers identify which cats have already been through the program.Įar-tips are ONLY an indication that a cat has been spayed or neutered, and are not a sign of temperament. As part of our TNR program, each cat will have the top corner of its left ear removed under anesthesia (no exceptions). In other parts of the country, they ear-tip the right ear or “notch” the ear. However, most community cats are feral or not socialized, and using a trap is necessary for the safety of both the cat and the trapper.Įar-tips are the universally recognized symbol of a cat who has been spayed or neutered and vaccinated. We refrain from using the term feral when referring to outdoor cats, as outdoor cats can also be tame and friendly.

The word feral is defined as “in a wild state,” and is reserved for describing a cat’s temperament and behavior. No matter how we define free-roaming cats, they must be spayed/neutered for the cats’ health and for the purpose of humanely reducing the cat population. Community cats are also referred to as strays, alley cats, outdoor cats, free-roaming cats, or feral cats. Community cat is an umbrella term that incorporates any type of cat living outside.

Feral cats download free