What are community cats?
Community cats, also called feral or free-roaming cats, are owner-less, outdoor cats who are often not well socialized to people.
What can I do to help community cats in my neighborhood?
Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) is widely accepted as the most effective and humane way to control and reduce populations of community cats. This process involves humanely trapping, sterilizing, vaccinating for rabies, and returning community cats to their outdoor homes, where they are cared for and monitored by conscientious caretakers.
Why TNR?
At the colony level, TNR improves the quality of life of each cat. Sterilization makes cats less inclined to fight and roam, which reduces the spread of disease and increases life expectancy. At the community level, TNR makes community cats better neighbors by reducing the occurrences of nuisance behaviors and the possibility of exposure to unvaccinated cats. TNR also saves communities money by decreasing the number of cats impounded by animal control or admitted to shelters.
How can I get started with TNR?
- Learn about the process. You can find extensive information about TNR from:
- Alley Cat Allies
- Neighborhood Cats
- Best Friends Animal Sanctuary
- Or, contact Danielle Rice at dr@tabbysplace.org to find out when out next TNR workshop will be held.
- Find local low-cost spay neuter resources.
- ASPCA: http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/spayneuter/
- Spay USA: 800-248-7729, http://www.spayusa.org/search/default.asp
- Spay NJ: 1-800-SPAY-NJ1, http://www.spaynj.org/clinic/
- Animal Protection League: http://www.aplnj.org/tnr-spayneuter.php
- Connect with others.
- Alley Cat Allies Feral Friends Network
- HSUS Community Cat Resource List
- Currently, Tabby’s Place’s TNR work is limited to our six surrounding townships (East Amwell, West Amwell, Delaware, Raritan, Lambertville and Flemington). If you need assistance with community cats in one of these areas, please Danielle Rice at dr@tabbysplace.org to get on our waiting list for TNR assistance.