What is TNR, you ask? TNR stands for Trap-Neuter-Return… and is a policy for dealing with feral cat populations that is gaining popularity.
There are currently more than two hundred TNR organizations operating across the United States, including the ASPCA and the Humane Society of the United States.
One big question raised with Trap-Neuter-Return programs is: why not try to find homes for the cats, if you’ve gone to all that trouble? The answer is not so easy.
Some feral cats are adoptable, and most TNR programs do try to find homes for friendly strays. However, a lot of feral cats aren’t so easy to rehabilitate. Some who were born in the wild or on the streets missed out on socialization with humans during their kitten times. If a cat isn’t socialized to humans before eight weeks, it can be to become socialized at all.
Another problem is resources. Maybe some strays COULD adjust to life indoors with humans, but it might take a long time. Shelters may not have the resources (or foster parents) available to help the strays adjust to a new life. Competition at a shelter is already pretty fierce when it comes to number of homeless animals vs. number of humans willing to adopt.
A third issue is called the vacuum effect: if you rehome all the cats in a feral colony, the area will often attract a new set of homeless cats. Lather, rinse, repeat. We see this at the cats-only boarding facility where I work. As we catch, neuter, and rehome the feral cats, others show up to take advantage of the free food (leftovers from the boarders) and shelter.
The pros of a Trap-Neuter-Return program:
- Stray cat populations stay stable. No new kittens are born!
- Few new cats show up, because cats are territorial. You won’t often see a cat moving into someone else’s turf unless that someone else disappears.
- Nuisance behaviors (like spraying and the sweet yowling of females in heat) are reduced.
- Strays are often vaccinated while they’re being neutered, so you will have less chance of a sickly feral cat population threatening family cats who venture outdoors.
If you have a stray cat problem in your area, talk to your local shelter. They may be able to help you with a Trap-Neuter-Replace program!