Community cats are unowned or semi-owned cats that live their lives outdoors, and typically fall into two categories: a “stray” cat probably once lived indoors as a pet, and was then abandoned or given away “free to a good home” to an irresponsible pet owner (but you can usually tell these cats are familiar with and even friendly to humans, as well as being more vocal than a cat defined as “feral.”) Feral cats are the other kind of Community Cat- fearful of people and will avoid human contact by all means necessary. If trapped or cornered, these cats will typically panic instantly, oftentimes causing harm to themselves in their attempt to escape a human. Because of the complexity and likely failure of attempting to “socialize” a feral cat, in addition to the general consensus that these cats cannot be adopted into homes as typical pets, feral cats were trapped and euthanized by the thousands in municipal shelters’ attempts at population control because, regardless of their demeanor or classification as “stray” or “feral,” these Community Cats have one thing in common: their ability to reproduce exponentially. Only about 3% of Community Cats (out of an estimated 80 million) are spayed/neutered, and each outdoor cat has the potential to add 20-25 new kittens yearly to this already massive number. Within 7 years, these numbers skyrocket to 10,000, and it’s clear why an effective strategy of population control becomes necessary. Have you ever heard the phrase, “If you feed them, fix them?” What this means is that each of our neighborhood’s homeless cats was once either abandoned by a previous owner, given away for free to someone unable to provide sufficient vetting, a lost pet who was never micro-chipped and reunited with their owner, or the offspring of one of these cats. As a result, the fault lies at the feet of humans. When we collectively accept responsibility of a cat we see outdoors, and display the initiative to ensure this cat can no longer continue reproducing and can no longer risk exposure and possible spread of infectious disease, we begin to see the community cat population stabilize and reduce over time- eliminating the next year’s 20+ new homeless kittens that will overwhelm our community shelters once again next year. So how do we- as community members seeing these cats- help regain control of the population increase, stop the spread of feline/small mammal diseases that are completely preventable given today’s affordable and accessible vaccinations, and simultaneously decrease the strain on our animal shelters by reducing their new spring kitten intake every year?
The overwhelming majority answer is “TNR.” And it’s simple enough that with the resources available on this site, you can do it all by yourself. Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) is an animal control management practice where community cats are humanely trapped, sterilized by a veterinarian, vaccinated against rabies, eartipped, and returned to the trapping location.
Ready to begin TNR in your own neighborhood? Complete and step-by-step instructions are available on the Resources page.
Humane box traps for the purpose of TNR are available to rent at Spay Memphis from 9:30AM to 3:00PM every week Tuesday - Friday for a $75.00 deposit. This $75.00 deposit is refunded to you in full upon return of the trap(s).
Desoto County residents are encouraged to contact local TNR experts Pals of Paws Society for additional information on how to request a trap loan or additional information.
If you’d like to purchase your own trap, Amazon sells the ideal box trap for TNR with 2 day shipping, or you can join the group “TNR DESOTO“ on Nextdoor or the group Memphis Area Cat Rescue & Networking on Facebook for advice, assistance, or to request to borrow a neighbor’s trap.
Need to borrow box traps in Desoto County? You can always send an Email request at any time to borrow mine, or ask any questions you may have about the TNR process.
Rent a trap from Marshall County Humane Society for a $25.00 refundable deposit by emailing dogsncats11@gmail.com or calling 662-564-2900
Senatobia Tate County Animal Shelter has traps available for rent for Tate Co residents
Contact PCHS : to request a humane box trap available to loan community members on a rotating basis.
Desoto County Animal Shelter, Horn Lake Animal Shelter, and Hernando Animal Shelter are helpful sources of additional information about how to help the stray cats in your neighborhood. Be sure to check your city’s animal ordinances to see if TNR is allowed yet.
Connect with a TNR expert for advice and information by submitting a free request for guidance by a member of the Feral Friends Network!
Learn more about how you or your organization can utilize catstats.org to better manage colonies with presenters Bryan Kortis of Neighborhood Cats and Stacy LeBaron, host of The Community Cats Podcast.
What’s the significance of “R” in TNR?
R = RETURN
It's vital to keep in mind that relocating any stray and feral outdoor cats to a different area than where they were originally trapped without strictly following Relocation Rules will likely result in death, despite what your intentions may be.
Why?
Hundreds of animal behavior studies throughout the country have shown us that less than 75% of all outdoor cats and kittens released into an unfamiliar area will survive due to a simple lack of knowledge about this new area. Without proper precautions, relocated cats will no longer know where a food source is, where a water source is, where a safe haven from predators is, where a warm spot to avoid freezing temperatures is, where a shady spot to avoid direct summer sunlight is, where busy streets are, where a dry place to escape from precipitation is, and on and on.
Also keep in mind relocating outdoor cats is legally considered animal abandonment, which falls under animal cruelty crimes in the state of Mississippi.
Check out what FurKids.org has to say about the importance of returning Community Cats to their home turf and why relocating them to a new environment can be a death sentence.
Watch simple, kid-friendly, and effective tutorials or check out handouts courtesy of Bideawee’s Feral Cat Initiative
Memphis area: Join the Facebook group Memphis Area Cat Rescue and Networking to request supplies from members of the community, and see more step-by-step instructions from the experts!
To ensure a feral Community Cat remains safe throughout the trapping process, be sure to follow all of the recommended safety guidelines explained in the Kitten Lady’s TNR Tutorial.
From the Backyard to the Front Page: Building a TNR Movement Presented by Neighborhood Cats
With a few inexpensive and readily available items, you can help save the lives of your community’s stray and feral cats by providing essential protection from freezing temperatures this winter by following these simple instructions courtesy of BCSPCA.
GET TNR CERTIFIED!
Getting TNR Certified is the best way to ensure each and every Community Cat you attempt to Trap, Neuter, and Return is and remains safe throughout the entire TNR process. If done incorrectly or by an inexperienced trapper who hasn’t done their research, TNR could easily become more harmful to the cats than helpful.
Thankfully, the Neighborhood Cats TNR Certification Workshop is offered multiple times throughout the year, is open to everyone, and is incredibly beginner friendly.
Upcoming TNR Certification Workshops: January 4, 2025 February 1, 2025
Check out additional resources and workshops offered throughout the year by Neighborhood Cats: Community Cats Podcast including Free Webinars, Surrender Prevention Workshops for shelter staff, Trapper Tips and Tricks, and more.
Please be sure to read Spay Memphis’ NEW Feral/Community Cat Policy in its entirety as changes enacted January 2024 are now in effect.
If surgery/veterinary cost is the only obstacle preventing you from beginning the TNR process in your own neighborhood, please email bluffcityferalfriends@gmail.com and ask about available grant funding.
Walk-In Feral/Community Cats:
Every Tuesday, Wednesday, & Thursday, between 7:30 – 8:30 am
FERAL MONDAYS:
Pick up the cat the same day at 4pm, no later than 5pm. Please remember to keep the trap covered to help ease the cat’s anxiety during the TNR process. Females typically need 48 hours to recover before they can be released safely, while males only need 24 hours. The recovery/holding area should be safe, dry, quiet, away from high traffic areas, and temperature regulated during hot or cold months. Before releasing, feed the cat (using your trap divider) a can of wet food to ensure it stays well-hydrated post surgery.
First, make sure someone is regularly feeding them and leaving clean, fresh water. If someone is taking care of them, and you are looking to stop the constant reproducing, talk to your neighbors and make a plan! You’ll need to find neighbors to help trap, transport to/from our clinic, and recover post-surgery until they can be re-released. Once you have a plan, you can set up a neighborhood TNR account at our clinic for your neighbors to donate to cover the cost of the cats’ spay/neuter. Email bpace@spaymemphis.org to set up a neighborhood account prior to bringing in any trapped cats.
Want to help your local shelter introduce a TNR program? Check out Community Cats Podcast’s Return to Field: How Shelters Save Community Cats
Alley Cats Allies has additional resources to help residents whose City Animal Ordinances put a strain on Community Relations. Learn more here.
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