They live in the shadows – the alleyways, empty lots and condemned buildings of almost every neighborhood. Their lives are short and usually harsh. They struggle to find food and water in an environment filled with the constant threats of disease, starvation, cruelty and predation. They are the abandoned, the lost and the wild, and they need our help.
The number of feral cats in the U.S. is estimated to be in the tens of millions. Sadly, many communities still opt to control populations via outdated methods, including lethal elimination or relocation. Not only are some of these methods horribly cruel, they are also highly ineffective. It’s time to focus on feral cats in the fight to end animal cruelty.
What Is Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR)?
TNR is the method of humanely trapping feral cats, having them spayed or neutered, vaccinated for rabies and then returning them to their colony to live out their lives. TNR also involves a colony caretaker who provides food, adequate shelter and monitors the cats’ health. TNR has been shown to be the least costly as well as the most efficient and humane way of stabilizing feral cat populations.
Furry Friends Network established its TNR Program in March 2010. During our third year of operation, March 2012 through December 2013, $24,103.86 was spent by FFN to trap, neuter and return over 615 cats. Fifteen kittens were taken into the FFN foster care program, and through our efforts FFN prevented more than 3,200 additional kittens from being born.
