Feral Cat Trap-Neuter-Release

What is Feral trap-neuter-release?

This method is usually used when you have a colony of adult feral (wild, untamed) cats in a neighborhood who can't be tamed and placed in homes. You catch each of the adult cats, fix them, and then after a day of recuperation, you re-release them onto the street to live out the rest of their lives.

Why use this method?

It provides a long term solution. By releasing fixed cats back onto the street, you are not only halting the production of kittens, you are also 'vaccinating' the street from an influx of new, unfixed cats. This is why I feel it is so much more effective than just rounding up all the feral cats and having them destroyed. If you round up all the cats and kill them, new unfixed cats quickly move into the territory, and you never break the cycle of unwanted litters being created, males fighting, howling late into the night and other problems unfixed cats tend to create. By releasing fixed cats onto the street, they take up food resources and guard the territory from new unfixed cats. Believe me: if you create a stable colony of fixed cats (who are quieter, cleaner and healthier), your neighbors will love you. :)

It Costs Less! To euthanize (put to sleep) a cat and dispose of the body, it generally costs $50 per animal. To fix, vaccinate and release an animal through low cost spay and neuter programs, it can cost as little as $35 per animal! And, often you can get a bulk discount if you have over 6-7 cats (and you're a good talker. :) )

It is much better received by the public. Your neighbors are much, much more likely to support a feral release program than a round-up for killing the cats. When I did my feral-fix-release, my neighbors donated hundreds of dollars to help defray the cost, and told me where all the cats where so I could trap them more easily. It turned out to be a very positive group experience.

Are there studies of the success of this method?

Probably, but I haven't yet found any. I can only vouch for the success of this method based on my own experiences in Middletown, Connecticut.

Resources for Feral-Neuter-Release

Feral Cat-Catching Methods and Suggestions by Dee Dreslough

Taming Feral Kittens (coming soon)

Technical Veterinary Info for Feral Catch-Fix-Release http://www.feralcat.com/michelle.html

Connecticut and National Groups Providing Assistance to for Feral Catch-Fix-Release:

NATIONAL:

Alley Cat Allies
PO Box 397
Mount Rainier, MD 20712 A national organization promoting trap-neuter-release as an effective, humane approach to controlling feral cat colonies.

Feral Cat Coalition
9528 Miramar Road #160
San Diego, CA 92126 A group based in San Diego, California, with a great track record implementing feral trap-neuter-release programs, and an information packed web-site, including materials from Alley Cat Allies.

CONNECTICUT

Meow, Inc (12/27/99)
PO Box 999, Litchfield, CT 06759
860-567-3277
WWW: http://www.meow-inc.org

Scott Panzer's Index of New Haven Area Feral Neuter/Release Programs

Greater New Haven Cat Project
(203) 782-CATS A coalition of New Haven area residents implementing feral trap-neuter-release programs.

http://www.bayarea.net/~stenor/rehabacat/index.html Rehab-a-Cat
PO Box 3184
New Haven, CT 06515
(203) 787-5532
(203) 888-2279 An organization in the New Haven area that provides assistance with feral trap-neuter-release programs, trap loans, and discounted veterinary services for feral and stray cats.

Creature Kindness (Added Jan. 12, 2000)
P.O. Box 185211,
Hamden, CT 06518
(203) 389-2242
Will help with advice on trap, neuter, & release of feral cats. Promotes education about pet overpopulation and what you can do about it.