Advice for Beginners
Persistance pays off. Don't give up after a few failed attempts. These kitties needs your help. If you cannot buy a trap, rent or borrow one from your local shelter. Do your best to get every kitty that crosses your path spayed and neutered.
What I Might Have Done Differently
It's hard to say, every TNR is different. I think I'm still learning with each kitty I spay and neuter. If I had better financial resources, there would be so many more kitties I would help.
How I got started in TNR & Cat Rescue
I've loved cats my whole life and just knowing how many are out there, starving, cold and with no one to care just breaks my heart. I got really serious about 10 years ago about TNR'ing any cat that enters my life. I was fortunate enough to find a low-cost spay/neuter clinic not far from my home.
When I bring a cat to the clinic, I give them a name. They now have an identity, and are part of my family, if they choose to stay.
How I learned to perfect my skills in TNR & Cat Rescue
I learned by trial and error. Having spent four years trying to catch my mama cat taught me a lot. I've tried everything from throwing a net over her to finally rigging a trap up to a cat house that she started seeking shelter in.
My traps are all coated so they don't have the same metal feel and noise that regular traps have. I find this to be extremely helpful in coaxing a cat inside. My best trap is one of my large Tom cat traps where the cat can comfortably turn around and stand up in.
If you plan to leave the cat in the trap after the spay/neuter, it is very important to have something roomy enough for it to comfortably move about in. I prefer to bring a small covered dog crate with me and have the clinic transfer the cat after the surgery from the trap into the crate where he will spend the night. I will release him in the morning if there are no signs of bleeding or problems. Spayed cats should remain an extra day at least if possible. Some clinics will let you keep the cat there overnight for a small fee if you have no place to put them up for the evening.
Since the clinic already has the kitty under sedation, besides spay/neuter and vaccinations, I ask that they scan for a micro chip since even seemingly feral kitties may have had a home at one time. I also get a physical exam for them and ask that they be checked for fleas, earmites, and any other obvious issues and that they get treated at the time for these problems. Might as well try to make kitty as comfortable as possible.
Tips & tricks
- Trapping a cat is best when the weather is stable. Rain, wind and snow make it that more difficult. I cover the trap and put something on the floor like cardboard. I find that trapping in the early morning hours, when a cat is most likely to be hungry, and things are fairly quiet, works best. Besides fishy food, I'd put tasty salmon snacks leading into the trap.
- When you put the trapped cat into your vehicle, you should put down plastic, like a large trash bag and something absorbent like newspaper since many times the cat will urinate from fright. I continue to keep the trap covered to ease kitty's fear.
