Learn the top TNR tips

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Learn the top TNR tips
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• Alley Cat Allies has championed
  Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) in the United States
  since our founding in 1990 and, together with our
  supporters, raised it to the standard of humane
  care for cats who live outdoors. We started our
  movement because we knew the endless cycles of
  catch and kill in shelters had to end, and that
  TNR was the only way forward.
• Today, TNR is still the standard, and we work
  with grassroots advocates and decision-makers
  alike to defend these critical programs
  worldwide. But the success of TNR hinges on the
  compassionate people who carry it out and teach
  their communities to join them in their
  lifesaving work.
• Alley Cat Allies and our resources are always
  here to help. Here are our top TNR tips, all of
  which and more can be found at alleycat.org/TNRGui
  de.

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• The steps to TNR
• Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) is the only humane and
  effective approach to community cats, or unowned
  cats who live outdoors. Here are the three basic
  steps to the process
• TRAP Humanely trap community cats in box traps
  lined with newspaper, cardboard, or vent covers.
• NEUTER (or spay) Take the cats in their traps to
  a veterinarian or clinic to be neutered,
  vaccinated, eartipped, and microchipped with
  their caregiver or TNR advocate information.
• RETURN After the cats recover, return them to
  their outdoor home where they were trapped.

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• To emphasize, ALL TNR should include
• Vaccination
• Eartipping
• Microchipping
• Vaccination is a key component of TNR, and its
  not true TNR without it. The standard vaccines
  include rabies and FVRCP, which protects cats
  from feline viral rhinotracheitis (feline
  herpes), feline calicivirus, and feline
  panleukopenia (feline distemper).
• Eartipping is an effective and universally
  accepted method to identify a spayed or neutered
  and vaccinated community cat! The procedure,
  which removes the very tip of the cats left ear,
  is performed by a veterinarian while the cat is
  already anesthetized for spay or neuter surgery,
  so there is no pain. There is little or no
  bleeding, it heals quickly, and it helps ensure a
  cat is not needlessly retrapped.
• Microchipping helps ensure that should community
  cats be impounded by animal control, they can be
  scanned and identified through their microchip
  and their caregiver contacted so they can be
  returned to their outdoor home.
• With these steps combined, TNR saves cats lives!

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• TNR means coming home
• The R in TNRAKA the Returnis a homecoming!
  Community cats are bonded to their outdoor homes
  and feline families, and TNR ensures they return
  healthier and free from the stresses of mating
  and pregnancy.
• Pictured above is Charlie waiting for his pal,
  Peanut, to come out of her trap! Both were spayed
  or neutered, vaccinated, and eartipped as part of
  an Alley Cat Allies Feline Frenzy..

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• Our top TNR tips
• Prepare and try to trap ALL cats and kittens you
  plan to TNR during your first trapping session.
  The more times cats are exposed to the trapping
  process, the more suspicious and avoidant they
  becomewhich makes trapping difficult!
• Withhold food 24 hours before trapping, but
  always provide water. This will ensure that the
  cats are hungry enough to go into the traps.
  Remind other caregivers and neighbors to withhold
  food as well.
• Always return community cats to the exact area
  where they were trapped. They have to go back to
  the outdoor home and feline family they know and
  cannot be released just anywhere. Thats why its
  called Trap-Neuter-RETURN and not
  Trap-Neuter-RELEASE.

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1. Never leave set traps unattended stay nearby but
   out of sight. Once a cat enters a trap, cover it
   with a trap cover, towel, or blanket ASAP to calm
   them. When trapping in hot or cold weather, move
   cats immediately to a temperature-controlled
   space.
2. ALWAYS use the proper equipment. Only use humane
   box traps to safely trap cats. Never use nets,
   darts, or tranquilizer guns, all of which are
   dangerous and stressful to cats and kittens. DO
   NOT pick up cats. For the cats safety and your
   own, dont attempt to pick the cats up or catch
   them with your hands, a blanket, or the like.
3. Get cats comfortable with entering humane traps
   by feeding them out of UNSET traps for a week or
   two before your planned TNR date. Then when the
   time comes, theyll go in with no issue!
4. Place the bait at the very back of the humane
   trap beyond its trip plate, then drizzle juice
   along the trap floor and out of the entrance to
   encourage the cat to walk in. A tiny bit of bait
   just inside the traps entrance could help, too!
5. Just like you have paths you walk every day, so
   do community cats! Be observant and watch for the
   trails that cats most often take. Note if theres
   a certain tree or bush they like to sleep under,
   and what time of day theyre most likely to be in
   a specific area. Set your humane traps at these
   places and times.

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1. Once community cats are trapped DO NOT remove
   them from their humane trap. The veterinarian
   will remove them after they are anesthetized for
   surgery, and you can release them from the trap
   when they are recovered and ready to return to
   their outdoor home. If a cat must be moved to a
   larger enclosure, such as for a longer recovery
   time from surgery or other medical concerns, use
   a transfer cage.
2. Make sure every recovery space is
   temperature-controlled, especially shortly after
   surgery. Anesthesia impacts a cats ability to
   regulate her body temperature.
3. Cats can be returned to their outdoor homes 24
   hours after surgery if theyre clear-eyed and
   alert. Female cats may need longer to recover
   from spay. The clinic may ask you to make
   exceptions for other cats who are slow to recover
   or need continuing post-operative care.

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• Tips for hard-to-trap cats
• If youre having trouble, try to lure the cat
  into a more confined space. Its easier to trap
  when you dont have to do it in the great
  outdoors! Place food into a smaller space you can
  close in, like a garage or shed. Hide and wait
  for the cat to enter, then shut the door behind
  her. Before you lure the cat in, prepare the room
  with a set humane trap with more bait inside.
• Put a stick in it! For cats who have learned to
  step lightly to avoid triggering their humane
  traps, slide a stick through the side holes of
  the trap just in front of the trigger plate and a
  few inches off the trap floor. The cat will be
  forced to step over the stick and her paw will
  land harder on the trigger plate just beyond it.

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• Get creative! Try to camouflage the trap with a
  material like burlap. Then, place leaves, small
  branches, palm fronds, or whatever is in the
  natural environment around the top, sides, and on
  the floor inside the trap. Just run a test first
  to make sure your disguise doesnt interfere with
  the trap door closing!
• Learn more TNR tips for those savvy, hard-to-trap
  cats at alleycat.org/HardToTrap.
• Were here to support your TNR work
• We know that the work of community cat and TNR
  advocates can get expensive. To help, we compiled
  a directory of low-cost and no-cost veterinary
  services thats searchable by state at
  alleycat.org/VetDirect.
• You can learn more ways to fund your work for
  community cats here.
• Our TNR resources are always on hand to help. You
  can find them all at alleycat.org/TNR.

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