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TNR Process

TNR Programs help stabilize and eventually reduce the population of community cats over time.  Once the cats are spayed or neutered, they no longer contribute to the cycle of reproduction. Combined with natural attrition, the population gradually diminishes in a humane and effective way.

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Additional Benefits

  • Fighting, yowling and other noise associated with mating stops almost entirely

  • Male urine spraying to mark territory is reduced or entirely eliminated

  • Male cats are no longer driven to mate so they roam less and become less visible

  • The cats are healthier and less like to spread feline diseases

  • Rodent control is maintained by the cats' continued presence

​TNR is an acronym for a program called Trap - Neuter - Return

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T - TRAPPING a cat requires:​

  • identifying the location of the cat and monitoring its habits and movements

  • understanding their feeding schedule

  • placing a trap where they are most likely to walk into to obtain the food

  • once the cat is trapped, the trap it is covered to calm the cat

  • the cat is transported to the clinic for scheduled surgery

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N - NEUTERING requires:

  • the cat is under anesthesia

  • male cats are neutered, female cats are spayed (aka "fixed" or "sterilized")

  • rabies and distemper injections are administered and ear is tipped

  • cats will remain at the clinic for recovery from the anesthesia​

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R - RETURNING the cat requires:

  • transporting the cat back to original location for release

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  EVERYTHING above requires:​

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EAR TIPPING

The universal sign that a cat has been spayed or neutered is the "ear tip" or "ear notch." This is a small portion of the tip of the left ear (typically) that is surgically removed while the cat is under anesthesia during the spay/neuter procedure.

Key points about ear-tipping:

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  • It is painless for the cat since it is done while they are under anesthesia.

  • It provides a clear and visible signal that the cat has been sterilized, which is particularly useful for community cats in Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) programs.

  • Ear-tipping helps avoid unnecessary trapping or surgeries for already sterilized cats.

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