Outdoor cats who are free-roaming or feral are considered “Community Cats.” They choose their territories because they have a food source and shelter there. They repay the favor by keeping additional cats from moving into the neighborhood and acting as non-toxic pest control!
These cats do not have to be brought into a shelter to be re-homed. They already have a home! They are content to live outdoors and most often have multiple caretakers. If a cat is healthy and in good body condition, she has found food and shelter and will thrive on her own. Plus, while some Community Cats may tolerate human contact, most would not be happy in a traditional indoor setting.
Instead, these cats benefit from Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR), where cats are humanely trapped, spayed or neutered and vaccinated, and returned to their communities. These cats have been eartipped, a painless surgical procedure where a small portion of the left ear tip is removed to act as a visual indicator that the cat has been spayed or neutered.
TNR is the only humane and effective approach to community cats, or unowned cats who live outdoors.
Love the cats in your neighborhood?
- TNR helps stabilize the population: Once TNR is in place, cats will no longer reproduce. As long as the colony continues to be managed appropriately, the population will decline naturally.
- TNR improves the lives of cats: TNR relieves cats of the physical and mental demands and consequences of mating, pregnancy, and fending for their young.
- TNR improves cats’ health: All cats are vaccinated, preventing the spread of disease. Spaying/neutering reduces the chance of cats developing mammary/testicular tumors and other health concerns.
- TNR increases cat safety: With a decreased drive to mate, cats are less likely to suffer injuries from fights, roadways, etc.
- TNR helps save lives: feral cats brought to the shelter are usually not suitable indoor pets, so are not candidates for placement by adoption. TNR allows the opportunity to live out their lives in their preferred outdoor homes.
- TNR reduces shelter admissions: This reduces shelter operating costs and increases shelter adoption rates, thereby allowing the shelter to save the lives of even more shelter animals!
Hate the cats in your neighborhood?
- TNR reduces or eliminates undesired behaviors: These include roaming, yowling, spraying, and/or fighting, which all generally cease after sterilization.
- TNR decreases the size of colonies: Once sterilized, cats no longer have new litters of kittens and their numbers decrease naturally and stably over time.
- TNR keeps new cats from moving in: When a cat or cats are removed from an area where there is a food source, new cats move in and/or the remaining cats continue to breed to capacity, contributing to overpopulation.
- TNR supports public health: All cats are vaccinated against rabies. These vaccinations protect the cat, community members, and other animals coming into contact with them, leading to healthier communities.
- TNR improves relationships: Not only does TNR make cats better neighbors, it helps create harmony between neighbors of the human variety when colonies are managed appropriately and responsibly.
- TNR is fiscally and socially responsible: Community Cats Programs help shelters operate efficiently and maximize lifesaving.
See the links below for more details about living with community cats, advocating for them, and deterrents!
Get more details about how to peacefully coexist and live with cats in your neighborhood, including tips for deterring them and keeping everyone healthy and safe, here.
Learn how you can help community cats here.
Learn how to become an advocate for community cats, and protect them, here.
