Tens of MILLIONS of cats are free-roaming in the United States. Without intervention, these cats breed rapidly resulting in an overpopulation problem. It is not feasible to rescue all feral cats and find them homes. Their lack of socialization often does not make them candidates for indoor living.

Trap-Neuter-Return (Release), or TNR, is the only humane and effective way to control the overpopulation of feral cats in the United States. This reduces the number of free-roaming cats while lowering euthanasia rates and reducing the spread of disease.

The first step in TNR is to humanely trap the cat(s) in a live trap. Then, captured cats are brought to be altered, tested for feline leukemia (FIV), and vaccinated for rabies. FIV positive cats are humanely euthanized as this is a very contagious and deadly disease. After recovery, cats are returned to where they came from. If return to their original colony is not possible, they will be released as “working cats” on properties that can provide them food, water, and shelter.

Stray cats have been socialized with humans, and/or were once indoor or outdoor pets that have become lost or abandoned.

Feral cats have had little or no contact with humans and have always lived on their own out doors.