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Trap, Neuter, Release Program
Help your community cats by participating in our feral cat spay and neuter program!
NOTE: Our TNR services are now available. Limit 5 surgeries per day.
Monday through Thursday
Excluding Holidays
No appointments are necessary!
First come, first served
Limit two feral cats per person, per day
All feral cats must be in a trap & arrive by 7:00 a.m., Check-in is at 7:15 a.m.
$45 per feral cat due at the time of drop off
All cats that test positive for Feline Leukemia, FIV,
or Heartworms will be humanely euthanized to protect the health of other community cats.
Each cat will receive:
A Rabies Vaccine
Spay/Neuter
Pain Medication
Ear Tip
FELV/FIV testing at the doctor's discretion
All cats must be picked up between 2 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. on the same day.
TRAPPING INSTRUCTIONS
Preparation
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Feed the feral cats at the same time and same place each day
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Leave the trap UNSET and covered with a large towel so the cat will get used to seeing the trap and will become familiar with it.
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ONLY trap the night before you plan to bring in the cat. Cats can eat up until midnight and have water up until 6 a.m. on the day of surgery.
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Prepare a comfortable and sheltered area where you can hold the cats before and after their appointments. If it is hot and sunny, be sure to have the trap in a consistently shaded area and lined with newspaper.
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Prepare a space in the vehicle that you will use to transport the cat.
Set Traps
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Set traps just before the cat's normal feeding time, dawn and dusk are best.
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Don't trap in rain or heat without adequate protection for the trap!
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Fold a piece of newspaper to line the bottom of the trap just covering the trip plate. Cats don't like walking on the wire surface and newspaper helps keep their feet from going through when the trap is lifted.
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Use "smelly" food to bait the trap. Canned mackerel is very effective and relatively inexpensive.
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Soak a small scrap of newspaper (two or three inches by three or four inches) in the mackerel juice and place it on the ground where you plan to place the rear of the trap.
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Put about a tablespoon of food onto the soaked newspaper scrap and place it in the trap as far back as possible. You want the cat to go all the way into the trap to avoid being injured.
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After baiting the trap, lock open the trap door. When the cat steps on the plate, it will cause the door to close.
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Cover the trap with a large towel to camouflage it and calm the cat.
Wait and Trap
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Never leave traps unattended or unprotected. Wait quietly where you can still see the traps.
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When the cat is caught, move the trap to a quiet area and look to see that you have the correct animal and not a pet or previously altered feral cat. You can tell if a feral cat has been previously altered by checking to see if the tip of one of the ears is missing.
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Cover the trap back up as soon as possible so the cat does not struggle or injure itself.
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If you have captured a nursing female, check the area for kittens and remember that this female must be released within 10-12 hours after surgery so she can care for and nurse her kittens!
Hold
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Hold cats overnight, if necessary, then bring them in.
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Keep the trap covered with a towel and check periodically. Usually, they will be quiet. DO NOT put fingers in the trap or allow children or pets near the trap.
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Wash and change your clothes before having any contact with your own pets as a precaution against spreading any contagious disease that the cat may carry.
Release
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For post-op recovery care, many cats will recover from the anesthesia used for their surgery by late evening of the same day as the surgery. It is still recommended that they remain in their traps, until the following day.
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Never relocate an animal as it will become disoriented and can die.
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Keep the trap covered until you are ready to release. When ready, simply hold the trap with the door facing away from you and open the door. Never put your hand in the trap.
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After release, hose off each trap and disinfect with bleach to prevent the spreading of disease.
**Homeless/feral cats are wild animals and can scratch and bite, these can be very serious. If you are scratched or bitten, get medical attention immediately and do not release the cat.**
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