TNR (Trap Neuter Return) Program
This program helps and properly maintains feral cats in our community. Feral cats are also known as community cats, free-roaming cats, and outdoor cats. In Teller County, there are no laws or ordinances regarding cats. Nothing requires them to stay on anyone's property or be on a leash.
More about What Community Community cats are not just in Teller County but are often found all across the US. These cats are often not technically owned by a single individual or family but are often fed by a single person or group of people in the area. The cats are not friendly or social but are feral. However, they are not classified as wild animals. The issue arises when the cats in the group are not properly spayed or neutered and begin to overpopulate the area.
A female cat can breed three times a year with an average litter of four kittens at a time. In seven years without properly managing the population, one cat can produce 420,00 cats. Not only is that number alarming, but the population can become ill, and disease can spread quickly through the group. This is also when the once small group of outdoor cats can cause problems in a neighborhood and damage to property. It can be hard to tell the difference between a neighbor's outdoor-friendly cat and an unsocial community cat at first glance, making it challenging to know what your next steps are. TCRAS does not take in unsocial community cats because they are not adoptable, and removing them and taking them to another location is considered abandonment under the Colorado Revised Statute. |
What you can do about Community Cats and Get Involved. The best solution to the growing problem of community cats is TNR. This humane solution will decrease the number of cats born each year within the group in your area. It's a simple process that anyone can get started on to make a big difference in the lives of the cats and your neighborhood.
First, contact us or your local shelter and see if they have a program you can join. We work with the Veterinarians in Teller County and provide vouchers to those who want to trap and fix cats. Getting involved with a shelter or partnering with a veterinarian will make it easier for the cats to have their surgery done. Then, get a trap. You can use one of ours when you sign up for our TNR program, or you can buy one of your own. We recommend True Catch Traps as they are quiet and easy to use. Use the trap as a feeding station to allow the cats to become comfortable around the new equipment in their area. This will increase the likelihood of you being able to trap the cats you want to help. Once you are ready to set the trap, let the veterinarian or shelter know at least 24 hours before you plan to do so. We want the cat to be able to get into an appointment right away, so make sure you have a place to take the cat once it is trapped. We recommend you do not set the trap at night, as you are likely going to trap wildlife, not a cat. The best time is to set the trap early in the morning or at the time you typically feed in the morning. When the cat is trapped, it will be scared. Covering the trap with a towel or blanket will help the cat feel safer. Leave the cat in the trap and take it to the appointment you have already set. You will be asked to leave the cat in the trap after surgery. It's best to keep the cat in a garage or shed in the trap to allow the cat to safely wake up before you return to the area. After surgery, the cat will have part of its ear tip missing. This is to tell you that the cat has already been trapped and fixed. If you see a cat in your trap with an ear tip, you can release it back because you have been able to get it spayed or neutered. To learn more about the TNR programs around you, and the processes of TNR visit www.alleycat.org
Learn more about how to age kittens you may find in your area HERE |
Other Ways to Help
You can still make a difference even if there is no group of community cats in your immediate area.
You can donate HERE to help others pay for vouchers to get the cats they are trying to help and to help us buy more traps so that the community can take care of the cats.
You can sign up to help go out and physically trap cats and transport them to the veterinarian for a neighbor. Sometimes transportation is a barrier that stops people from trapping, and they quickly become overwhelmed with the number of cats they care for.
You can become a Foster to help support TCRAS or your local shelter during kitten season. When the weather begins to warm up, kittens are beginning to be born, and shelters are inundated with unwanted kittens.
You can donate HERE to help others pay for vouchers to get the cats they are trying to help and to help us buy more traps so that the community can take care of the cats.
You can sign up to help go out and physically trap cats and transport them to the veterinarian for a neighbor. Sometimes transportation is a barrier that stops people from trapping, and they quickly become overwhelmed with the number of cats they care for.
You can become a Foster to help support TCRAS or your local shelter during kitten season. When the weather begins to warm up, kittens are beginning to be born, and shelters are inundated with unwanted kittens.