It is kitten season again!
Every shelter in the
every rescue organization is overwhelmed with daily intakes of mother
cats with their litters, orphaned kittens and juvenile cats. This
is a national problem of major proportion.
Animals Abused & Abandoned has been approached by several
organizations this year to help with the only humane solution to the
problem that is practiced today - TNR (Trap Neuter Release).
Did you know that feral and stray cats are the greatest source of cat
overpopulation in the United States? A feral cat is the offspring
of a lost or abandoned pet cat and is typically too fearful or wild to
be handled. A stray is a pet cat lost or abandoned,
accustomed to contact with people, though over time many become totally
More than 70% of
the cats who enter the pounds and
shelters are killed. In fact, 11,000 cats and dogs every day, or
4 million each year, are euthanized nationally.
- How the Trap Neuter Release Program Works
This is the most humane and
effective way to reduce the community
cat population and to adopt the kittens and friendly adults.
- Humane traps are set-up to capture free roaming cats in targeted
- Spay/neuter surgeries are performed. During surgery, they are
vaccinated against rabies and are ear-tipped on one ear as an
- Cats that cannot be tamed are returned to their original
- Once TNRed, designated caregivers provide food, water, shelter,
monitor for sickness and trap new ferals for TNR or new tame cats
for possible adoption.
- TNR improves the quality of life for existing colonies by
stabilizing the population, preventing births, reducing the number of
injured adults and dying kittens, complaints about cats yowling,
spraying and fighting over mates. They stop reproducing and die
- There is a misconception that feral cats can be eliminated by
trapping, removing and killing. It has been proven to be an
ineffective method of controlling feral cat colonies. While using
this approach, cat communities continue to explode.
A few Statistics per Havahart, October 9,
2012 that show how effective
- In the US alone, only 3% of free-roaming cats are
- One female cat has the ability to produce roughly 100 kittens in
- A female cat may reproduce two to three times a year.
- Cats can become pregnant at 5 months of age.
- In California alone, animal control agencies and shelters for
cat-related expenses spend more than $50 million per year.
- TNR costs roughly $50-$60 for the entire process, while it
generally costs about $100-$105 to euthanize a cat.
are a few examples proving TNR works:
- An 11 year study at the University of Florida, a TNR program was
implemented and the number of cats on campus declined by 66%.
- At the Univ. of Texas A&M, a TNR program was put into effect
and sterilized 123 cats in one year - no new kittens the next year.
- Berkley and San Diego County euthanasia rates dropped 50% since
free sterilization and TNR programs were put into place.
- Indianapolis Animal Care & Control experienced at 37% drop in
feral cat intake since the Indy Feral program was started in 2002.
- In a study done by Best Friends Animal Sanctuary and
Petsmart Charities, it states that to trap and kill feral cats
costs the tax payers $16 billion vs TNR approximately $9 billion
Please join us and become part of a humane answer to a
problem. Every donation will help be part of the solution
to achieve the common goal of no more unwanted births throughout your
Click Here to
Make a Donation
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