BEST PRACTICES FOR TRAP-NEUTER-VACCINATE-RETURN (TNVR) FOR STRAY/FERAL COMMUNITY CATS

PLANNING:  Before any trapping can be done, a PLAN must be in place.  See below for further information to help you get ready for a future TNVR project.

  • Talk to Neighbors - Before you start trapping, talk to your neighbors to find out if any of the cats are owned.  If not, let them know what you are doing.  Many times cats are being fed by other people as well.  Reach out to neighbors, post flyers, etc. to see if anyone else is feeding the cats.  It is very important that all feeders are on the same plan so the cats aren’t fed prior to trapping.  Cats that are not hungry will not go into traps.

  • Get the Cats on a Feeding Schedule - Cats fed at the same time in the same place every day are much easier to trap.  Do not leave food out for extended periods of time or leave food out overnight.  Remove any uneaten food after an hour.  Cats will learn the feeding schedule and will then show up at the expected time each day.  

  • Document the Cat Colony - Take note of all the cats that are being fed.  Kittens have to be 2-3 lbs to be spay/neutered.  There may also be other options for kittens between 8 and 16 weeks. Please fill out our online form at www.friendsofferalfelines.org/contact for more information about options for kittens.

  • Check Clinic Availability - Determine which vet clinics provide vet services to stray/feral community cats in your area.  Please fill out our online form at www.friendsofferalfelines.org/contact for more information about clinics in the Charlotte, NC area.  Take note of drop-off and pick-up times at each clinic.  Schedule TNVR appointments at a clinic.  DO NOT TRAP A CAT WITHOUT AN APPOINTMENT (unless it is sick or injured and needs immediate care).

  • Get Traps - Rent or borrow traps from local TNR organizations, animal shelters, or humane societies.  Please fill out our online form at www.friendsofferalfelines.org/contact if you need to borrow or rent a trap in Charlotte, NC.  You can also purchase your own traps.  We suggest 2 door traps as they are safer for the cats and easier to use.  

  • Trapping Supplies - Gather supplies such as newspaper/cardboard/puppy pads to line the bottom of the trap, old towels/blankets/sheets to cover the trap, and food to use as bait in the trap.  Fragrant food options are best: tuna or sardines in water, soft cat food, mackerel, salmon, or oven roasted chicken (no flavoring/seasoning) are a few options.  

  • Identify a Holding/Recovery Space - If you trap the night before your appointment, keep the cat in the trap in a dry, secure, and temperature controlled location away from other animals.  This location will also be where the cat recovers overnight after surgery.  Bathrooms (bathtubs), laundry rooms, sheds, or garages that are not too hot or too cold work well. Trapped and covered cats must NEVER be kept outside during the holding period. They are vulnerable and cannot defend themselves. A sheet does not provide protection from wild animals that might wander on your property. The care and safety of community cats must also be a priority in all TNVR efforts!  

  • Prepare Your Recovery Space & Vehicle - Use a plastic material such as a tarp, shower curtain liner, or garbage bag to line your recovery area.  Place puppy pads or newspaper (not glossy ads) on top of the plastic material to soak up any urine that could happen, and place the trap on top.  This same set-up will be used in your vehicle during transportation.  Do NOT transport the cat(s) to the clinic in the open bed of a pickup truck or the trunk/frunk of a car.

TRAPPING (T) - Do not feed the cats for at least 24 hours prior to trapping.  Cats need to be hungry so that they will enter the trap to eat the food.  Cats should have access to fresh water at all times.

  • Bait - Dribble juice from the food (canned cat food, tuna, mackerel) at the trap entrance and put the bait itself only in the back of the trap on a paper plate cut in half or small piece of cardboard so the cat will go all the way into the trap to eat. You can add small bits of food as a trail to the food “lottery”.

  • Covering the Trap - When you set the trap, place a sheet or towel over the top of the trap and both sides. Leave the back and front cover up so the cat can see through the trap and then fully cover the trap when the cat is in the trap. If it is windy, or you are having difficulty trapping the cat, you may consider trapping without a cover.  It is essential to cover the trap immediately after the cat is trapped to minimize stress. The cat may initially be upset and thrash around; however, cats generally calm down once the trap is covered and they feel protected.  The trap should be covered the entire time the cat is in the trap. 

  • Watch the Trap - NEVER leave a trap unattended and NEVER set a trap overnight.  Hang around nearby, but out of sight so you don’t scare the cat off.  Check the trap frequently, preferably every 10-20 minutes - you can usually hear the trap door closing, if you are within earshot. A trapped cat may dash at the door in an attempt to get out. You do not want a cat to be injured during trapping.

NEUTER/SPAY (N) & VACCINATE (V) - 

  • Sterilize All Cats - All cats should be spayed or neutered as soon as possible.  Kittens can get pregnant as early as 4 months of age.  Pregnant cats can be spayed as it is much safer than giving birth outdoors alone and up to 75% of kittens die outside before reaching 6 months of age.  Spay/neuter of community cats stops the cycle, mitigates overpopulation, and helps to alleviate suffering.

  • Ear Tipping - Cats receive an ear-tip (¼ of the top left ear is clipped) while they are sedated for their spay/neuter surgery.  The purpose of the ear-tip is to identify free-roaming cats that have already been fixed so they are not repeatedly retrapped, transported, & sedated.  Only re-trap an ear-tipped cat if the cat is sick or has an injury.  If you catch an ear tipped cat or other wildlife, release it and reset your trap.

  • Vaccinations/Medications - All community cats are vaccinated for Rabies and some clinics also give the FVRCP - (Distemper) vaccine as part of a TNVR package. It is humane to ask for flea treatment to aid with the health and recovery of community cats. Flea/tick medication, dewormer, and microchips, along with other services can be provided, but there is usually an additional charge for services not included in a TNVR package.

RETURNING (R) - (See ‘Recovery Instructions’ for a thorough review/explanation of this process.)

  • Recovery - Once home after surgery, place the covered trap in a quiet, climate controlled, enclosed and protected area away from people and other animals.  Healthy male cats can be returned after 24 hours/1 night, and healthy female cats can be returned 48 hours/2 nights after their surgery.  Female cats who were found to be pregnant or in heat during their spay may need 72 hours/3 nights of recovery time. Make sure all cats are fully conscious, clear-eyed, and alert before returning outdoors.  Anesthesia and pain medication impact a community cat’s ability to protect themselves.

    • Lactation/Kittens - If you learn a female cat was lactating during her spay, you can return the female cat later the night of surgery as long as she’s bright and alert so she can go find her kittens (or return her the next morning when she's alert.)  If you don’t know where her kittens are, keep a close eye on her because she will most likely run to her kittens when returned - https://www.alleycat.org/community-cat-care/tnr-scenarios-nursing-mother-cat/ 

  • Feeding & Care - When the cat appears awake and alert, offer a small amount of moist cat food and water.  Don’t worry if the cat doesn’t eat right away, most will have eaten by the next morning.  When feeding, lift the back door of the trap slowly and only allow a small gap.  Slide a piece of cardboard/small paper plate with food on it through the gap.  Do NOT put your hand inside the trap. Replace soiled puppy pads under the trap at this time

  • Return - Return the cat to exactly where it was originally trapped. Allow the covered trap to acclimate for about 5 minutes and prepare food to be placed in the direction the cat will run. Do NOT release to a new location as this is cruel!  Anyone present should be quietly standing behind the trap.  Open the back door of the trap, making sure the trap is pointed in a safe direction - away from a street/busy area, then pull the trap cover off, and step back.

CLEANING - 

  • Cleaning - Don’t forget to clean and sanitize the traps and trap covers.  Remove all waste inside the trap, use water and regular dish soap to scrub the trap.  Spray the trap with a hose to rinse off soap residue and allow the trap to dry completely.  Also, make sure to wipe down and disinfect the area where you recovered the cat.   

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES and VIDEOS - 

Revised 4.2.25


Recovery space set-up in a spare bathroom. Picture from a follower.

Car prepared to transport cats. Picture from Cat Man Chris.