Best Practices for Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) for 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 TNR 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 lbs to be spay/neutered.  There may also be other options for kittens between 8 and 16 weeks. Please fill out our contact form 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 contact form for more information about clinics in the Charlotte, NC area.  Take note of drop-off and pick-up times at each clinic.  Schedule 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 contact form if you need to borrow a trap in Charlotte, NC.  You can also purchase your own traps.  We suggest 2 door traps as they are safer for the cats.  

  • 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, soft cat food, mackerel, sardines (in water), salmon, or oven roasted chicken 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, laundry rooms, or garages that are not too hot or too cold work well.   

  • Prepare Your Vehicle - Use a waterproof material such as a tarp, shower curtain liner, or garbage bag to line your vehicle.  Place an old towel or puppy pad on top of the waterproof material to soak up any urine that could happen while the cat is riding in the 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.

  • Watch the Traps - NEVER leave a trap unattended for longer than 15 minutes and never set a trap overnight.  

  • 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 small paper plate cut in half or bowl so the cat will go all the way into the trap to eat.

  • Covering the Trap - Have a sheet or towel close by so that as soon as the cat triggers the trap, you can immediately cover the trap with the sheet or towel.  The cat may initially be upset and may thrash; 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.  Optionally, when you set the trap, you can place the sheet or towel on the trap and pull it up in the back and front so the cat can see through the trap and then fully cover the trap when the cat is in the trap.  

NEUTER/SPAY (N) - 

  • 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 everyone to stop the cycle, mitigate overpopulation, and to end suffering.

  • Ear Tipping - Cats also 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, release it and reset your trap.

  • Vaccinations/Medications - All community cats are vaccinated for Rabies and some clinics also give the FVRCP - Feline Rhinovirus, Calici, and Panleukopenia (Distemper) vaccine as part of a TNR package.  Some clinics also provide flea/tick medication and microchips.  You may be able to ask for other services but there is usually an additional charge for services not included in a TNR package.

RETURNING (R) - 

  • Recovery - Once home after surgery, place the covered trap in a safe and protected recovery area away from other animals.  Cats can be returned between 12 and 48 hours post surgery.  Make sure all cats are fully conscious, clear-eyed, and alert before returning outdoors.

  • Feeding - 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 plastic lid/small paper plate with food on it through the gap.  Do NOT put your hand inside the trap. 

  • Lactation/Kittens - If you learn a female cat was lactating during her spay surgery, 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.  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.

  • Return - Return the cat to exactly where it was originally trapped.  Do NOT release to a new location as this is cruel!  All people should be standing behind the trap.  Open the back door of the trap, making sure the trap is pointed away from a street, then pull the trap cover off, and step back.

CLEANING - 

  • Cleaning - Don’t forget to clean and sanitize the traps and trap covers after each use.  Remove all waste inside the trap, use water and regular dish soap to scrub all sides of the trap, and allow the trap to air dry completely.  Also, make sure to wipe down and clean the area where you recovered the cat.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES and VIDEOS - 

Have additional questions? Please email [email protected].

Updated July 2024

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

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