Save Lives - TNVR

TNVR - what is it? How does it work? TNVR stands for  Trap, Neuter, Vaccinate and Return . Community cats are trapped and taken to a local veterinarian. The cat is humanely trapped, spayed/neutered, vaccinated for rabies and FVRCP (Feline Viral Rhinotracheitis, Calicivirus, and Panleukopenia), have the tip of one ear removed, and then returned to their colony to live out the remainder of their days. 

TNR has been scientifically proven  to reduce the number of kittens born in the wild by interrupting the cat breeding cycle. Female cats are able to have multiple litters a year, as early as 6 months of age — while they are still kittens themselves! While these feral cats are not adoptable, we can still improve their lives and help the community with any nuisance behavior as spay/neuter surgery helps stave off hormonal responses which can cause marking, fighting among colony cats, and overpopulation of community cats. Cats are also vaccinated and given any necessary medical attention, likely for the first time in their whole lives.

Community Cats

What is a community cat you ask?  A community cat is a cat that lives outdoors in the community and does not belong to any person as a pet.  Cats have actually been living outside for many, many years and the capability of having indoor-only cats only became a reality in the mid-20 th century.  Community cats are comprised of strays, feral and semi-feral cats and typically live in their own little communities we call colonies.  Most colonies have dedicated caretakers who feed and care for the cats the best they can and ideally will facilitate TNVR for those cats; however, not all caretakers are familiar with TNVR and/or are able to facilitate TNVR for their colonies.  That is where dedicated volunteers called “trappers” come in either through a volunteer group or rescue organization or as individuals.

How is TNVR performed you ask? The volunteers arrive at the colony location and set humane traps baited with food for the cats.  Once a cat is trapped it is taken to a veterinary clinic where vaccinations are administered and the sterilization surgery is performed, neuter for a male and spay for a female, and the tip of the ear is removed while under anesthesia.  Why do they remove the tip of the ear you ask?  This is done so when the cat is subsequently seen outdoors people will recognize that it is a community cat that has been sterilized and vaccinated and if the cat happens to be re-trapped it can be released. Once the cat has recovered from surgery it is returned to its colony to live out the remainder of its days.  

W hy perform TNVR you ask?  TNVR helps control the population of community cats through sterilization, reduces the amount of male cats fighting over females and helps keep them healthy and avoid certain diseases like mammary and testicular cancers.  TRVR also provides vaccinations to help prevent rabies and Calicivirus, Panleukopenia (distemper), and Rhinotracheitis.  Nuisance complaints are also reduced due to the lack of fighting and mating.  When you control the population there are less cats to become sick, injured, fall victim to predators, weather conditions, diseases, automobiles and unkind people.  Additionally, no other methods of population control have been effective outside of TNVR.