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  • Home
  • APAL
    • A-PAL History >
      • A-PAL Humane Society Leadership Team
      • APAL Leadership Opportunities
    • APAL Programs >
      • The Rusty Fund >
        • Rusty's Pet Tails
      • Save the Kittens
      • Spay or Neuter
      • Second Chance K9 >
        • TCK9-2014 Graduates
      • Community Cats >
        • Understanding Feral Cats
        • How to Trap a Feral Cat
      • Special Needs >
        • Special Needs Stories
      • Adopt a Friend
      • Trap-Neuter-Return
      • APAL Tracking Our Progress
    • Support A-PAL >
      • Volunteer for APAL
      • Foster for A-Pal >
        • Foster Forms >
          • Foster Program Protocol
          • Kitten Health Checklist
          • Kitten Growth Chart
          • Guide to Feline URI
      • Donate to A-PAL >
        • Donate your Car
        • Giving Tuesday 2020
      • A-PAL Wish List
      • A-PAL Facility Sponsor
    • APAL Events >
      • APAL Calendar
      • APAL Past Events >
        • SantaPaws2019
        • Bark in the Park 2019
        • Whiskers and Wine 2017
        • Whiskers and Wine 2014
        • Bark in the Park 2014
        • Whiskers and Wine 2015
        • Bark In The Park 2015
        • Maui Raffle
        • Santa Paws 2015
    • Partners >
      • Shelter Partners >
        • Shelter Partners on TSPN
        • Dec14News-PitBulls
        • Jan15News-Excel
        • Feb15News-BenefitsOfPets
        • Feb15News-HarmfulAlgaeBlooms
        • Mar15News-Hoarding
        • Apr15News-TNR
        • Sep15News-QAMargeB
        • Oct15News-ButteFire
        • Oct15News-Bats
        • Nov15News-SeparationAnxiety
        • Dec15News-Tips4Treats
        • Jan16-Volunteer
        • Apr16-TNR
        • July16News-Center
        • Sep16News-ACART
        • Nov17News-ServiceDogs
  • TCWC
    • Find an animal in need? >
      • Audio Wildlife Tips
      • WhereAreWe
    • TCWC History >
      • TCWC Leadership Team
      • TCWC Leadership Opportunities
    • Wildlife Programs >
      • Education >
        • TCWC Education Events >
          • TCWC Education Animals
        • WildlifeSavesUs
        • Living Wildlife Friendly >
          • Save the Bees
          • Holiday Decorations
          • Kill That Lawn
          • Songbird Concert Tips
          • Holiday Trash
          • Alert Your Birds
          • Water to Help the Critters!
          • Bread is for Sandwiches
          • No Dogs Allowed
          • Repurpose to Feed the Birds
          • GoNative
          • Netting It Out
          • Balloons
          • E-Waste
          • Organic Food
          • AllThatGlitters
          • Fly Strips and Glue Traps
          • Toxic Household Products
          • Recycling Pumpkins
          • Tree Trimming Tips
          • Saving Venomous Species
          • Think Biodegradeable
        • Nuisance Wildlife >
          • Nuisance-SayNoToTrapping
          • Foxlights
          • Wildproof Your Home
        • Gold Country Critters
        • Keep Them Wild and Free
        • TCWC Videos
        • Points to Ponder
      • TCWC-Tracking Our Progress >
        • TCWC 2016 Impact Report
        • TCWC 2017 Impact Report
        • TCWC 2018 Impact Report
        • TCWC 2019 Impact Report
        • TCWC 2020 Impact Report
      • TCWC Patients >
        • Success Stories >
          • 1 - Opossum Call
          • 2 - Raccoon Behind the Grill!
          • 3 - Saving a Raven
          • LongTripHome
          • Anita's Bird Comes Home
          • College the Wild Way
          • Releases
        • TCWC Critter Show
    • TCWC Events >
      • TCWC Calendar >
        • GivingTuesday2020
        • TCWC-WildlifeClasses2020
        • TCWC-WildlifeWorkshop2020
        • Paws&Claws2020
      • Past TCWC Events >
        • Paws & Claws 2019
        • No Dinner-Dinner
        • Paws&Claws 2018
        • AnimalScapes
        • Paws & Claws 2016
        • TCWC Grand Opening
        • Wildlife Workshop 2014
        • Paws & Claws 2014
        • Hot Rod Heaven 2014
        • Paws & Claws 2015
        • Paws&Claws2017
        • Paws&Claws2018
        • TCWC-No Shower Baby Shower
    • Support TCWC >
      • Giving >
        • Shop-Create
        • TCWC Wish List
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          • DonateCarToTCWC
      • Volunteer at TCWC
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  • Support
    • PawsPartners Events >
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      • Bird Shower
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    • Donate
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    • Newsletters >
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    • Blog
  • Gratitude
    • TCWC-Gratitude >
      • BusinessSupporters
      • Our Volunteers
      • InMemoriam >
        • Sandy
        • Cockrill
        • Glenyce
  • About
    • Contact TCWC
    • Contact A-PAL
    • Privacy Policy
    • Affiliations
    • Links >
      • ContentSubmissionForm
    • Critter Chronicles >
      • Watson
      • Don't Fawn!
      • Art - the Cooper's Hawk
      • Mugsy-CommunityCat
      • Trash Kitty!
      • Gretchen&Ginger
      • MajesticBird
      • DuckTherapy
      • MrJunco
      • TheOddCouple
      • The Twins
      • WillToSurvive
      • MeetMandy
      • Furrever - Chloe
      • Charlie the Corgi
    • Kids
    • Shop >
      • Learn More >
        • Promote Our Store
        • Submit Art
      • Volunteer Gear
      • Shop These Stores
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      • Shop A-PAL Humane Society
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  • SiteMap

a Trap / Neuter / Return Refresher

Since 2003, A-PAL Humane Society has been underwriting the cost of spay and neuter surgeries for cats as a key part of reducing feral cat populations in the county. In 2013, after discovering that 25% of these “ferals” were actually tame, abandoned pets, A-PAL initiated the Community Cats program, which enabled it to remove ferals from the animal shelter, spay or neuter them, and return them to their colonies. This is “TNR” (Trap/Neuter/Return). TNR eliminates the need for the routine 72-hour hold and subsequent euthanasia of feral cats previously required at the shelter. Here is how it works.

WHAT IS TRAP/NEUTER/RETURN (TNR)?
TNR is a clearly defined process in which a feral cat is humanely trapped, spayed or neutered at a participating veterinary facility, and returned to the location where it was captured. In Amador County, suitable traps can be borrowed from the Amador County Animal Control and Adoption Center for a refundable deposit of $75. They are also available from the Feed Barn, for the same refundable deposit plus a $3-a-day rental. Detailed instructions for the use of these traps are available at http://www.feralcat.com/trapinst.html. Contact one of the participating veterinarians listed HERE and let them know you are trapping cats. The spay/neuter procedure will be performed free of charge. Some vets will ask that you pay for the cost of a rabies vaccination ($15-$18).

ARE FERAL CATS A PROBLEM?
Feral cats are often singled out as a nuisance and a threat to domestic cats or other pets outside the house. This can certainly be the case, as ferals tend to be more aggressive due to their lack of socialization and elevated 'wild' hormone levels. However, this assertion is not documented with verifiable data. One issue that is reasonably well documented is the threat feral cats pose to wildlife. Data indicates that feral cats are responsible for the death of billions of birds and small mammals worldwide - even threatening endangered species in a few locales. In the U.S. alone, it is estimated that there are 70 million feral cats, and that they are responsible for the extinction of as many as 33 different species.

WHY TNR?
There is little evidence to support “Catch and Kill” as a successful method of controlling population. TNR is a humane method to reduce the growth of feral cat populations by eliminating the ability of treated animals to reproduce. It encourages community participation by removing the threat of death from the process. People who have been feeding feral cats need not worry that “their” cats might be euthanized should they elect to participate in the program.TNR works for a broad range of reasons. Neutered cats show far less aggressive behavior, reducing their impact on both wildlife and domestic pets. They also exhibit reduced territorial marking behaviors, while retaining the hunting instincts that can help with unwanted rodent populations. There are no 'quick fixes'; but it has been shown that, over time, a good TNR program does indeed control the population in feral cat colonies without having to euthanize innocent animals.
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