TNR for “Community Cats” Approved in Indiana, PA - National Humane Education Society
Paws Up!
June 17, 2020
To the Indiana Borough Council for approving the trap, neuter, and release of community cats to help humanely decrease their population.
We are in the midst of kitten season. This time of year, animal shelters and rescues are inundated with these adorable bundles of fur. If these kittens do not make it to a home or animal shelter, they are left to fend for themselves. Sadly, they can succumb to illness or injury. If they do survive, they become part of stray cat colonies, often referred to as feral cat colonies. These colonies exist in many areas throughout the United States. To help humanely decrease the population of a colony, spaying and neutering the cats are critical since kittens as young as four months of age can become pregnant. Many caring individuals have taken on the responsibility of providing for these homeless animals by setting up feeding stations and spaying or neutering the ones they can trap. Often, they encounter resistance from neighbors or businesses and even laws that prohibit them from feeding feral cats.
Some lawmakers understand that it takes a community effort to combat the ever-increasing population within a feral cat colony. They see the validity of spaying and neutering these cats and have approved trap, neuter, release (TNR) programs, as well as laws to protect the caretakers from any liability. In 2018, Delaware passed the first statewide TNR law. This week, in Indiana, Pennsylvania, councilmembers voted in favor of an ordinance to allow individuals to participate in TNR programs to help manage their “community cat” population.
If you see a roaming cat with a clipped ear, that indicates a spay or neuter surgery has been performed. To learn more about TNR, please download our free brochure here.
Take Action: Indiana, PA, residents you can help homeless animals by spaying or neutering your pets, or volunteering to spay or neuter a community cat.
I live in ft. Mohave AZ and have a feral colony I feed mama and daddy and three kittens trying to trap mama she has weened kittens i have caught two kittens and going to try to keep them one has been living inside for about 4 weeks now but he is very mean at times hope he grows out of that caught the other this morning still trying for third kitten i can catch daddy he is quite tame but in very bad shape spay and nuter is very expensive where can i get some help for these poor kitties
Hi Alicia,
Thank you for trying to take care of these cats and kittens. Upon searching around your area, we found a low cost spay/neuter clinic in Kingman, AZ: https://www.lowcostspayneuteraz.org/
Also, there is a nonprofit organization called We Care for Animals in Arizona that works with communities to trap, neuter, and return (TNR) feral cat colonies. Reach out to them for resources near you: https://wecareforanimalsaz.org/
We hope this helps!
I live in Saltsburg PA and my cat is already on her second litter of kittens this year. They just opened their eyes this week and I swear they double in size every day. I need to get hee fixed immediately but my next pay is not 9nly very pathetic but wint be here until the end of the month about the 26th. Is there anyone who can help me get this cat fixed? Running out of good homes to place them.
Hello Sarina,
I would recommend reaching out to Spay Today. They will be able to help you find a low cost solution. Here is a link to their website: https://www.spay-today.org/
The phone number to reach them is (304)728-8330. Good luck!
Can you help with low cost neuter for a cat
Hi Shelly, our Spay Today program works with participating veterinarians to offer reduced-cost spay/neuter surgeries to residents in Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia. Do you live in any of those states? If so, please call 340-728-8330 between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Tuesday thru Friday, or visit their website at https://www.spay-today.org/. If you don’t live in any of those states, where do you live?
We live in Penn Run PA and we have a farm and a business. The cats are multiplying at the farm and we have a feral that showed up about 6 months ago that just had two kittens. Where and what program do I contact for TNR? We don’t mind paying for the spay neuter but definitely want to control the population we are ending up with.
Hi Missy,
Thank you for your interest in TNR programs! I found a few programs near you that might be able to assist you. https://tailsofhopewpa.org/ and https://www.oaklandtnrcoalition.org/. Let me know if you need anymore help.
A cat showed up at Butter milk falls Indiana County the left ear is clipped how do I know he/she is a TNT recipient or just a cat with damaged ear.
Hi Lisa,
Since the clip is on the left ear, it is likely a TNR cat. It should look like a perfectly straight and clean cut.