Feral cat populations are abundant in rural, suburban, and urban areas. Fighting, marking territory, and litter after litter of kittens are trademarks of unaltered feral cat communities. These nuisance behaviors can be eliminated through TNR (Trap-Neuter-Return). Through this method, stray and feral cats are humanely trapped, vaccinated for rabies, and sterilized by a veterinarian. They are then returned to their original habitat.

TNR immediately stabilizes size of the cat colony by eliminating new litters. Nuisance behavior is dramatically lessened simply because the urge to mate has been taken away. The returned cats guard their territory, preventing un-neutered cats from moving in and starting the cycle of overpopulation. When practiced on a community-wide scale, Trap-Neuter-Return reduces the number of cats pouring into local shelters, lowering euthanasia rates.

The alternative to TNR is the “catch and kill” method. “Catch and kill” has proven over time to be ineffective and very costly. Aside from being inhumane, it simply does not prevent over-population; as cats are permanently removed from an area, more cats will be drawn in due to the food source and shelter that was sustaining the previous group of cats. The cycle of over-population will start anew.

Learn about the TNR process, low cost spay/neuter options, and using feral cat traps at the upcoming Feral & Stray Cat Seminar hosted by Peace for Pets on Saturday, March 15, from 10:00am to noon. Location is the Jackson Branch Public Library at 7487 Fulton Drive NW in Massillon.

Interested parties are encouraged to pre-register by calling 330-484-9537 or by emailing info@peaceforpets.org.

Peace for Pets is a nonprofit organization in Northeast Ohio dedicated to helping animals. Their mission is to encourage and educate on the humane treatment of all animals, refine and develop programs to assist pet owners in caring for and protecting pets, and inspire community involvement and activism.