TNR (Trap Neuter Return)

What Is TNR?

TNR, or Trap Neuter Return, is an effective and humane method to manage community (free-roaming) cats. These cats are trapped, evaluated, vaccinated and sterilized by a local veterinarian, and finally returned to their original colony. Where circumstances permit, cats may be ultimately put up for adoption or placed into barn homes. These circumstances include:

Young kittens that can be socialized and put up for adoption.
Friendly cats (known as strays) that likely had human families but were lost or abandoned.
If the location they were trapped in is too dangerous to return them, they will be placed into barn homes where they can remain free yet safe.

Following are two excellent online resources that we encourage you to visit to learn more about the process of TNR.

www.alleycat.org

www.neighborhoodcats.org

We have focused this page on TNR in Northeast Ohio and, more specifically, Lorain County in which Storm’s Angels Rescue is based. TNR in our area truly takes a community effort to make strides in what has increasingly become a mounting hurdle.

TNR in Lorain County

We’d love to have you join us in our TNR efforts! You can volunteer for as little or as much time as you’d like. Help with trapping, transportation, or temporary short-term fostering. Full training will be provided. If interested please Contact us to see how you can help!

Why Should I Care?

Why Should I Care About TNR?

Simply stated, the problem in Lorain County is HUGE! In 2018 Fox 4 Southwest Florida stated in a national report concerning Lorain, Ohio that there were estimated to be around 9,000 feral cats in the city. And the numbers have only increased greatly since then. In their story, it was reported that attempts were being made to set up a non-profit tasked with battling the problem. Storm’s Angels representatives have been among those present in discussions to accomplish this. However, city council has been unable to obtain the necessary funding such as grants to successfully launch the program. So TNR is currently up to shelters, rescues and individuals in the community.

Watch Fox4 Southwest Florida Video News Report

Residents care about the issue because:

Community cats usually live suffering from illness, parasites and disease.
These cats are often treated cruelly by residents. They may be shot, hit by vehicles (sometimes deliberately) or even poisoned.
Community cats are in danger from predators such as dogs and coyotes.
Residents don’t like when these free roaming cats urinate and defecate in their yards and may go to extremes to get rid of them.

Many neighborhoods have free-roaming cat colonies like this one.

I Need Help!

Don’t wait too long to help community cats!

How Do I Get Help in My Neighborhood?

Storm’s Angels Rescue is available to help. During the warmer months you may be put on a waiting list, but we encourage you to contact us. We evaluate cases as they come in and do our best to help. We give priority to injured or sick cats, pregnant females and females with kittens. We will trap, vet and release using our Donations fund. Funds are limited, which is why we request residents contribute to the costs where possible.

Remember, waiting until female cats get pregnant is waiting too long! Naturally your neighborhood’s situation will benefit from TNR efforts done as early as possible.

We encourage you to talk to any neighbors about the issue and work out a plan. Funds can be collected from neighbors to help pay for costs of sterilization and vetting. Volunteers and cooperation are of great importance. Let your neighbors know a plan is being formulated. You can contact any local rescue, including Storm’s Angels, and enlist their help in the next steps.

However, if you either have no one in your neighborhood to help you, or have a few cats that you feed on a regular basis and suspect they aren’t spayed (females) or neutered (males), don’t feel you cannot reach out for help! Please contact us and we will formulate a strategy together. But again, don’t wait too long to begin, or the problem will only worsen.

What If I Find Kittens?

What Do I Do If I Find Kittens?

Mother cats need to leave their kittens to hunt for food. If you find kittens that are very young, LET THEM BE! Even though this may go against your desire to help the best thing to do is to WAIT. This does not mean to totally disregard the litter. It simply means to wait a few hours and observe them carefully to see if the mother returns. She is their best hope for immediate survival. If the mother returns, please then contact us to trap the family.

However, if the mother does not return, if the kittens are in immediate danger from dogs or predators, or if the kittens are newborn and the weather is cold or extremely wet, it would be a time for you to intervene without waiting. If possible, take them out of danger and put in a safe warm place. Then contact us for assistance. Please keep in mind that you should NOT try to feed kittens on your own if they are cold! If the kittens are cold, you will need to warm them up slowly. You can tell a kitten is cold if the pads of his feet and/or ears feel cool or cold. Cold body temperatures can be deadly to kittens. Warm them up slowly over 20 minutes by wrapping in a towel or baby blanket, holding them close to your body, and continually rubbing them with your warm hands.

We will attempt to get the kitten(s) from you as soon as possible. But to help you understand the basics of a newborn kitten’s care in the meantime, the following article is an excellent resource.

https://meowbox.com/blog/2016/3/10-steps-to-save-abandoned-kittens

We are always looking for fosters for not only newborn kittens, but for pregnant cats, recovering cats and cats that are awaiting adoption. We provide all training and supplies. So why not consider helping care for these little ones as one of our volunteer fosters?!

I Want to Help!

You can volunteer to help Storm’s Angels trap community cats!

Volunteering for TNR or Fostering

If you would like to volunteer to help in our TNR efforts, either in your own neighborhood or in your local Lorain County area, we would welcome your help! Volunteer as much or as little as you are able. We are extremely flexible in working with different volunteer levels and schedules. Most of our current volunteers have jobs and families, so this doesn’t need to be an obstacle.

In addition, we also join forces with those individuals in our local area that on their own trap and help vet hundreds of cats a year! They work with shelters and rescues such as ours to either help with costs and place friendly cats and kittens up for adoption. And the difference they make is astounding! You too can help in this way, even if only on your own street. Storm’s Angels will be happy to mentor you and provide funding whenever possible.

To volunteer to help us do TNR in your local Lorain County area just contact us and tell us how you can help. If you decide you can temporarily foster these trapped cats before and after their vet appointment, or would like to foster kittens you find or we take in, please fill out a Foster Application (or go to our Foster page) so you’ll be pre-approved when you’re ready to go.

More Information on TNR

What’s Up With This Cat’s Ear?

Some Cats Can Live Quietly Indoors

What’s Up With This Cat’s Ear?

An ear tip means a feral cat has been sterilized.

This cat is wearing a badge of honor. What is that? It’s a tipped ear! That means he has already been trapped and neutered at a local vet’s. Trappers and neighbors now can easily tell he’s not a threat to reproduce and does not need to be trapped (again). It saves time as well as stress on the cat so they aren’t trapped multiple times.

Help Local Community Cats

Some Cats Can Live Quietly Indoors

What’s Up With This Cat’s Ear?

There are so many ways YOU can help in reducing the community cat population. These cats lead a life full of danger, disease and cruel treatment from humans. But you can make a difference!

Some Cats Can Live Quietly Indoors

This is Pippen, a semi-feral cat that was trapped and now lives happily in a home. A cat that is truly feral would be so tremendously terrified it would be traumatizing. But there are some cats that are semi-feral. They can live indoors when their owner understands their need for separation. These cats will never be lap cats, but can enjoy a warm safe home if their boundaries are respected!