Paws of PA

PAWS Trap Neuter Return Program

The Trap Neuter Return (TNR) technique humanely manages populations of free-roaming stray or abandoned house cats, barn cats, alley cats, and neighborhood cats, with a goal of reducing and ultimately eliminating these populations. Animals are humanely trapped, altered and otherwise treated, then returned to their home territory for long-term care.

TNR is a full management plan in which cats are fed, watered and sheltered on a regular schedule and then humanely trapped, sterilized, ear-tipped, rabies vaccinated, and returned to the location in which they were initially trapped – whether it be a farm, city or urban neighborhood, apartment complex, or trailer park – where they will be humanely managed by a human caretaker. Ear-tipping is an indication of the cat being sterilized. This method allows identification of cats who are TNRd versus those who are not. This makes it easier for the caretaker/s to identify any new cats and make arrangements for TNR. TNR is the most cost-effective and viable method to reduce the population of feral cats for any community. Feral cats are unsocialized offspring of unsterilized domestic cats. Feral cats, while dependent on humans for food and veterinary care, cannot realistically be tamed and are not suited to living indoors with humans.

TNR focuses on coordinating the efforts of cat colony caretakers and other compassionate members of the community. PAWS’ program coordinates those efforts on a local, county level through networks of volunteers who feed, trap, transport, and otherwise manage colonies large and small. We collaborate with other organizations and shelters throughout the region to provide food, veterinary care including spay/neuter surgery, cover, and humane treatment of outdoor cats. To read about benefits of TNR, why it saves money, organizing your community to support TNR and to prevent threats to the cats, click here.

PAWS provides free TNR services to the community through high- and small-volume clinics and regular appointments with participating veterinarians and other non-profit programs. Cats processed through the program are:

· Spayed or neutered,

· Legally vaccinated against Rabies, and when possible against Distemper and two common upper-respiratory viruses;

· Provided with a post-operative antibiotic injection,

· Dewormed, and treated for parasites such as ear mites, ticks and fleas, and

· Ear tipped for identification as a humanely managed feral cat

To read PAWS FIV/FeLV Testing Policy, please click here.

If you have found kittens, please read Alley Cat Allies kitten guide and colony care guide. How to Trap instructions here. For an overview on Trap-Neuter-Return and steps involved, please read Neighborhood Cats TNR Overview.

For more information or to schedule an appointment Click here. For PAWS Wish List of items needed, click here.

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