What is Trap-Neuter-Return?
Trap-Neuter-Return programs are a humane alternative to mass euthanasia of the free-roaming cats living in our environment and, when well-managed, are more effective at reducing the population.
While tame free-roaming cats may be handled, many free roaming cats are feral (wild) or semi-feral. Those cats that cannot be safely handled are humanely Trapped, Neutered, and Returned (TNR) to their outdoor homes. A caregiver provides shelter, food, water and overall monitoring of the cats, and because they are altered, the birth of unwanted kittens decreases. TNR has proven to be the most cost effective and humane method to decrease cat overpopulation in free-roaming cats.
Getting Ready
- Ensure you have the financial resources or funding for your TNR project and that you are aware of IHA’s appointment policies.
- Call IHA’s clinic at (319) 363-1225 to schedule an appointment 7-10 days prior to trapping.
- Establish a feeding schedule. Feed the cats at the same time(s) and place every day for a week prior to trapping. This should be a sage and level location.
- Alert the neighbors you are trapping. Most neighbors will be grateful you are taking on this responsibility and will keep their pet cats inside.
- Please do not trap a cat if you do not have an appointment.
Supplies
- Get some humane traps. IHA loans out traps, requiring a $100 refundable deposit per trap.
- Make sure you know how the trap works.
- Yummy treats such as canned cat food, tuna, sardines, mackerel, or deboned fried chicken.
- Newspaper or lightweight towel to line the bottom of each trap.
- A large towel or cloth to cover each trap. This will calm the cat once in the trap.
- Lids or scraps of cardboard to hold the yummy treat.
Withholding Food
You must withhold ALL food from the cats you intend to trap for 12-24 hours before trapping. This may involve asking neighbors to withhold food as well. This will ensure that the cats are hungry enough to enter the traps. Also, surgery is ideally performed on cats with empty stomachs. You should always provide clean drinking water.
Setting up:
- Tie the trap open (one or both ends depending on the trap) and place near the feeding area a couple of days before trapping so the cat becomes familiar with the trap.
- If setting multiple traps, stager them 3-5 feet apart from each other. You may want to cover one or more of them with a sheet or blanket.
- Line the bottom of the trap with newspaper or a towel. A towel may work better if conditions are windy. Do not cover the trap plate with newspaper or a towel.
- Begin to place dry food in the unset trap. Hopefully the cat will realize the trap is not a threat and happily enter to eat the food.
- Randomly offer the yummy treat in the unset trap so they occasionally get a pleasant surprise.
- Do not remove the trap. This is where you will trap the cat when the time comes.
Trapping:
- Trap where and when you would normally feed. Withholding food ensures the cat will be hungry.
- Do not set out food. The only food source should be the yummy treat in the trap.
- Place the yummy treat in a can or small plastic container behind the trip plate. Take a small amount (1 teaspoon) of the yummy treat and place it in the middle of the trap. Place another small amount at the entrance of the trap. This technique is luring the cat into the trap in a safe manner. Call out to the cat if you typically do.
- If the trap has been covered, keep it covered. The trap needs to look like it always has since it was placed there.
- Set the trap so it trips when the cat enters it. Monitor the trap closely.
