New Rochelle Humane Society

TNR

“Kitten Season” is the unofficial name for the mating season for cats which takes place between the months of March and November. During this time, animal shelters far and wide are overwhelmed with a countless number of stray kittens. The few who are fortunate enough to make it to the safety of an animal shelter often arrive sick or injured, in need of socialization, or without a mother, requiring round the clock care in order to survive. Unfortunately, about half of those who are left behind will not live to see their first birthday.

How You Can Help
Cat colonies can be found in the backyards, empty lots, alleyways and wooded areas of almost every neighborhood. Their lives are short and usually harsh. They struggle to find food and water in an environment filled with constant threats such as disease, starvation, injury, infection, cruelty, extreme weather conditions, and predation. Whether they are lost, abandoned or wild - they need our help. Unfortunately, many communities still opt to control populations with outdated methods such as euthanasia or relocation. Not only are these methods horribly cruel, but they are also highly ineffective.
Trap, Neuter and Return (T.N.R.) has shown to be the most efficient and humane way to stabilize a feral cat colony. It is estimated that there are tens of millions of feral cats in the United States. You can help reduce the number of feral cats while increasing their quality of life through our T.N.R. program.

T.N.R. - F.A.Q.

• What is the difference between a stray cat and a feral cat?
  A feral cat is a cat born and raised in the wild while a stray cat is someone’s pet who has become lost or was abandoned. Because feral cats are not socialized with people, they are usually too fearful to be handled. Stray cats, on the other hand, are usually tame and comfortable around people. 
• A cat gave birth to kittens in my yard/garage/other area. What should I do?
  Do not remove the kittens from the area. Kittens should remain with their mother until they are at least six weeks of age. Kittens who are taken from their mother prematurely have slim chances of survival. It is also best that you do not handle the kittens or tamper with their nest as this can result in their mother deeming this area as unsafe and therefore moving the kittens to a more isolated area. The goal is to bring both the mother and the kittens to safety as quickly as possible. Contact your local humane society and inquire about humane trap rental and usage. Once the mother is securely trapped, the kittens can be placed into a carrier and reunited with their mother at the shelter. When the kittens are old enough for adoption (at around eight weeks of age), their mother will then be spayed and released back to the area she was found. Depending upon the age of the kittens, we recommend using caution when handling. Inquire with your local humane society about handling techniques to avoid being bitten and/or scratched. 
• Why are there so many feral cats?
  Feral females spend most of their lives pregnant or nursing. In seven years, one female cat and her offspring can yield 420,000 cats! 
• Why is euthanasia ineffective in reducing the number of feral cats?
  Euthanasia is only a temporary fix and almost always leads to the “vacuum effect”. New feral cats will flock to the vacated area to exploit whatever food source that attracted the original inhabitants and overlooked cats who remain in the area will continue to breed. It only takes one male cat and one female cat to begin a colony. 
• What are the risks associated with relocating a feral cat colony?
  Relocating feral cats is something to consider only if keeping the cats where they are becomes a threat to their lives. Moving cats to another area is a great risk to their safety as they are very connected to their territory. They are familiar with the food sources, where to find shelter, other cats, resident wildlife and potential threats - all things that help them survive. 
• What are the benefits of T.N.R.?
  By stabilizing a feral cat colony, feral cats will naturally have more space, shelter, food, and fewer risks of disease. At the same time, nuisance behaviors such as spraying, fighting and yowling are largely eliminated. 
• What do I need to know to participate the the T.N.R. program?
  The cost of T.N.R. ranges from $30-35 per cat and includes the spay/neuter procedure, rabies vaccination and ear tipping (for identification purposes). Optional tests, vaccinations and treatments are offered for additional fees. Humane traps can be rented from our facility for a $10 fee. TNR is performed by appointment only. To make an appointment, please call 914.632.2925. Please note that this program is for feral cats only. We will not spay/neuter privately owned pets at our shelter. If you would like more information about low cost spay/neuter programs for privately owned pets, please click here.