![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Whether you're catching all the colony cats at once or aiming for one or two at a time, you should allow two to three days to trap, one day for the spay/neuter surgeries, and one to three days for post-surgical recovery. It's especially important to have good shelter in place when winter trapping in cold climates, so the spayed females with their shaved bellies will have a warm, dry place to sleep. Put out feeding stations and shelters if you haven't already. While establishing a pattern, count the cats and assess if any have special needs like young kittens you'll want to foster. Cats are habitual creatures and will learn to all show up at the appointed hour - which means they'll come to you at that same hour when it's time to trap. ![]() To prepare for the trapping, get the cats on a regular feeding schedule - as consistently as you can, put out their food at the same time and place daily, then take anything uneaten away after 30 minutes or as soon thereafter as you can. Step 3 - establish a feeding pattern, count the cats and set out shelters and feeding stations Remember that a cooperative and understanding community will make it much easier for you and the cats, both during and after the trapping. Gain permission from property owners for needed access. Recruit feeders and volunteers for the trapping. Address issues residents may be having and explain how TNR can help. Walk around, talk to people, ask them what they know about the cats. The more informed you are about the neighborhood and how people feel about and act towards the cats, the better the situation you can create for them. Many people will interact with the cats daily and attitudes may range from positive to hostile. We call them "community" cats for a reason - they don't usually live in isolation, but are found among us, in the backyard, next to the office parking lot, behind the supermarket, etc. If you're in the New York City area, attend one of our workshops and gain access to free spay/neuter, traps and other assistance. You can read through the How to TNR pages on this site, download and review the Neighborhood Cats TNR Handbook and watch our How to Perform a Mass Trapping video. The good news is there's plenty of informational material available. Working with feral cats safely and effectively requires some training. ![]()
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