Bryan Kortis, Executive Director Trap-Neuter-Return An Introduction

What is “TNR”? Feral cat management method involving: 1.T rap members of a colony 2.N euter (plus rabies vaccination & eartipping) 3.R eturn ferals to original site 4. Long-term caretaking/monitoring

Eartip = ¼ inch straight line cut off tip of left ear

What is a feral cat? -A “feral” cat is unsocialized to humans. They originate from lost or abandoned cats. -A “stray” cat is living on his own, but remains socialized and adoptable.

What is a colony? Feral and stray cats tend to live in groups centered around a common food source.

U.S. Feral Cat Population Estimates 13 million in winter, 24 million in summer (Clifton, M., Where cats belong – and where they don’t, ANIMAL PEOPLE [June 2003].) 50 million (Levy, J., Humane strategies for controlling feral cat populations [2004], Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, Vol. 225, No. 9. ) 60 to 100 million (Alley Cat Allies, Tracking Our Success [2005].)

Feral cat overpopulation impacts: Shelters & animal control Public health Wildlife Animal welfare

Impact on Animal Sheltering & Control: 50 million feral cats = 147 million kittens/yr = 82% of kittens born per year Pet cats = 85% sterilization rate Feral cats = 2% sterilization rate Levy, J., Humane strategies for controlling feral cat populations (2004), Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Assn., Vol. 225, No. 9.

Kittens + trapped adults = rising:  intake & euthanasia rates  complaint calls  financial costs  opportunity costs  stress to workers

Impact of feral cats on Public Health:  rabies  other zoonotic diseases (toxoplasmosis, cat scratch fever, etc.)  quality of life complaints (odor, noise, unsanitary conditions, dead kittens, property damage)  financial costs (investigation)

Impact of feral cats on Wildlife: Predation Competition Potentially devastating impact on sensitive ecosystems of rare species vulnerable to cat attacks Alabama beach mouse Piping plover

Impact on animal welfare:  high kitten mortality  for adults - short average life span in unmanaged situations (cars, cruelty, disease, fighting, etc.)

What to do? The Choices 1)Do nothing 2)Feeding bans 3)Trap & Remove (usually for euthanasia) 4)Sterilization & vaccination (TNR)

Feeding bans fail because: Unenforceable Difficult to remove food sources Cats remain in the territory & still reproduce Malnourished cats lead to parasitic infestations & disease

Trap and remove fails because: Too many cats, not enough animal control resources Caretaker resistance (when euthanasia is the outcome)

Trap & remove also fails because: “Vacuum effect” – new cats fill the void due to: a) migration from other colonies to take advantage of available food source b) reproduction and increased survival rate of untrapped cats (due to more available food) Ongoing abandonment + lack of long-term monitoring Synergistic effect of all these factors

“Fantasy” solutions: Socialize/adopt – very difficult & time- consuming to socialize an adult feral Sanctuaries – very few are well-run and many often turn into hoarding situations, plus there are too many cats Cat licensing & leash laws – may or may not help reduce future inflow into the feral population, but don’t address the current problem

TNR Advantages 1.Nothing else works 2.Volunteer manpower 3.Less costly if private sector involved 4.Caretaker cooperation 5.Long-term monitoring 6.No vacuums (esp. if TNR is widespread)

TNR addresses sheltering issues by: Ending or limiting reproduction (no more kittens!) Colony size often reduced immediately through adoptions Attrition reduces numbers over the long-term (fewer cats = fewer complaint calls)

TNR addresses public health issues by: Vaccination for rabies Spay/neuter eliminates or dramatically reduces noise, odor and roaming (= fewer complaint calls) A community-based TNR program can mediate and solve common problems like property damage, cats in yards, etc.

TNR addresses wildlife issues by: Reducing the number of cats in the environment Through cooperative problem-solving in situations involving rare, threatened or endangered species (e.g., New Jersey Feral Cat & Wildlife Coalition)

TNR addresses animal welfare issues by: Providing consistent caretaking, including food and shelter Improved health through spay/neuter Less roaming Fewer kittens, who are the most susceptible to disease

Does TNR work? University of Central Florida cats on campus in cats in 2002 (85% ) Levy, et.al. (2003a), Evaluation of the effect of a long-term trap-neuter-return and adoption program on a free-roaming cat population, Journal of American Veterinary Medical Association 222:

Reece, J.F., S.K. Chawla (2006), Control of rabies in Jaipur, India, by the sterilization and vaccination of neighbourhood dogs, The Veterinary Record, 159: Nov thru Dec. 2002, in target area: 19,129 dogs TNR’ed 65% female, 6% male sterilization level attained RESULTS: Dog population 28% Rabies cases zero in target area last 2 years of study; increased in other parts of Jaipur Jaipur, India

Newburyport, MA (Merrimack River Feline Rescue Society) cats on riverfront in st year: trapped 200, adopted out 100, returned % sterilization in cat left today (35 feeders!) - opened local shelter and spay/neuter clinic to address sources of ferals

NYC Feral Cat Database as of 7/24/08 (self-reporting by caretakers) colonies with at least 1 TNR’ed cat cats reported at TNR Start Dates cats currently (25% ) - Average s/n rate = 67% cats & kittens placed for adoption (6.9 cats per colony)

Other Community Examples San Francisco – 1993 through 1999, TNR part of comprehensive program inc. s/n, adoptions: intake down 28%, euthanasia down 71% (including 73% for ferals) Indianapolis – Oct through Dec 2007, 10,000 feral s/n’s: intake down 37%, euthanasia down 29%. Long Beach, NY – over 400 feral s/n’s since April 2005: intake down 62% in 2007 cf

Effectively Managing Feral Cats (CD/DVD) produced by The Humane Society of the US - $ “Trap-Neuter-Return: How to Fix Feral Cat Overpopulation” – 16 min. policy DVD directed by Bryan Kortis 2.“How to Perform a Mass Trapping” – 32 min. DVD produced by Neighborhood Cats 3. “The Neighborhood Cats TNR Handbook: A Guide to Trap-Neuter-Return for the Feral Cat Caretaker” (pdf file)– manual authored by Neighborhood Cats 4. “Implementing a Community Trap-Neuter-Return Program” (pdf file) – manual authored by Bryan Kortis mID=1082&Audience=1

Print copies The Neighborhood Cats TNR Handbook (with VHS of “How to Perform a Mass Trapping”) - $ Implementing a Community Trap-Neuter- Return Program - $ mID=1070&Audience=1

Online course Trap-Neuter-Return: How to Manage Feral Cats (Humane Society University) - authored by Bryan Kortis - $ comprehensive colony care training, including trapping, feeding, shelter, community relations and more lasses/tnr.html

Websites:

Photos by Meredith Weiss, Neighborhood Cats