Trap-Neuter-Return

[Catherine]

TNR has proved to be the most effective way of dealing with feral cats. They used to catch them and kill them, but more cats would move into the area. There is never a shortage of wild born kittens.

TNR catches the cats. It neuters and vaccinates them. Then it returns them to their home territory. They are usually fed and monitored by volunteers after that. Any really young kittens and friendly cats are fostered and then adopted.
http://www.neighborhoodcats.org/HOW_TO_WHAT_IS_TNR

Wikipedia has a detailed article, it is well researched.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trap-neuter-return


I am proud to say that the Toronto Humane Society is involved in the TNR program. They coordinate it with Toronto Animal Services and the other cat rescue groups in the city.
The Humane Society's clinic area is used for the neutering and they hold shelter building workshops where they build winter housing for the feral cats.
http://torontohumanesociety.com/educatio...feral-cats

When you think of all the kittens that have not been born and all the cats that were not rounded up and killed, it is a brilliant and humane practice.
I don't have numbers, but I think we are seeing a decline in street cat numbers. Those that are out there are in better shape. It is something that we can be proud of and it is a sign that we are a kinder more caring society.

[Tobi]

I am so glad to hear trap/neuter/return is in operation for the feral cats in Toronto. Your city certainly seems to have its act together about many issues!

I totally agree with TNR, to help with the stray cat problem. Feral animals don't even WANT a 'forever home'....they just want to return to their territory safely. Of course, there are always those who hate cats, and think they are a threat to wildlife, but the cats deserve humane teatment, in my opinion.

I 'know' some feral cats (as much as any human can 'know' a wild animal!) and the idea of them being 'culled' is a sad thought. They live short lives generally. Yes they can breed at a rate of knots, but the ones I observe certainly have not over-populated as far as I can see. Even though not spayed and neutered. They live up at the farm. The farmers are gentle and kind to them, and let them be. They even give them milk, and off-cuts of meat and fish now and again.
I guess there are about twenty all-told, but one thing I don't see is over-population. They have too many factors against their survival out here.

But I am a great believer in the trap/neuter/release programs.

[LPC]

TNR is a great idea. Purrs for Toronto!

[Catherine]

I am proud of Toronto in this area. I do want to point out we didn't come up with the idea and a lot of other cities are using the plan to deal with feral cats.

It is a humane solution to a problem that we created by releasing cats in areas where they are not native and don't really do well. I think the city feral cats multiply and do not find a balance. In a farm setting things could stabilize and the cats would have places like barns for shelter.

In Toronto our weather is too hash in winter and there are predators like coyotes and racoons. Also people feed them without helping them. Two abandoned female cats in my neighbourhood ended up creating a colony of forty cats in two years. They were sickly and injured by racoons. It was a sad thing because so many of the kittens were totally wild and could not be rescued. If someone had rescued the original two females there wouldn't have been a problem.
Once the TNR program was started in Toronto this colony was taken care of. They were fed and sheltered in place. Since they were vaccinated they were healthier and of course there were no more kittens. I think the colony might be gone now. I haven't seen one of the cats around when I go past that area.
It is a real solution that works and it is humane.

If we could only apply this to our other animal situations. Culls are cruel and they don't work.