The numbers of people nationwide interested in helping to keep community cats alive and healthy has grown rapidly in recent years. The old model of trap and kill is quickly being replaced with trap-neuter-return (TNR) in many communities and many animal control departments are also embracing the idea as a way of saving cats’ lives, as it's a tragic fact that nearly 100% of feral cats who enter shelter systems are killed.

To that end, most larger cities and counties these days have resources for TNR, low-cost or no-cost spay/neuter clinics, and volunteers with access to trapping equipment that will take on trapping projects for caregivers. This is often the case, but not always. Of course, the expanded interest in saving cats' lives keep these humane trappers very busy, and many have waitlists. If you are caring for a colony of cats, you must get them spayed/neutered. Feeding cats is only half the battle. If you neglect to do the critically important other half of the battle - sterilization - you are putting your colony in danger as many people do not appreciate an ever-growing group of cats, and these people will resort to poison, trapping the cats themselves and dumping them to be killed at a shelter, or leaving them in remote areas to starve to death or be killed by predators.

If your area doesn’t have the resources readily available to help with TNR and spay/neuter, get creative. Look for grants (through Petsmart or smaller foundations) that will assist with spay/neuter funding. Approach local vets for discounts or free spay/neuter surgeries for community cats. Pool resources with other rescuers to purchase trapping equipment. Look to national cat advocacy organizations for any assistance they can provide. Don’t give up! TNR saves lives, prevents unwanted and unnecessary births, and is vital to managing community cat colonies.

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