DIY TNR

Equipment: Tomahawk and Tru-catch traps are our favorites and can be ordered on their websites or others online or may be available at your local Tractor Supply or Feed store. (See our Video for How To Set a Trap)

Prepare: It is imperative to get cat on feeding schedule; once the cat is coming regularly, skip feeding the day before trapping so the cat is very hungry on trapping day. Cats may be leery of the trap, but if they are super hungry, they will think less about it. 

Appointments: Have a plan before you trap. Look for low cost clinics near you or speak to your vet. 

Trapping: Never leave a trap unattended, or set overnight. If you accidentally trap a wild animal simply open the door to let them out. They will not harm you. As soon as the cat is trapped, cover immediately with a towel or blanket. 

Surgery- food and water needs to be removed the night before surgery. There is a special divider tool you can get that will keep the cat secure in the trap while you open the trap door, but if you don't have this, being *extra* cautious in opening the feeder door as ittle as possible, you should be able to slip food in an out. 

Recovery: the first night after surgery is vital you keep the cat in an appropriate temperature because they cannot regulate their body temperature until they have recovered from the anesthesia. You may feed them immediately, and after breakfast the next day they should be ready to be released. Make sure the cats is eating and drinking well, and is alert. 

Return: It is imperative the cat be returned exactly where they were trapped. It is not safe to relocate feral cats to a location that is unknown to them. This is called Return to Field, and it states that if a cat is in good body condition, they are being fed and they should remain in the territory they know. If they are in true danger for some extreme circumstance, relocating is the last resort, and a minimum of four weeks in an enclosure at the new locations is necessary to acclimate them to their new surroundings. Again, this is very stressful for the cats so should be done only in extreme circumstances.