Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) Community Cats Program
Community cats, sometimes called feral cats, bring to mind many different images and concepts for everyone, but community cat populations have a significant impact on the lifesaving ability of every animal rescue organization in the world. Community cats are incredibly resilient, adaptive animals. Community cats include feral, semi-feral, abandoned/stray, and friendly cats living outdoors. Many colonies have human caretakers, who feed them and watch over them on a regular basis.
Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) is successfully practiced in hundreds of communities in every landscape and setting. It is exactly what it sounds like; cats are humanely trapped and taken to a veterinarian to be spayed/neutered and vaccinated. After recovery, the cats are returned to their home—their colony—outdoors. Kittens and cats who are friendly and socialized with people may be adopted into homes. A robust TNR program is a very valuable tool for the community and the community cats that reside there.
The Humane Society of Charles County TNR Program helps our community slow the growing population of community cats by providing trapping service, transport to surgery, post-surgery care/recovery, and return to the home colony. Through TNR, these cats will stop producing kittens, resulting in a healthy, stable, and controlled population. Whenever possible during the TNR process, we also try to identify any adoptable cats and work to socialize them and find them a forever home.
TNR reduces the population of community cats in the area and creates a healthier environment for the cats living in these colonies. We absolutely depend upon your support to continue our efforts to help these cats be spayed/neutered, vaccinated, and healthy in a population-stable and managed colony. Our TNR team is an all-volunteer force. However, we need financial support to fund trapping activities, surgery, vaccines, and outreach efforts in support of cats and colony caretakers. We also welcome volunteer help from individuals with a willingness to learn how to help stop the overpopulation of homeless cats and possibly become a caretaker.
We have already seen the difference in our community's outdoor cat population. In the last 6 years, the number of kittens born and surrendered to local shelters has been significantly reduced, and there is a documented 37% reduction in the number of cats euthanized in the county since the inception of our TNR program. That’s an incredible success story that we would like to continue. With your help, we can do that! Please consider a donation to our TNR program (see donation form below) so that we may continue our important work for the community and to help the cats.
HSCC TNR Program:
- All HSCC TNR cats receive spay/neuter surgery, rabies & FVRCP vaccines
- All TNR Cats are ear-tipped to identify them as belonging to a managed colony
- HSCC TNR program cats return to their original colonies managed by their caretakers
- HSCC provides supplemental food, housing, and medical support when available
- HSCC TNR efforts are 100% funded by donations and we are 100% staffed by unpaid volunteers. Our efforts are limited by available volunteers and donation funding.
- Since the program's inception in the Fall of 2016, HSCC has TNR’d over 4,500 cats to date
If you have any additional questions about how the HSCC’s TNR program works, please email tnrhumanesocietycharlescounty@gmail.com.
Now that you understand how we can help you stop the overpopulation of homeless cats in your area, and allow them to live out their days in the area they are familiar with, continue to our TNR APPLICATIONS page and fill out the online form!
