Q: What is TNR?

In TNR, we:

• Trap feral cats

• Neuter or spay cats to control population growth

• Return the cats to the area where they live

While individual cats are at the vet, they are also vaccinated, microchipped and treated for fleas and ticks. This helps our local feral cat population stay happy, healthy, and disease-free.

Q: Why use traps?

A: Using safe, humane traps keeps cats from getting too stressed out. It’s the best way to make the experience easy on feral cats, their caregivers and the vet staff. Trapping also protects you from bites and scratches!

Talk to our team about renting a trap, or attend a workshop on how to start helping community cats in your area.

Q: Why return cats after tnr?

A: Healthy, stable cat colonies bring lots of upsides to a community, including rodent control! We return cats to their homes to maintain their territories and prevent more unaltered cats from moving in, in their place.

Many residents love the presence of these feral furry friends, and would miss them if they were gone for good.

We don’t want feral cat colonies to grow too large, or suffer from health problems, so continuous colony care care keeps outdoor cat colonies stabilized, healthy, and happy.

Q: What is a colony caregiver?

A: Feral cat colonies need care, support, and management to thrive. The caregiver of the colony is the person who feeds them and manages their care. You can become a registered colony caregiver in Cook county, entitling you to legal protection for supporting cats that aren’t wild animals, but also aren’t your own pets.