THE RATIONALE FOR TNR (TRAP,NEUTER,RELEASE)

[RaynSue]

What is the Trap, Neuter & Release (TNR) rationale

Trying to “rescue” the cats and find them all homes is utopian and unattainable given their numbers and the futility of trying to socialize most of them.

It’s important to recognize that if a cat is truly feral, then the most compassionate choice might be to allow them to live outdoors. Trying to domesticate them would be no different than trying to make a squirrel or a hedgehog a household companion – you might succeed somewhat, but never fully and only with a great deal of time and patience. Moreover, you would not be permitting the animal to live in a manner that suits him best. Many well-meaning people, convinced they are “saving” a feral cat by bringing him indoors, end up condemning the poor creature to a life of hiding under the bed and being in constant fear.

We believe that the most practical solution is to control the feral population by a structured Trap, Neuter & Release Programme. This provides both the feral cat population and the human population with a more ideal solution. Controlling the numbers of feral cats will create a better environment for them where outbreaks of disease is less likely, the food sources are more likely to adequately sustain them and their lives are not a constant struggle to survive and fight off competitors for food and mates. The human population benefits in a number of ways – residents and visitors are not pestered constantly for food, general hygiene is improved by the contents of refuse bins not being scattered around the streets by cats searching for food scraps, the risk of infections caused by animal faeces is reduced, our own pets are safeguarded from incidents involving domesticated and feral animals and of course it benefits the country as a whole and it’s tourism industry for there to be less stray and feral animals seen roaming the streets or their remains being ever-present on our roads.

We are still fighting very hard to make the routine neutering of cats and dogs more acceptable in Cyprus. Old beliefs and customs are such that neutering is not done as a matter of course to the same level of acceptance as in UK and other European countries. There is a general feeling that it is in some way cruel to do so and it will probably still take a number of years until the practice is more acceptable by the general population. But, all of the animal welfare and rescue organisations are working hard to make it happen and we all need to be a part of the solution by advocating the practice wherever we see people with pets who have not been neutered.

The following may help to answer some of the many questions that we are always being asked :

FEMALE CATS – ‘Shouldn’t we let her have one litter?’

It is a complete myth that a female cat should be allowed to have one litter. There is no biological or psychological benefit to the cat whatsoever. If you allow your female cat to have a litter, and manage to find homes for the kittens, they have then used up homes that kittens sitting in a rescue centre could have had, which may then end up being destroyed.

Many female cats come into season, get chased far from their home by un-neutered males and end up completely lost, pregnant, and living on the streets. This is how feral cat colonies are formed. They struggle to survive, often hungry, and frequently becoming sick or injured.

Many stray, un-neutered males carry the FIV virus (AIDS), and female cats are often infected if they are bitten during mating. Males often infect each other with FIV or feline leukaemia when fighting over a female.

A female cat should be neutered (spayed) at around 4 months but can be neutered at any age thereafter. Neutering can be done earlier, provided the kitten is in good health, but you will need to be guided by your vet. To prevent unwanted litters, your kitten should be kept indoors until it is neutered. Even if your cat is to be kept as an ‘indoor cat’, it is kinder to neuter her, as she will still come into season, which is very frustrating for her and for you. Un-neuterd females are also more at risk of developing cystic ovaries and the potentially fatal pyometra.

MALE CATS – my female cat is neutered so does it matter if I don’t neuter my male cat?

When an un-neutered male reaches maturity, he will begin to roam further afield in his quest for females, exposing himself to territory battles with other males, and risking his life on busy roads. Those that roam too far can become lost and join the ever-growing feral and ‘free-living’ cat population that we are all struggling to cope with here in Cyprus. This is not a problem unique to Cyprus either as, even in UK, it is estimated that there are around two and a half MILLION strays living on the streets today, and they all face a very bleak future.

Un-neutered male cats are very aggressive towards other cats, particularly other un-neutered males. Their fights result in horrific bite injuries, abscesses, damaged eyes, and infections such as FIV. With no-one to take them to the vet, many injuries become infected, and often result in death.

Male cats should be neutered at 4 months, but can be neutered at any age thereafter. If your cat is kept indoors, neutering is still the best option. Neutering will prevent him from become sexually frustrated and continually trying to escape, and will also save you from the smelly problem of urine-spraying. Having the snip will not ‘change his personality’, that is another common myth without any basis in fact.

If you love your cat – get it neutered!