TRAP, NEUTER, RELEASE

Trap, Neuter, Release (TNR) is advertised as a tool to reduce feral catnumbers. Unfortunately, TNR programs have been shown to fail to

reduce feral cat populations while simultaneously maintaining feral cats

(https://abcbirds.org/program/cats-indoors/)

CATS INDOORS (HTTPS://ABCBIRDS.ORG/PROGRAM/CATS-INDOORS/)

CATS AND BIRDS (HTTPS://ABCBIRDS.ORG/PROGRAM/CATS-INDOORS/CATS-AND-BIRDS/)

TRAP, NEUTER, RELEASE (HTTPS://ABCBIRDS.ORG/PROGRAM/CATS-INDOORS/TRAP-NEUTER-RELEASE/)

CATS AND DISEASES (HTTPS://ABCBIRDS.ORG/PROGRAM/CATS-INDOORS/CATS-AND-DISEASES/)

LEARN MORE (HTTPS://ABCBIRDS.ORG/PROGRAM/CATS-INDOORS/LEARN-MORE/)

TAKE ACTION (HTTPS://ABCBIRDS.ORG/PROGRAM/CATS-INDOORS/TAKE-ACTION/)

Conservation Advocacy (https://abcbirds.org/program-division/conservation-advocacy/)∠

on the landscape, where they contribute to wildlife and public healthrisks.

Feral cat colony, vvvita/Shutterstock

The Reality of Trap, Neuter, Release

Trap, Neuter, Release (TNR) is a program by which feral cats are trapped, spayed or neutered, and

then released into the environment. Rather than immediately reducing numbers through removal,

TNR practitioners hope to slowly reduce populations over time.

The scientific evidence regarding TNR clearly indicates that TNR programs are not an effective tool

to reduce feral cat populations. Rather than slowly disappearing, studies have shown that feral cat

colonies persist and may actually increase in size (https://abcbirds.org/wp-

content/uploads/2015/07/Castillo-and-Clarke-2003-TNR-ineffective-in-controlling-cat-

colonies.pdf).

Gray Catbirds are a frequent victim of

cats. Photo, Warren Cooke.Why TNR Programs Fail

TNR programs fail because they do not operate in an enclosed system and cannot spay or neuter a

sufficient number of cats to affect feral cat numbers at the population level. Despite the good

intentions of many involved in TNR programs, TNR has been found to be a waste of time, money,

and resources.

For example, one evaluation of two long-term TNR programs in California and Florida indicated that

“any population-level effects were minimal.” The team of researchers concluded

(https://abcbirds.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Castillo-and-Clarke-2003-TNR-ineffective-in-

controlling-cat-colonies.pdf) that “no plausible combination of [conditions] would likely allow

for TNR to succeed in reducing population size.”

Once feral cats are spayed or neutered, they are then abandoned back into the environment to

continue a feral existence. Not only is this systematic abandonment inhumane to the cats, it

perpetuates numerous problems such as wildlife predation (https://abcbirds.org/program/cats-

indoors/cats-and-birds/), transmission of disease (https://abcbirds.org/program/cats-indoors/cats-

and-diseases/), and property destruction.

More Information on Cats, Birds, and TNR

Fact Sheets:

Feral Cats: Consequences for Humans and Wildlife (https://abcbirds.org/wp-

content/uploads/2015/05/Feral-Cats-Consequences-for-Humans-and-Wildlife.pdf)

The Evidence Against TNR (https://abcbirds.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/The-Evidence-

Against-TNR.pdf)

TNR: The Wrong Solution to a Tragic Problem (https://abcbirds.org/wp-

content/uploads/2015/05/TNR_the-wrong-solution2011.pdf)

Reports:

The Science of Feral Cats: A Report to Pompano Beach, Florida (https://abcbirds.org/wp-

content/uploads/2015/05/Report_The_Science_of_Feral_Cats.pdf)

Letters:

2014 ABC and 200 Conservation Groups to U.S. Department of the Interior

(https://abcbirds.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Letter-to-Secretary-Jewell.pdf)

2014 Society for Conservation Biology & The Wildlife Society to U.S. Department of the Interior

(https://abcbirds.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/2014.1.7-TWS-and-SCB-DOI-Feral-Cat-

#

"

%

(mailto:?

body=Trap%2C%20Neuter%2C%20Release.%0D%0A%0D%0Ahttps%3A%2F%2Fabcbirds.org%2Fprogram%2Fcats-

indoors%2Ftrap-

neuter-

release%2F)

$

Letter-FINAL.pdf)

2014 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to Escambia County, FL (https://abcbirds.org/wp-

content/uploads/2015/05/2014.7.23-FWS-letter-to-Escambia-County.pdf)

2011 ABC to U.S. Department of the Interior (https://abcbirds.org/wp-

content/uploads/2015/05/2011-ABC-letter-to-DOI.pdf)

2009 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection

(https://abcbirds.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/2009.11.20-FWS-letter-in-support-of-NJ-

ban-of-TNR.pdf)

2006 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to Seacoast Area Feline Education and Rescue (NH)

(https://abcbirds.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/2006.3.10-Letter-to-Seacoast-Area-Feline-

Education-and-Rescue-NH.pdf)

2003 American Society of Mammalogists to Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation

Commission (https://abcbirds.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/2003-ASM-Letter-to-FWC-

Feral-Cats.pdf)

Position Statements:

American Association of Wildlife Veterinarians (https://abcbirds.org/wp-

content/uploads/2015/10/1996-AAWV-Position-statement-of-feral-cats.pdf)

American Ornithologists’ Union (https://abcbirds.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/AOU-

Control-and-management-of-feral-and-free-ranging-cats.pdf)

Association of Avian Veterinarians (https://abcbirds.org/wp-

content/uploads/2015/05/Association-of-Avian-Veterinarians-Resolution-on-Free-roaming-

Cats.pdf)

Chicago Wilderness (https://abcbirds.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/CW-Feral-Cat-

Position-Statement.pdf)

Cooper Ornithological Society (https://abcbirds.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/1997-COS-

Resolution-on-feral-and-free-ranging-cats.pdf)

Florida Veterinary Medical Association (https://abcbirds.org/wp-

content/uploads/2015/05/FVMA-Free-Roaming-Cats-Position-Statement-Effective-9-21-14-

1.pdf)

Georgia Ornithological Society (https://abcbirds.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/Georgia-

Ornithological-Society-feral-cat-position-statement1.pdf)

International Wildlife Rehabilitation Council (https://abcbirds.org/wp-

content/uploads/2015/05/IWRC-Feral-cats-and-dogs-position-statement.pdf)

National Association of State Public Health Veterinarians (https://abcbirds.org/wp-

content/uploads/2015/05/NASPHV-1996-Free-roaming-unowned-feral-cats.pdf)

National Wildlife Rehabilitators Association (https://abcbirds.org/wp-

content/uploads/2015/05/NWRA-Policy-on-Free-ranging-Domestic-Cats.pdf)

Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (https://abcbirds.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Texas-

Parks-and-Wildlife-Department-Feral-Cat-Briefing-Paper.pdf)

The Wildlife Society (https://abcbirds.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/TWS-2011-Feral-Free-

Ranging-Cats.pdf)

Videos:

TNR: Bad for Cats, Disaster for Birds (https://youtu.be/kejgi3p6-9E)

Scientific Literature:

Barrows 2004: Professional, ethical, and legal dilemmas of trap-neuter-release

(https://abcbirds.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/Barrows-2004-Professional-ethcial-and-

legal-dilemmas-of-TNR.pdf)

Castillo and Clarke 2003: TNR ineffective in controlling cat colonies (https://abcbirds.org/wp-

content/uploads/2015/05/Castillo-and-Clarke-2003-TNR-ineffective-in-controlling-cat-

colonies1.pdf)

Foley et al. 2005: Impacts of TNR programs on populations of feral cats

(https://abcbirds.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/Foley-et-al.-2005-Impacts-of-TNR-

programs-on-populations-of-feral-cats1.pdf)

Jessup 2004: Welfare of feral cats and wildlife (https://abcbirds.org/wp-

content/uploads/2015/05/Jessup-2004-Welfare-of-feral-cats-and-wildlife.pdf)

Longcore et al. 2009: Critical assessment of TNR claims (https://abcbirds.org/wp-

content/uploads/2016/01/Longcore-et-al.-2009-Critical-assessment-of-TNR-claims.pdf)

Roebling et al. 2013: Rabies prevention and management of cats in TNVR programs

(https://abcbirds.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/Roebling-et-al.-2013-Rabies-prevention-

and-management-of-cats-in-TNVR-programs.pdf)

PROGRAM LEAD:

Grant SizemoreDirector of Invasive Species Programs

HOME (HTTPS://ABCBIRDS.ORG/)

DONATE (HTTPS://ABCBIRDS.ORG/DONATE)

JOIN / RENEW (HTTPS://ABCBIRDS.ORG/DONATE/MEMBERSHIP)

TAKE ACTION (HTTPS://ABCBIRDS.ORG/GET-INVOLVED/TAKE-ACTION/)

GET E-NEWS (HTTPS://ABCBIRDS.ORG/EMAIL-SIGN-UP/)

BIRDCALLS BLOG (HTTPS://ABCBIRDS.ORG/BIRDCALLS/)

PRESS RELEASES (HTTPS://ABCBIRDS.ORG/RESULTS/NEWS/)

ANNUAL REPORTS (HTTPS://ABCBIRDS.ORG/RESULTS/ANNUAL-REPORTS/)

MISSION (HTTPS://ABCBIRDS.ORG/ABOUT/MISSION-AND-STRATEGY/)

PRIVACY POLICY (HTTPS://ABCBIRDS.ORG/ABOUT/PRIVACY-POLICY/)

CONTACT (HTTPS://ABCBIRDS.ORG/ABOUT/CONTACT/)

STAFF LOGIN (HTTPS://ABCBIRDS.ORG/INTRANET/)

Copyright 2017 © American Bird Conservancy. All Rights Reserved.

CONNECT WITH US:

(https://twitter.com/ABCbirds1)

(https://www.facebook.com/pages/American-

Bird-

Conservancy/136126341809) (https://www.youtube.com/user/abcbirds) (https://www.instagram.com/americanbirdconservancy/)

#

"

& '

SIGN UP FOR UPDATES (https://abcbirds.org/email-sign-up/)