Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR): Saving Lives, One Cat at a Time
Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) is the humane and effective approach for managing stray and feral cats. Proven in Europe and practiced for decades in the US, scientific studies show that TNR improves the lives of feral cats, fosters better relationships with nearby residents, and gradually reduces colony sizes.
TNR is successfully implemented in hundreds of communities across various settings. The process is straightforward: Cats are humanely trapped, neutered, and vaccinated by a veterinarian. After recovery, they are returned to their outdoor colonies. Friendly and socialized cats and kittens may be adopted into homes or as outdoor barncats.
Grounded in science, TNR halts the breeding cycle, enhancing the cats’ lives and preventing overpopulation. In contrast, the traditional approach of removing and euthanizing outdoor cats, pursued by animal control for decades, has proven futile and never-ending, as feral cats are not adoptable and are typically killed in shelters.
LAWS began a pilot TNR program in October 2013, and the program has been growing ever since. To date, we have trapped-neutered-returned 841 cats, rehoming 277 of them as barncats and returning the remaining 564 back to their original colonies. See below for current TNR statistics.
TNR and BarnCats Program
Number of cats trapped, neutered, returned by year
2021
2022
2023
Number of cats trapped and rehomed as barncats by year
2021
2022
2023
If you know of a feral cat colony in your community and want to help humanely manage it, consider partnering with LAWS in our Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) program. Together, we can improve the lives of these cats and reduce their numbers over time.
Apply to become a TNR partner today!