PROJECT TNR: Help me to Trap, Neuter & Release stray cats
Donation protected
JUNE 18 2025
A major update to the mama cat & kittens trapping epic.
JUNE 9 2025
UPDATE: The past couple of days have been crazy. A kind and helpful woman, Carrie, reached out to me response to my original request (on a local pet FB page) for someone to foster the kittens. She has people that are willing to take mama and all the kittens for their farm/ranch. Plus they will take care of spaying mama and so on.
And Carrie not only loaned me a big cat condo (cage), she put it together, equipped it, and brought it over to me! I am deeply indebted to this wonderful woman.
The cage is set up in the garage which is somewhat insulated and not excessively hot. We’ve been having 100 degree days, so that’s important.
I hauled my trap over to the woodshed three times today and had a total haul of three kittens. The first is pale orange, the second is a tabby, and a little while ago I brought home a fluffy Tortie that looks just like her mother.
Three more kittens and mama cat left to trap!
JUNE 7 2025
UPDATE: Thanks to many generous people, I have enough fund to neuter two more tomcats.
But events are causing me to make an unexpected U-turn.
The gray and white tabby in the photo, Charlie, was the first cat that I had neutered. It turns out that didn’t happen soon enough.
A long-haired Tortie began showing up, and when I investigated to find out whether she was a stray or had a home, the neighbor behind me informed that a) she just found the Tortie in her woodshed with a litter of six kittens about 7 weeks old; and b) she’s pretty sure Charlie is the father.
That would explain why Charlie keeps coming around and getting into fights with our outdoor cat, Obi.
It also means that it’s more urgent for me to trap and spay this female, or we’ll be inundated with kittens. No one has stepped up to claim the Tortie. And it looks like it falls to me to trap and some something about the kittens. I have no idea WHAT to do with the kittens as they need to be socialized, but I can’t find anyone to foster them because everyone else is also inundated with kittens and I have nowhere I could put them. The local shelter is overwhelmed and can’t take any more animals at all. I’m wrestling with this problem.
Spaying a female is significantly more expensive than neutering a male. I’ve raised enough to spay this one, but will need to keep fundraising to continue dealing with the males.
More updates to come!
MAY 2025
I've had literally scores of cats over the years, all of them strays and rescues. And in two previous communities where I lived, I took on the job of helping to control the stray and feral cat populations by doing TNR.
TNR stands for Trap, Neuter, Release. It's a humane way to keep a feral cat population from growing out of control and keep from being awash in unwanted kittens.
In my current neighborhood, I have already paid to have one tomcat neutered, but there are three more that need to be done as we get into kitten season. Our small local shelter is filled to capacity and is barely funded, so I won't want to burden them by asking for vouchers.
The cost at my local vet is $275.00 per male cat to neuter and give a rabies shot. We have a lot of foxes, skunks, and raccoons around here, so the rabies shot is vital.
I'm looking to raise this limited amount to cover this small group of toms. Any donation, no matter how small, is appreciated. Thank you!
Organizer
Christy Marx
Organizer
Lewiston, CA