TNR Stamp

If you're interested in learning more about the TNR program, you can visit www.neighborhoodcats.org/ or www.alleycat.org/ . If you don't feel like committing to that much reading, I'll write a CliffsNotes version down below.

TNR stands for Trap, Neuter, Return and is a program designed to help control the population and improve the quality of life of feral cats. A feral cat is a cat that was born wild and behaves more or less like a wild animal, not to be confused with a stray. The program involves trapping the cat in a humane live trap (the same kind used for raccoons), taking them into the vet to be neutered or spayed, having them vaccinated, ear-tipped, and released back into the area where they were found. This allows them to live out their lives without the stress of constantly fighting or continually having litter after litter of kittens. It also prevents more kittens from being born into that environment, only to die, be horribly maimed, or grow up to live the same stressful life of fighting and breeding constantly. The catch and kill (trapping the cats and having them euthanized) program has been proven to be ineffective due to something called the vacuum effect, in which one animal is removed from an area only for another to come in and fill the gap left behind. A cat that has been altered will still maintain its territory and keep other cats from moving in, just without constantly producing more kittens. Cats that have gone through the TNR program live longer, healthier, happier lives in an environment well-suited to their needs. Many people believe all cats should be adopted out, and that it's cruel to return them to where they were found, but this is just not true. While some feral cats can be rehabilitated and adopted out, many others cannot, and the process is so time consuming (sometimes taking months or even years) that it's just not a practical way to deal with the huge overpopulation problem. On top of that, even feral cats that become friendly may not be happy in a home, and instead live their life under constant stress. An altered feral cat can live happily outside, and in fact this is often the best route to take to ensure a good quality of life for them. You can still take care of a colony (group of feral cats) by becoming their caretaker, watching after them, providing them with food and fresh water, and trapping and altering as many cats as you can. Even if it's just one cat, that's one cat whose quality of life has been drastically improved.



I've been wanting to make this stamp for some time, as I couldn't find much TNR-related stuff on DA. It's a really important program and something I'm very passionate about. The cat in the stamp is actually one from my colony that's been fixed (you can't see her tipped ear due to the way the picture is cropped) named Aphri (short for Aphrodite). So a big thanks to her for posing for me. I actually own two tamed ferals, not counting the two kittens I hand-raised from a week old after the death of their siblings. Their mother was only six months old. I could probably write a book about the things I've seen during the short time I've been working with this colony. Life for feral cats isn't easy, and the more people I can get onboard to help take care of them, the better



I'll be happy to answer any (reasonable and polite) questions you might have, but please be considerate. Cruel, disrespectful, or passive aggressive comments will be hidden and the commenter will be promptly blocked. My support of this program is not something I'm willing to budge on, so if you're planning to try and argue with me, I suggest you don't waste your time.

Yes, you can use this. You don't have to ask.

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