Conflicting information on TNR

[IndyJones]

I have read many articles that say TNR doesn't work or makes the problem worse. On the other hand, there are articles that say it does.

Personaly I am on the fence about the issues.

Articles for tnr:
Why Trap-Neuter-Return Feral Cats? The Case for TNR


Articles against tnr:
Trap, Neuter, Release

A Case of Letting the Cat out of The Bag—Why Trap-Neuter-Return Is Not an Ethical Solution for Stray Cat (Felis catus) Management

For me I love both birds and cats. It distresses me to see dead birds killed by cats. My cats do not go outside unsupervised.

Im not sure how I would react if a tnr colony was in my area. How do caretakers control them in regiards to conflict with neighbours? (killing birds, crapping in gardens, spraying etc)

I'm just intrested in learning about the parts of it the articles don't talk about without harsh words.

Like how do people who don't want them around react? I imagine not everybody who doesn't poisions or draws a rifle at them.

I would never poision a cat or shoot it for example but if it was crapping in my yard and killing birds at my feeder I sure would not want it around.

I guess I just would like to hear personal experience around tnr rather than just studys or articles.

 

[Norachan]

I can't speak for countries such as Australia or New Zealand, because feral cat populations in those places are a relatively new problem. The fauna in those countries evolved without predators like cats and so are affected much more seriously than small mammals and birds in other countries.

I'm going to base my answer on what I have observed first hand in Japan. A country that has had a large cat population since 538AD, as well as other small native carnivores. (Fox, tanuki, pole cats, Iriomte cats, badgers etc)

First of all, spaying and neutering does reduce the number of feral cats in an area. I'm not sure why the article American Bird Conservancy claims it doesn't. We all know how quickly cats breed, it stands to reason that be preventing new kittens from being born the population of cats will not increase as quickly as it would do if they were not spayed or neutered.

Secondly, in Japan you don't get populations of feral cats living out in the woods where large numbers of wild birds and other animals live. I live in the woods. I hike in the forests and mountains a lot and I often see reclusive animals such as flying squirrels, Asian badgers or pole cats. I have never, ever seen a feral cat anywhere except for close to human habitation. Cats have an easier life living off of the food we throw away, the rodents attracted to the food we throw away or the food we leave out for them. So I don't think feral cats here have a huge impact on other wild animals.

According to the RSPB:

Despite the large numbers of birds killed by cats in gardens, there is no clear scientific evidence that such mortality is causing bird populations to decline. This may be surprising, but many millions of birds die naturally every year, mainly through starvation, disease or other forms of predation. There is evidence that cats tend to take weak or sickly birds.

Cats do kill birds when the opportunity presents itself, but by killing mice and rats, which eat baby birds and take birds eggs, they may also be controlling other predators that affect bird populations.

You also have to remember that the number one killer of birds, small mammals, larger animals, reptiles, insects, marine life and plant life is human beings. If people are really concerned about wild birds the best way to protect them is to stop leaving lights on at night (Birds are attracted to lit windows and die from injuries sustained by flying into them) stop eating meat (Habitat loss due to clearing land for grazing is one of the biggest causes of dwindling wild bird and animal populations) and stop using fossil fuels.

But of course it's way easier to blame feral cat colonies than take responsibility for our own actions.



Not everyone is happy to have feral cats around, but feral colony caretakers can do their bit to make sure people have less to complain about. If you get all the cats you care for fixed a lot of the problems, such as spraying, fighting, noisy mating, are reduced. If you're going to care for cats you also have to make sure you clean up after them. Cats will tend to use one area as a toilet, so caretakers have to be prepared to clean the poop out of that area.

It also helps to be on good terms with your neighbours. You have to let people know that you are spaying and neutering the cats, rehoming feral kittens whenever possible and providing food and shelter so the cats don't roam onto other people's property. I've found offering to clean up a flower bed that a cat has pooped in and gifting plants to replace any that were damaged helps here.

It seems that the Japanese government agrees that maintaining healthy, fixed feral colonies is the best way to deal with the cat population. It's now possible to get a 10,000 yen voucher towards spaying or neutering a cat from your local government office. No limit on how many cats you get fixed. No questions asked about if it's for a pet or feral cat. Some cities, such as Kyoto, allow feral cat caretakers to register with their local government. They provide money to cover vet bills and even give money to cover feeding established colonies. Feral cat populations at popular shrines are seen as being part of the tourist attraction. I met some very well fed cuties last time I was in Kyoto.

 

[oyster]

I think Norachan has given you a very comprehensive answer but as you asked for personal examples, I can share mine.
I have been doing TNR for 10 years and it has really helped our neighborhood which is in a rural setting. Our local shelter has volunteered to pay for the surgeries and the local vets charge less when they know it is not your own pet cat. This is not a government initiative but a private arrangement after I kept coming in with cat after cat.
TNR is the best way to keep feline populations in control. I prefer that than culling huge amounts of them as was done by a state north of us.
As the populations of cat colonies goes down, so does the threat to birds and wildlife. I have always had 2-3 ferals I feed regularly and they often bring mice rather than birds. I also have several bird feeders that I hang above reach of any cats. The fact is that even if I did not TNR, other cats from neighboring areas would find their way to us and kill the wildlife.
I also think that feeding ferals keeps them away from the bird population especially in the winter when they are well fed and warm in their beds. Why bother chasing prey when you can snooze and cuddle?
Killing any animal is not allowed where we live whether through poisoning or shooting. If it has to be done, a permit needs to be sought from the appropriate government body and there is an oversight on the method and result.
Hope this helps.

 

[DeesCats]

I learned about a local TNR group in my area about a year and a half ago mostly because I started seeing more stray/feral cats in my area. I also live in a semi-rural area but about 8 miles from a local city. My local newspaper had some articles about the TNR group and how they were working to reduce the feral cat population in the city but that they also offered low cost spay/neuter through a local animal hospital to areas outside the city. So far they have TNR'd 2,380 ferals since 2019 and that was with only 6 regular volunteers to do the job of trapping the cats! They did get some funding from the city but can only use that money for city cats otherwise they rely on donations from the public, fund raising events or people using their services directly.

I used their services and I trapped 3 ferals and took them in to get neutered and spayed. Two of the ferals still visit my cat feeder daily with one now sleeping in his newly built heated cat house since the weather has turned colder.

I haven't seen these ferals killing birds at the feeders I have up throughout the year, though it's possible, but mostly I see them going after mice, voles and chipmunks.

 

[backwoodsvet]

I'm gonna comment as a colony caretaker, I live in a rural area where houses are spaced apart from one another, I believe TNR is the best thing to ever happen at least in my case.......I care for a colony that lives their life's at a dump site(how sad) with the nearest house about 1/2 mile down the road.....When I had a lady show up every so often to TNR, my caretaking was easier and always less pressure on the colony AND colony size ran from between 8-12 cats/kittens....One time some years ago, she set her traps out and someone stole them, she has never came back, NOW my colony stays between 12-18 at any given time, combined with constant pressure from a colony that's 90% un-fixed.....This alone is why I'll always support TNR for strays/ferals............

Now I can't speak to the wildlife that may be getting effected at the dump site, BUT, my ideal is, and I've told a couple of my neighbors this, the one's that care anyway, the more we, the neighborhood, keep all strays/ferals at this dump site , hopefully the less they will stay out of peoples flower beds/gardens, not have cat fights outside windows in the middle of the night and other various things that cats can do that would upset the neighborhood, in other words, keep the good, bad and ugly about cats at the dump, it seems to keep them form being the target of angry cat haters...........