Guidelines for Successful TNR: Bonita Springs FL Program

​Thank you for inquiring about our local Trap/Neuter/Return (TNR) program.
Please Note that the TNR Program:
· Is for feral and outdoor cats, not housecats.
· Is FREE to any resident of Bonita Springs for cats living in Bonita Springs; you can use the program on your own or with our assistance.
· Is not a relocation or adoption service
· Is not an animal removal service
· Is 100% volunteer. YOU are required to participate in the process and we will provide assistance.
· Community Cats of Bonita Springs is a non-profit organization staffed only by volunteers and our expenses are funded solely by donations. We are not paid to trap, transport or care for the cats.
· It is important that you follow the steps below in order to trap cats successfully for your appointments. If for any reason you cannot keep your appointment, please call the vet’s office ASAP. If you fail to trap any cats, call them before 9 a.m. the morning of surgery to let them know. If you trap some but not all of the cats, go with the cats that you have and let them know how many you have when you arrive. Do not bring more cats than you have appointments for. Please call them if you need additional appointments.
· The vet is Dr. Linda Kitchen, Animal Hospital of Bonita. 239-947-3447. Located at 8830 Emerald Isle (off Tamiami Trail) in Bonita Springs. In addition to their spay/neuter surgery, cats get a rabies vaccine, a microchip registered to their location and a left ear tip, the universal symbol for a “fixed” community cat!
Before you Trap
1. Call Community Cats of Bonita Springs at 810-630-9097. (En Español, 239-699-7108). We will provide information, answer questions, advise on appointment availability and direct you accordingly.
2. DO NOT SET TRAPS UNTIL YOU HAVE SURGERY APPOINTMENTS. Call 239-947-3447 for appointments.
3. We need to know the number of cats involved (adult, teenager, kittens) and how long you have been feeding and providing care. Are any cats pregnant?
4. You DO NOT need to pet, handle or pick up the cats; you could injure yourself or the cats by trying to physically put them into the traps and you may spook them, making the entire project more difficult and longer to complete. Let the traps do the work for you! … the cats trap themselves IF you follow our instructions!
5. The volunteer will provide humane traps for you to use or you may rent them for a refundable deposit at Animal Hospital of Bonita once you make appointments. You will also be instructed on how to work with the traps.
Trapping Tips
· Dusk and dawn are the best times for trapping feral cats. Establish a routine feeding time and place. The more exact you can make it, the easier your trapping will be. If your cats only eat dry food, canned food may be successful as bait, but we highly recommend stinky fish, such as canned mackerel (in brine), sardines or tuna to lure them into the traps. These can be found at any dollar store. Canned or rotisserie chicken is also very desirable, especially for kittens. We will show you how to bait and position the traps, etc. A variety of baits – fish, chicken, canned cat food – is often a good idea if there are several cats to trap.
· Place the traps in the feeding area for a few days so that the cats become used to seeing them and the smell of any other cats previously trapped in them. We provide cloth trap covers; leave those outside as well so that they smell like the outdoors.
· Set the trap so that it is open but will NOT close when triggered by using a bungee cord, wood block or clip. The volunteer will help you with this if needed.
· Begin feeding inside the rigged traps in advance of the surgery date; 3 to 5 days is adequate. Use your regular cat food. If you only feed dry kibble and they are reluctant to go into the traps, give them canned food in the traps. Don’t hover over the traps or try to coax the cats to go in. Maintain your normal feeding routine and interaction with the cats.
· Even if there are cats in the colony that have been "fixed", all of them should enter the trap to eat. If you leave any food outside the trap, it is impossible to control which cats enter to eat and which do not, and your opportunity to “teach” them to go into the traps will be lost, lowering your chances of success.
· Stop feeding 24 to 36 hours before your first trapping attempt. Missing one meal will not hurt the cats. It will however make them all more likely to show up on schedule for the next feeding time. Cats must be hungry in order to enter the traps and NO food should be available to them outside the trap; if neighbors or other household members also feed, please make sure that they stop feeding while you are trying to trap the cats. Leave a bowl of fresh water for the cats at all times.
· Once you set the traps, do not leave them unattended; let the volunteer know if you have to leave so that they can monitor the trap. Do not allow traps to sit in direct sun – a cat could die in less than 30 minutes. Also do not set traps on or near ant hills! A layer of food grade diatomaceous earth around and under the trap will help keep ants away, but avoid placing traps on or near ant hills or activity.
· Do not leave traps set overnight as you are more likely to catch raccoons and possums instead of cats; these animals can damage the traps and you will be responsible for replacing damaged traps.
· To trap successfully, the cats must be hungry and they need quiet and privacy. Do not walk up to traps continuously, try to coax them in or follow them around with the traps. Set traps where the cats eat and then watch from a distance or indoors. Use binoculars from a distance so that you don’t walk up on a trap just as a cat is getting ready to go in.
Trapping, Surgery, Recovery, Release
1. Do not start trapping more than 48 hours before the surgery date but do not leave all your trapping until the morning of surgery either: waiting increases the likelihood that you will miss your chance and waste appointments. Once a cat is caught, you will cover the trap with a cloth cover that is provided with the trap. This helps to keep the cat calm. You will then move the cat in the trap away from the trapping area to a quiet comfortable safe place. Cats that are already fixed and ear tipped should remain covered in the traps while you trap unfixed cats; this keeps them from interfering. You can release fixed cats when you are finished trapping. The volunteer will instruct you on how to care for trapped cats until the surgery date. Continue trapping until all cats are trapped or appointments are filled; if you don’t catch all of them on your first try, reset the traps with fresh bait at the next feeding time. Do NOT feed them outside the traps between trapping sessions. Maintain your usual routine with them… calling them, shaking the food bag, etc.
2. Once all cats are trapped for your appointments, you can feed remaining cats in the colony as usual.
3. The trapped cats are to have NO food or water starting at midnight on the night before surgery; so remove all bowls and food from the trap at bedtime.
4. Drop off at Animal Hospital of Bonita (AHOB) is between 8 and 9 a.m.; pickup is between 5 and 5:30 p.m. If you cannot provide transport, we will assist. We can instruct on how to prep your vehicle for transport.
5. All cats must arrive at AHOB in a humane trap – NO CARRIERS! Kittens must weigh at least 2 lbs., which is usually 8 weeks of age. Surgery is safer for them at 10+ weeks of age if possible, but prior to 5 months, when they start reproducing.
6. When the cats are picked up from AHOB, please keep them in the traps and leave them in a quiet, comfortable, safe place away from other animals. Cats need to be kept in room or outdoor temps of about 75 degrees after surgery. We will instruct you on care and feeding after surgery, etc. Females are generally held in the traps 24 to 36 hours after surgery. Males can be released the following morning. Depending on individual circumstances, we will provide a time line for release.
7. The cats MUST be released where you trapped them. This is very important, as cats are territorial and they can become disoriented and vulnerable to traffic and predators if released in an unfamiliar area. Please be aware that releasing cats in a different location than where they were trapped is a violation of the Lee Co Domestic Animal Services Ordinance; violation may result in fines and animal cruelty charges against you.
We are here to guide you and offer coaching and assistance every step of the way. Please call us with questions or concerns. You can also email us at bonitakittyfixers@gmail.com or message our Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/kittyfixers/
Thank you for caring enough to help neighborhood cats.