Not all cats have had the opportunity to socialize with humans. Some are happiest outdoors, living independently, but they still deserve care and compassion. That’s why, 20 years ago, MEOW Foundation launched Calgary’s first Trap Neuter Return (TNR) program. Our goal was simple: ensure feral cats receive the care they need, with dedicated caregivers providing food, water, and help accessing medical care when needed.
What is TNR?
TNR is a well-recognized and effective humane program that humanely traps, spays/neuters, and returns feral cats to their community. Most caregivers live in communities across Calgary, and ensure the cats they watch over receive food, water and medical care. Once enrolled, these cats remain under MEOW’s supervision and care for life.
How Did the Program Start?
MEOW’s mission has always been to Make Each One Wanted, including the feral cats in our community. When our foundation began, Calgary had no programs to support the feral population. In 2002, we started researching existing TNR initiatives, though at the time there were only a handful.
We drew inspiration from Alley Cat Allies, Best Friends, and Saskatoon Street Cats (the only Canadian program we could find then), as well as research and field studies by Dr. Julie Levy, a leading expert in shelter medicine at the University of Florida.
By 2005, we had developed our own program and guidelines, which were approved by our board of directors. With that, MEOW Foundation became the first TNR program in Calgary and one of the first in Canada. Today, our program is recognized by the City of Calgary as a humane and effective way to manage feral cat populations.
Why is TNR Important?
A single female cat can have up to three litters each year. TNR halts the breeding cycle, thereby stabilizing the population at each site and over time, the population decreases. The cats become better neighbours as TNR drastically reduces the yowling, fighting and other nuisance behaviours associated with intact cats. The cats are healthier due to their spay and neuter surgeries and vaccines, plus they are well cared for, and lastly, fewer cats enter shelters, which means more resources available for adoptable cats and euthanization rates are reduced.
Our TNR program helps to humanely control and reduce Calgary’s feral cat population, while ensuring these cats have access to food, water, and medical care so they can live healthy lives outdoors.
Becoming a TNR Caregiver
The process of becoming a TNR caregiver begins when concerned citizens call us because they are feeding outdoor cats and would like assistance. If the cats are very shy or feral, MEOW educates the person on the TNR program, and if they are interested in participating, MEOW will make an appointment to review our caregiver contract and instruct them on using a humane trap.
Once the cat(s) arrive at MEOW, they are housed in our TNR Recovery Room and are spayed/neutered, provided with permanent identification and vaccinated. During their recovery period, their behaviour (willingness to interact with humans) is carefully assessed. At the end of the assessment and recovery period, they may be transferred to our adoption program or returned to their caregiver and their community territory and other cat friends.
If you are already feeding feral or wild cats in your neighbourhood, we’d love to welcome you as a TNR caregiver. To learn more, email us at tnr@meowfoundation.com.