Effect of high-impact targeted trap-neuter-return and adoption of community cats on cat intake to a shelter

Abstract

Approximately 2-3 million cats enter animal shelters annually in the United States. A large proportion of these are unowned community cats that have no one to reclaim them and may be too unsocialized for adoption. More than half of impounded cats are euthanased due to shelter crowding, shelter-acquired disease or feral behavior. Trap-neuter-return (TNR), an alternative to shelter impoundment, improves cat welfare and reduces the size of cat colonies, but has been regarded as too impractical to reduce cat populations on a larger scale or to limit shelter cat intake. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of TNR concentrated in a region of historically high cat impoundments in a Florida community. A 2-year program was implemented to capture and neuter at least 50% of the estimated community cats in a single 11.9 km(2) zip code area, followed by return to the neighborhood or adoption. Trends in shelter cat intake from the target zip code were compared to the rest of the county. A total of 2366 cats, representing approximately 54% of the projected community cat population in the targeted area, were captured for the TNR program over the 2-year study period. After 2 years, per capita shelter intake was 3.5-fold higher and per capita shelter euthanasia was 17.5-fold higher in the non-target area than in the target area. Shelter cat impoundment from the target area where 60 cats/1000 residents were neutered annually decreased by 66% during the 2-year study period, compared to a decrease of 12% in the non-target area, where only 12 cats/1000 residents were neutered annually. High-impact TNR combined with the adoption of socialized cats and nuisance resolution counseling for residents is an effective tool for reducing shelter cat intake.

Trap-Neuter-Return Activities in Urban Stray Cat Colonies in Australia

“…Reported cat population sizes (relative to human population size) vary widely, but are typically in the order of 78 to 168 cats/1000 human residents in urban environments [8,11]. In areas contributing disproportionately to shelter intake and euthanasia, a phone survey estimated there were 236 fed community cats/1000 human residents and the cat density was 21 cats/km 2 [9], whereas cat densities are lower in forested areas distant from human habitation (0.034 cats/km 2 ) [6]. A starting estimate of 67 free roaming cats fed on a daily basis per 1000 residents is recommended, and adjusted up or down based on climate, housing density (cat numbers lower if high density apartment housing), and local knowledge [10,39].…”

“…This was the biggest cause of colony attrition, followed by death (16%) and disappearance (16%). As in our study, removal of adult cats and kittens for adoption is crucial if early reduction in colony size is to be achieved [9]. …”

“…This cull rate is based on assumptions that approximately half the 164,000 cat admissions are to municipal pounds, of which 85% are stray, half are to welfare agencies of which 60% are stray, and overall 56% of admitted cats are euthanized [2,6]. Approximately 90% of Australia’s 23 million residents live in urban areas where there are likely 60 to 100 stray cats per 1000 residents [7,8,9,10,11] which equates to between 1.2 and 2 million urban stray cats. Although there are no national data available, NSW municipal pound data show a steady slow annual increase in intake of cats and numbers killed [2,12], suggesting that the current low level killing of excess stray cats is ineffective in decreasing cat numbers.…”

“…TNR is used in many countries overseas including Singapore, Canada, Italy and the United States [15,25,26,27]. In North America, intake of stray cats into municipal pounds and shelters and their euthanasia are markedly decreased where targeted TNR is employed [9]. …”

“…Reductions in colony size after introduction of TNR have been reported in colonies in USA [15,28,29,30]. However, there is no published evidence for the efficacy of TNR in reducing colony size in Australia.…”