The HSSBC Community CAt (TNR) Program
Have outdoor cats to fix? Contact the the Humane Society:
912-681-9393 (leave a message) or borohumane@gmail.com
The Humane Society of Statesboro & Bulloch County (HSSBC) Community Cat Program assists Bulloch County residents with spaying and neutering outdoor community cats. Cats are also given a rabies vaccine and are ear tipped.
We have traps to lend and volunteers who can walk you through the process. It’s not difficult at all. If you are not physically able, one of our volunteers may be able to trap and take the cats to the clinic for you.
The HSSBC funds this program through fundraising and donations from the community. Please consider contributing any amount per cat to allow the program to go further. Twenty dollars ($20) per cat is suggested and the HSSBC covers the balance of the vet bill. But any amount you are able to donate will help. And if you are not able to donate, that’s okay. Let’s get the cats spayed and neutered to prevent more litters.
We’re happy to report that the program is very popular. Please have patience with us once you call and get on the list. We are working as fast as they can to get through the list and prevent future litters. So far, we have spayed and neutered over 2,000 community cats in Bulloch County!
*** FRIENDLY outdoor cats that are found should go to the Bulloch County Animal Shelter. Someone may be looking for it.
*** UNFRIENDLY trapped cats should go through the Humane Society’s Community Cat Program to be spayed or neutered and vaccinated. The cat is then returned to its original location.
*** Unhealthy or injured cats—whether friendly or unfriendly—must go to the Bulloch County Animal Shelter (81 Millcreek Road; 912-764-4529)
“It’s a lot better since the neighborhood cats were fixed. There isn’t any fighting and yowling.”
- Merrywood Subdivision resident
10 Benefits of the HSSBC Community Cat Program
No more litters!
It reduces the number of cats killed by animal control.
It allows healthy, fixed, vaccinated cats to live out their lives comfortably in their familiar surroundings.
It saves taxpayers’ money. The old animal control policy of trapping and killing community cats was ineffective and expensive for taxpayers.
It minimizes nuisance behaviors like spraying, fighting, howling and roaming.
It improves neighborhood relations between humans and cats.
Community cats are great mousers and snakers around your property. No more chewed wires on your vehicles from rodents.
Community cats can be great companions.
It is more cost effective and a more humane approach to dealing with cats.
It is an important part of making Bulloch County a “no kill” community.
FAQs
What is a Community Cat?
Any outside, free-roaming cat. Also known as feral, stray, or alley cat. They live outdoors and are not “homeless.” Outdoor cats can show varying levels of socialization, or tameness, but most are not socialized and are not adoptable. They live full, healthy lives—sometimes alone and sometimes in colonies with other cats. In Bulloch County, we have many compassionate people who care for community cats and cat colonies.
What is TNR?
Trap-Neuter-Return. Cats are humanely trapped, spayed or neutered, vaccinated, ear tipped, and then returned to their outdoor homes. Kittens less than 8 weeks old may be socialized and possibly adopted. Adult cats who are friendly may also be adopted, but they can also be returned outdoors. TNR improves cats’ lives and provides an effective and humane way for the community to coexist with cats.
Is this a free program?
Yes. We want everyone to spay and neuter outside community cats whether they can contribute or not. If you can donate—suggested $20 per cat—it will go right back into the program to save more cats. The HSSBC will pay the balance of the vet bill. The HSSBC Community Cat Program is funded by HSSBC fundraisers and generous donations from the community.
Why does the cat’s ear have to be tipped?
Ear tipping allows for the caretaker or any other trapper to know that a cat has been spayed or neutered and vaccinated. A ear-tipped cat will be released if trapped again and will not have to endure a second unnecessary and costly surgery. Conversely, a cat with an untipped ear alerts a trapper to a cat that still needs to be spayed or neutered. All outside cats should be ear tipped even if you think of them as “yours”—in case they wander off. Why put them through surgery again?
These cats are wild. I cannot get close to them. How can I catch them?
If the cats are dependent on your food supply, food should be withheld for at least 24 hours before setting out traps. Make sure your neighbors are withholding food too. We have two types of traps—box and drop—to try.
My neighbor is feeding cats, but not fixing them. What can I do?
If possible, talk with your neighbor about the HSSBC Community Cat Program. Give them our contact info or direct them to our website. If you are willing, offer to help them TNR the cats. If talking is not an option, contact us with your neighbor’s address and we will mail them a flyer about the program. Oftentimes, caretakers are unaware of their options and are afraid their cats may be taken away and killed. The program is a safe and humane option that prevents litters and promotes better health and less aggression in existing cats.
My outside cat is friendly. Why does she have to go to the spay clinic in a trap?
A cat may be friendly with you and in its normal environment, but it may act differently at the clinic and with other people. For the safety of the vet staff and to help with spay clinic procedures, please have one cat per trap.
The outside cat is nursing kittens. Can she be spayed? How old should kittens be when fixed?
Mama cats should not be spayed while nursing kittens, but do not hesitate once she is done nursing—some cats get pregnant even while nursing. Kittens usually are eating on their own after 6 weeks. Kittens usually gain a pound a month. It is best to wait until kittens are over 3 pounds, or over three months old to spay and neuter. Keep in mind, kittens can begin reproducing after four months of age.
I don’t want these cats around here. Can’t you take them away?
Typically, no. We do not have anywhere to take them. We get very few requests for barn cats and these requests are best used for cats who have lost their caregivers or are in hazardous situations. Please spread the word that we have fixed and vaccinated barn cats available—free to homes that will provide daily food, water, and a safe shelter. However, community cats are best left in the environment they know. Cats stay in an area because of available resources. If cats are removed from an area, other cats will move in—the Vacuum Effect.
What does the Vacuum Effect have to do with TNR?
Animal control’s typical approach has been to catch and kill community cats. While this may temporarily reduce the number of community cats in a given area, it is counterproductive and not a long-term solution. The cat population rebounds. Other cats move into the newly available territory and continue to breed. This phenomenon is called the Vacuum Effect. It’s why the catch-and-kill method doesn’t work and is not cost effective for taxpayers. TNR is the effective and humane approach to address community cat populations. Learn more at alleycat.org/VacuumEffect.
Why do I see cats in my neighborhood?
One unfixed cat can quickly become many because cats can reproduce after four months of age. Additionally, our mild climate promotes a year-round reproduction cycle. Cats are naturally skilled at finding locations where food and shelter are available.
How do I keep cats out of my yard?
Remove food sources and pick up food from other pets.
Spray the offending cat with a hose.
Close up areas that cats may use as shelter while making sure cats are not currently in them.
Use concrete pavers, river rocks, large pine cones, large bark pieces, or chicken wire (with sharp edges down) to cover loose soil.
Put rocks or shells on top of dirt in flower pots.
Plant cat-repelling plants: rue (a herb) or coleus canina (the “scaredy cat” plant).
Sprinkle the ground with cayenne pepper, moth balls, coffee grounds, pipe tobacco, or lemongrass, citronella, eucalyptus or mustard oils. Keep in mind some of these are harmful to dogs.
Secure trash cans with a tight lid or bungee cords.
Use motion-activated deterrents like sprinkler systems similar to ScareCrow or ultrasonic alarms (CatStop, PestBye, or Pest Away); outdoor scat mats or defender spikes; or search online for “cat deterrents” or “repelling cats.”
Adopt a dog! We can help with that too!
Why only Bulloch County community cats?
We have limited funding and have to be realistic about how we spend it. However, anyone—regardless of residency and income—can use the local low-cost spay clinics and we may be able to lend you traps. (Low-cost clinics)
What about Bulloch County Animal Control?
Bulloch County Animal Control knows all about our program, backs it 100%, and gives us their blessing. They no longer take outside cats. It’s a part of Bulloch County’s goal to become a no-kill county! Hooray! They know that research shows that TNR is the most cost effective and humane way to manage community cats.
What can I do to help?
Help us with TNR activities. Become a trapper. Monitor your neighborhood’s colonies or watch for cats that need to be TNR-ed. Donate to and support the HSSBC’s Community Cat Program.
Trapping Basics
Humane Society volunteers can show you how, but here’s a snapshot. It’s easy and you’ll feel like a pro in no time.
Use a humane trap made specifically for cats. The Humane Society has traps to lend.
Stop feeding at least 24 hours before trapping. Be sure other neighbors who are feeding the cats are cooperating.
Place traps in normal feeding areas. Use the cats’ regular food and dishes, if the dishes fit in the back end of the trap. Otherwise, half a paper plate will fit. Be sure ants cannot invade the food—cats won’t go near ant-infested food.
Once trapped, cover the trap with a sheet. Keep trap covered the entire time the cat is trapped. It calms the cat.
Until the cat is taken to the vet’s office, keep a trapped cat in a safe place away from predators and people.
Keep the covered, trapped cat out of the elements and in a temperature-controlled environment.
After surgery, keep the covered cat in a safe, temperature-controlled area. Post-surgery cats may have difficulty retaining body temps.
Normally, male cats need 24 hours recovery time before release; female cats need at least 48 - 72 hours recovery time. (Recovery time depends on whether the cat was in heat, pregnant, or had a treatable injury.)
DO supply food and water to a trapped, recuperating cat. Typically, a trapped cat will retreat back into the trap away from your presence allowing you to lift a door enough to put in small bowls of food and water. Remember to relock the trap.
Cats that require more than 24 hours recovery can be made more comfortable by ziplocking two traps together lengthwise, with their quick release back doors doors removed, to allow for greater space. Line second trap with a puppy pad or small towel (or a small cardboard flat with litter) before adjoining with first trap.
Monitor the cat’s recovery, but give it lots of privacy. Do not stress the cat.
If you have a wily cat that will not go near a regular “box” trap, we have another type of trap—a drop trap—that usually works.
IMPORTANT: Do NOT try to handle the cat. Do NOT try to physically put the cat in the trap. Even friendly cats will “freak out.” Keep your fingers and hands out of the trap. Be sure the trap’s back door is locked while trapping, during transport, and when retrieving the trapped cat from the vet.
DID YOU KNOW?
In the past, picking up, handling, and “disposing” of an outdoor cat cost the Bulloch County taxpayers $200-$400 per cat. Feral cats cannot be adopted, so nearly 100% of these cats were killed—hundreds of cats in Bulloch County each year. This use of tax funds was not effective in reducing the cat population.
The HSSBC’s Community Cat Program is a proven and humane way to control the outdoor cat population. Humane Society volunteers and funds facilitate this program, so there is NO cost to Bulloch County taxpayers!
All kinds of people and groups throughout the U.S. and the world practice and support TNR—corporations, college campuses, entire cities, sports stadiums, even Disneyland! Bulloch County has joined the “no-kill” movement—a humane approach to animal control that benefits county taxpayers.