Trap-Neuter-Return Resources
Resource list geared towards Solano County
Help!
You are now the proud caretaker of a colony of feral or non-domesticated cats. Part of your responsibility is to ensure your colony does not continue to grow. Feeding is only part of the equation to care for these cats. Many organizations are in the same position you are: unable to find appointments, have limited time, family obligations, physical and mental disabilities, work full-time, etc… by taking action on your colony and asking for help with what you personally can't handle will be more well received than demanding free assistance.
Scheduling Appointments:
Scheduling appointments and helping with transportation are two critical steps to getting assistance from an organization. Rescues don’t have special tools to get appointments-we have to schedule them too. Below are a list of clinics in the area that can perform feral cat sterilization surgeries:
Assistance:
Super Furiends will help with trapping projects as time allows, however you are responsible for scheduling appointments. If you are unable to afford appointments, please let us know realistically what you can afford. If we agree to help with a colony, we will schedule a team member to visit and assess your colony, go over our contract, and to explain how the project will be handled-any deviation from the contract or expectations will immediately terminate the contract and we will not return to assist.
Why are there so many cats?!
Lack of resources and understanding of the process. Nationally, veterinary staff have a high suicide rate, physical burn out, and compassion fatigue. Our challenge to you is to be compassionate with vet staff, rescuers, and volunteers. Pricing may seem high, but the costs have increased and clinics need to pay their staff and bills too.
Lack of responsibility from colony feeders, people who leave their pets intact, and those that abandon their animals have contributed to the overwhelming number of cats.
Biologically, cats are built to breed. A kitten becomes sexually mature at 4 months, has no defined heat cycle, and can become pregnant again immediately after giving birth.
Relocation, rehabilitation, rehoming:
Relocation for a feral colony cat is not an ethical option unless there are multiple mitigating factors. Most feral cats are unable to be socialized, but you are giving them the gift of a quality life by sterilizing or “fixing” them. Placing a cat in a barn/working home is not easy, nor are any readily available. Our suggestion is to focus on stabilizing the size of the colony first and evaluating each cat for an adoption program.
The Experts:
Classes/Education:
Our team’s mission is to provide education and resources to the community so that anyone can be a hero! We can tailor community education classes to heroes of all ages. Some of our past community workshops include:
Daisy/Brownie troop class about how to save animals that included free activity books
Elementary aged demonstration of how humane traps work, how to “speak” cat, and a feline visitor
Business meetings/negotiations between colony feeders and management
The resources listed are subject to change and based on availability, if you have something to add, please contact our team.