When a cat gets trapped, spayed or neutered, and then brought right back to where they were found… it might seem confusing. Wasn’t the goal to “get rid of” the cats? Not quite.
The goal is to stop the cycle — not to make cats disappear.
Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) is based on something we’ve learned over and over:
If you take cats away, more will come to take their place, AKA the vacuum effect.
If you take cats away, more will come to take their place, AKA the vacuum effect.
So when you see ear-tipped cats, what you’re seeing is stability.
A returned cat has been:
- Spayed or neutered
- Vaccinated (Rabies + FVRCP)
- Ear-tipped for ID
They’re no longer adding to the overpopulation problem. In fact, by staying where they are, they help prevent new cats from moving in.
Change takes time.
Colonies don’t disappear overnight. But with every fixed cat, we stop dozens (sometimes hundreds) of kittens from being born into hard lives.
Most outdoor colonies shrink slowly over time.
No new litters. No new cats. Fewer complaints. Less suffering.
No new litters. No new cats. Fewer complaints. Less suffering.
Relocating cats might feel like a kind thing to do — but it often causes more harm than good.
Here’s why:
- Cats are territorial and may not adjust
- New locations may already have resident cats
- It removes fixed cats from the area, which invites unaltered cats to move in
Unless the cat is in danger or being moved to a supervised barn program, relocation should be a last resort.