New Cats
While caring for an outdoor cat colony, you might notice new members joining the group. After all, you’re providing food, water, and outdoor shelter, and word gets around that it’s the place to be! Sometimes, though, new cats behave more wildly than the cats already in the colony. They may even fight with current colony members. Fear not, for there’s a simple solution Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR)! Instead of seeing new cats as a threat to the current colony, see them as another step toward helping to stabilize the population.
Even after spaying and neutering all the cats you care for, TNR is still needed for other cats that move into the neighborhood. Remember, it’s important that all community cats be spayed or neutered to stabilize their population and eliminate nuisance behaviors like fighting, spraying, yowling, and roaming.
As new cats appear, spring into action right away to get them trapped and spayed or neutered. Since they’re new and could just be visiting from another location, this might be your only chance to trap them. Follow the same protocols for trapping these cats as you followed for the original colony members. If you discover that the current cats are getting trapped instead of the new cat you’re after, use our Tips for Successful Trapping of Trap-Shy Cats to learn how to target a specific cat for trapping. With a little help from TNR, the new cat can make a smooth transition into the colony, and you’ve improved the life of another cat!