Trap, Neuter, Return or Domestic Spay/Neuter?
TNR (Trap/Neuter/Return)
Community Cats & Colonies
Process:
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Volunteer trappers set and monitor traps, ensuring cats are not left unattended overnight.
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Cats are held overnight, then transported to a veterinarian for surgery and Rabies vaccination.
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Post-surgery, cats recover overnight before being returned to their original location.
Eligibility: Available to colony caretakers in Madison, and Culpeper Counties.
Cost: The program is free, though donations are needed to keep our feline population in check.
Kittens can become pregnant as early as 5 months old
Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) saves lives. Individuals who are feeding and sheltering cats on limited incomes contact MAD Cats for assistance. These "Colony Caretakers" typically have between 5 – 25 cats. Often they will buy food for the cats, before food for themselves.
TNR is the only humane program proven effective to reduce world-wide feline overpopulation. Cats are trapped, vaccinated, and returned to their original location where they have a caregiver.
Trapping: Almost every weekend, our volunteer trappers set and monitor multiple traps at scheduled locations, never leaving them unattended overnight. Cats are held in the traps overnight, transported to the vet the next day, retrieved after surgery, and held again for recovery before being returned to their caretakers.
Domestic (friendly) Cats
Domestic cats have an owner. They may live entirely indoors, or Indoor/Outdoors. To participate in this program, the owner will need a hard-sided, sturdy, clean carrier. For multiple cats, MAD Cats has carriers to loan.
Services Provided:
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Transportation
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Surgery
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FVRCP vaccination
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Rabies vaccination
Cost: No-Cost to You!, but it isn't "Free". Every surgery costs an average of $100. We ask that you please donate what you can.
For feral, stray, any cat in a trap, contact:
Anicira Veterinary Center, Harrisonburg or Manassas
For other local options contact
For Assistance in Fauquier County, please contact Middleburg Humane Society, 540-364-3272 ext. 413, or communitycats@middleburghumane.com
Understanding Community Cats
Why TNR Works
Community Cats (Strays, Colony Cats) have existed outdoors for thousands of years. They are unsocialized and unsuitable for indoor homes.Community Cats avoid people and rarely spread diseases like rabies. Science confirms they pose little public health risk.
People, with good intentions, bring community cats to shelters, but the cat's lack of socialization makes adoption unlikely, often leading to euthanasia.
Focusing Trap Neuter Release (TNR) on Community Cats is the most humane and effective way to reduce populations while saving lives.