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Photo by Meredith Weiss Feral Cat Services The NYC Feral Cat Initiative is committed to solving the New York City feral cat overpopulation crisis through the humane, non-lethal method of Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR). The program carries out its mission by providing the following free and low-cost services to individuals and organizations working with feral cats through TNR: NYFCI Services Loans & Rentals of Traps, Dividers & Cages Equipment for TNR projects, including traps, trap dividers (isolators), and cages, can be borrowed or rented from trap banks in Brooklyn, Queens, Manhattan, and Staten Island. Feral Cat Spay/Neuter Programs The ASPCA, The Humane Society of New York, The Toby Project, and several other local organizations are strong supporters of our efforts to bring the feral cat population under control. These organizations offer free or low-cost spay/neuter services (and related treatment) for feral cats. Which organization you should work with will depend on whether or not you are a Certified TNR Caretaker, the scope of your project, and how many cats you can handle at one time. Feline Lecture & Workshop Series Our ongoing feline lecture and workshop series has featured topics including Bottle-Feeding & Care of Orphaned Kittens, Bottle Babies: Proper Care of Orphaned Kittens, Socializing Feral Kittens, Taming Feral Kittens 8 Weeks Old & Under, Socializing Feral Kittens 10 Weeks Old & Under, Socializing Feral Kittens Part I: 10 Weeks & Under, Socializing Feral Kittens Part II: 3 Months & Older, Drop Traps, Secondary Caretakers & Colony Registration, Colony Set-up & Care, Neighbor Relations: A Dramatization, Illness & Injury in Feral Felines, Veterinary Care of Feral Cats for Rescuers, and Animal Hoarding in New York City. To be notified about upcoming lectures and workshops, please subscribe to NYC Eartips, the e-newsletter of the NYC Feral Cat Initiative, and follow us on Facebook and Twitter. Transport of traps and cats are offered to Certified TNR Caretakers for their scheduled TNR projects. The Mayor's Alliance's Wheels of Hope vans carry traps between trap banks and TNR project sites and transport trapped cats to spay/neuter clinics, surgical recovery spaces, and back to their original colonies. People who have completed the in-person TNR Certification Workshop or online TNR Certification Course are eligible for giveaways of cat food and straw shelter insulation to help keep the cats in their colonies well-fed, warm, and dry all year-round. These giveaways are scheduled periodically throughout the year. Certified TNR Caretakers are notified of upcoming giveaways as they become available. Information on TNR & Feral Cat Care Our online library provides a wealth of detailed online and printable information about feral cats and TNR in New York City. Topics include Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) overview; equipment and procedures; feral cat colony feeding, shelter, and eartipping; community relations; free and low-cost spay/neuter programs; kitten care, socialization, and placement; animal cruelty investigation; emergency rescue and veterinary clinics; frequently asked questions (FAQ); and recommended links. You can request advice and guidance on how to help the street cats in your New York City neighborhood by contacting the NYC Feral Cat Initiative at (212) 330-0033 or info@NYCFeralCat.org. NYC Eartips, the e-newsletter of the New York City Feral Cat Initiative, contains articles about people doing TNR work in the NYC area, updates on spay/neuter events, food giveaways, and TNR workshops, and tips and tricks on TNR techniques and equipment. Subscribe now!
Other Feral Cat Services in New York City These valuable feral cat Trap-Neuter-Return programs and services are provided by Neighborhood Cats, The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), and other organizations. Completion of The Neighborhood Cats TNR Workshop or the Humane Society University Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR): How to Manage a Feral Cat Colony online course is required to become a Certified TNR Caretaker. Learn how to care for the feral and stray cats in your community and make use of the many resources now available to assist you. All steps in setting up a managed colony will be covered, including establishing good community relations, feeding, building and placing shelters, arranging vet care, finding recovery space, safely handling feral cats, and trapping (with an emphasis on conducting a mass-trapping of an entire feral colony at once). All workshop attendees will become TNR certified, and NYC residents will gain access to affordable spay/neuter and trap rental. Join the 3,900+ caretakers trained to date! Neighborhood Cats New York City Feral Cat Database Launched in 2006, the online Neighborhood Cats New York City Feral Cat Database currently has hundreds of feral cat colonies registered. The data collected shows that, on average, these colonies are already showing substantial declines in size! In addition, thousands of cats and kittens have been rescued and placed in homes from these same colonies. Entire neighborhoods, such as the Upper West Side of Manhattan, are virtually kitten-free, and other landmark areas like Rikers Island and the Fresh Kills Landfill have shown reductions by more than half in the numbers of cats. Once you join the growing network of feral cat caretakers, you may be able to find some support from those in your neighborhood. After you register your colony in the New York City Feral Cat Database (this information is kept strictly confidential) you will be eligible for prizes. Those who have completed the TNR Certification Workshop are invited to join the NYCFeralCats Yahoo Groups e-mail discussion group to network with other NYC feral cat caretakers. A great way to find resources and get information!
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