TNR stands for “trap, neuter, return” (or “release”). Community cats are humanely trapped, spayed or neutered, vaccinated, ear-tipped, and then returned to their outdoor home. Over time, this stabilizes and gradually reduces colony populations while improving the health of the cats.

Why the ear tip?

The ear tip is a very clear, universal sign to anyone working with feral cat colonies which cats have already been spayed and neutered and which have not. In Washington State, you’ll most commonly see a small straight-line tip removed from the left ear, sometimes alongside a belly tattoo.

While ear tipping can be a controversial topic, it is a crucial part of the TNR process. The ear tip itself is a safe, minor, cosmetic surgical procedure performed by a licensed veterinarian while the cat is already under anesthesia for its spay or neuter. It does not affect the cat’s ability to be accepted back into the colony or to carry out its everyday activities.

Most importantly, ear tipping allows a cat to live its life within the colony without the risk of ever being unnecessarily trapped and stressed again.

What about owned outdoor cats?

We also highly recommend ear-tipping, adding a breakaway cat collar, and microchipping any owned outdoor or indoor/outdoor cats. Why? It’s far less likely that someone will accidentally scoop up your cat thinking they’re lost or part of a feral colony.

We will never intentionally trap an owned cat. We always scan for a microchip and look for a belly tattoo if there is no ear tip. Ear-tipped colony cats are only trapped again if an urgent or emergency situation requires immediate medical attention.