TNR means Trap-Neuter-Return, and this is the most humane and effective method known for managing feral and stray community cats and reducing their numbers.

Community cats who live together in a colony group are humanely trapped and brought to a clinic to be spayed or neutered, vaccinated for rabies where appropriate, and ear-tipped. After recovering from their surgeries, these cats are returned back to their original territory, where a caretaker provides regular food and shelter. When trapping, if volunteers find young kittens or friendly adults, they will be placed into foster until adoption into permanent homes.

Ear-tipping is where the tip of one ear is removed. If you see a community cat that is missing the tip of one ear, that quick visual guide identifies that the cat has been fixed and is being cared for outside.

Cats who have been TNR-ed can no longer reproduce, and the colony has the potential to decline in size over time. Spaying and neutering also significantly reduce nuisance behavior. Once the cats are fixed, fighting, yowling, and other noise associated with mating stops almost entirely. The cats themselves are healthier and less likely to spread feline diseases. Plus, rodent control is maintained by the cats’ continued presence.

Operation Colony Cats (OCC) is an entirely volunteer-based group that works primarily in Columbus, MS. We coordinate closely with the Columbus Lowndes Humane Society, Oktibbeha County Humane Society (OCHS), and our local animal control to better the lives of stray and feral community cats in our city and surrounding areas. With our rescue partner, Sweet Paws Rescue, some of our homeless cats and kittens that are sociable find their way to happy forever homes. We also transport with OCHS to other rescues and shelters in the north, where the cat populations are much smaller, and pets are kept indoors in a safe environment. 

If you want to learn more about TNR and how it can help in your community, check out this resource: The Seven Steps of TNR