TNR (Trap, Neuter, Release) is a program provided by the Humane Society of Midland County to help control the population of feral cats in our community.  We partner with property owners who will humanely capture feral cats and bring them to the shelter to be neutered and then return them back to their property.   This is an excellent way to have cats on a property to provide the benefits of pest control without having to deal with the issues related to them having multiple litters.

You Must Be a Resident of Midland, Michigan to Apply For This Service.

If you are interested in participating in this program, please be aware of the following information:

  • Feral cats with an “ear tip” is a sign that they have already been fixed.  When ear tipped, one of the cat’s ears will appear to be squared off instead of being pointy at the tip.  Ear-tipping involves surgically removing a small portion of one of a cat’s ears while the cat is under anesthesia for spay or neuter surgery. It is the universally accepted way to signify that a community cat has been spayed or neutered, which means no new kittens will be born and that’s a good thing.
  • Feral Cats MUST come into the shelter/clinic in a humane trap.  We recommend the use a of a humane trap such as a Havaheart trap to capture a feral cat for transport to the Humane Society.
  • You are responsible for transportation of the cat.  You will need to transport the cat both to and from the shelter the day of their scheduled surgery.  HSOMC does not have anyone to help transport the animals.  We can provide bags for underneath the trap if needed for transportation.   Transporting in the back of an open bed truck, a sealed trailer, or sealed trunk is NOT acceptable.
  • The cat will need to be cared for pre and post surgery.  The cats will need to be held overnight, both the night before the surgery and after.  They should be kept in a safe, warm, well ventilated location (i.e. – laundry room, bathroom, locked garage.
  • Female cats that recently had a litter should wait to be spayed.    A female cat who was lactating (feeding babies) has to have time to “dry” up for a few weeks before getting spayed.
Click below to see our complete detailed guide to humanly trapping cats for the Trap, Neuter, Release program.    You can print this guide and keep it as a quick reference when you are attempting to capture a feral cat.
We have a limited number of humane traps for capturing a feral cat that can be loaned out as part of the TNR program.  Click below to get a form that you can print, fill out and bring to the shelter when you are ready.
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