The Mountain Times

Letter to the Editor: Trap-neuter-release, an effective way to reduce the population of outdoor cats

Dear Editor,

I am the Director of Operations at the Rutland County Humane Society. I was very pleased to see the experts in the article "Outdoor cats pose a threat to Vermont's wildlife population" in the Feb. 28 edition, recommend that house cats not only be spayed or neutered but also kept inside.

I would like to add that there is another very effective way to reduce populations of outdoor cats.  For those outdoor cats who are free-roaming and un-owned RCHS offers a trap-neuter-release (TNR) program. While the program does not remove cats from the neighborhoods and barns where they have made their homes, it does prevent them from reproducing at will. TNR reduces roaming, fighting, spraying and other undesirable behaviors. It is also thought that TNR can reduce predation as the spayed and neutered cats are not expending energy mating, gestating, and nursing, and therefore have reduced caloric requirements.

RCHS offers free TNR and rabies vaccines for free-roaming cats being cared for by citizens.  Please call 483-6700 for more information or to find out how to enroll in the program.

Sincerely,
Jessica Danyow, Director of Operations RCHS