Scientific studies show that Trap-Neuter-Return, also known as TNR, is the humane and effective approach for managing feral cats.
Trap-Neuter-Return improves the lives of feral cats, improves their relationships with the humans who live near them, and decreases the size of colonies over time. These studies have been conducted in multiple countries, and have been published in a variety of peer-reviewed scientific journals.
Cats benefit from Trap-Neuter-Return in both the long term and the short term.
Studies document that after neutering, cats become healthier and gain weight, and that the lifespan of cats in managed colonies increases. One study found that at the end of a 10-year Trap-Neuter-Return program, 83% of the cats in the managed colonies had been residing in those colonies for more than six years, resulting in a lifespan comparable with household cats, who have an average lifespan of 7.1 years. In addition, studies have found that aggressive interactions among cats in managed colonies decrease after spaying or neutering, while affectionate interactions increase. Cats in neutered colonies also roam less and do not fight over mates.
In addition to improving the lives of cats, these changes also tend to make cats better neighbors to the humans who live near them.
Neutered cats make less noise, for example, and fight less.
Multiple long-term studies of Trap-Neuter-Return have shown that managed colony population sizes decrease over time.
One study found a 66% decrease in the populations of managed colonies over 10 years, while another documented decreases of between 16 and 32%, starting at three years after Trap-Neuter-Return began.
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