 Successful TNVR (Trap-Neuter-Vaccinate-Return) starts long before the traps are ever set! When you're planning a large project, preparation is everything. Here are a few key steps we take before trapping day: Get Property Owner Approval Before making any plans, confirm that the property owner supports the TNVR project. Having everyone on the same page from the beginning helps ensure a smooth process and prevents issues later on. Schedule Surgeries Secure surgery appointments before trapping begins. We try to allow at least one day for trapping beforehand and a couple of days afterward for recovery and monitoring. Create a Feeding Schedule Cats are creatures of habit! Feeding at the same time each day helps them develop a routine, making it much easier to know when they'll be at the colony on trapping day. Communicate With the Community Let nearby residents and feeders know the trapping dates. Reducing feeding locations and withholding food until trapping is complete is incredibly important. If food is available elsewhere, the cats may never make it to the traps! Trap Train A few days before trapping, we place deactivated traps with food inside so the cats can get comfortable entering them. When trapping day arrives, many are already familiar with the traps, making the process quicker and less stressful. In these photos, you'll see some of the cats we've been trap training over the past week. TNVR takes planning, patience, and teamwork, but every surgery means fewer kittens, healthier cats, and a better future for the colony.
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Our trapping team and several caretakers have been trap training cats the past couple weeks for the spay/neuter clinic today. Trap training involves setting up a feeding location, feeding cats on a regular schedule, and getting the cats accustomed to the traps being around their feeding spot. Once they are comfortable with the traps, you can even deactivate the traps and place food in them so that the cats get used to going inside them for their food. This greatly helps when trapping time comes around! But a challenge that presents itself for the larger colonies is that if you are not able to catch them all the first time around then the next time you trap, you'll have a mix of fixed and un-fixed cats going into the traps. So our main trapper, Barb, setup a trail cam to determine how many cats may be left at the large colony we TNVRed back in January (in which over 30 have now been fixed). After hours upon hours of going through the photos, she determined there were 4 remaining cats at that location - 3 of whom were coming on a regular schedule and 1 who showed up at irregular intervals (these are the hardest ones to trap). Twelve traps were setup at least a week in advance for trap training purposes. It is always helpful to have more traps than the number of cats you need to trap, especially when there are plenty of fixed cats hanging around who might trigger them. And sure enough, several already fixed cats went into the traps and triggered them. You would think after being trapped and neutered before, they would stay away, but apparently being neutered wasn't enough of a deterrence for them! At this one location, we were able to trap 2 of the 4 cats who were seen on the trail cam, which unfortunately did not include the elusive kitty who showed up at irregular times. However, we also ended up with 2 newbies who weren't seen on the trail cam at all! So a total of 4 from this spot were TNVRed today. That still leaves 2 so we'll be back at it again next time. In addition to the 4 above, 16 cats were brought in from several other locations, bringing the total to 20 for today. But it is important to realize that although we've primarily been posting about these larger clinics, it's not the only TNVR action going on during the month. Our team assists caretakers with doing their own TNVR and we help trap smaller colonies that go into the vet on other days. So it may be 20 cats today, but the total for the month will be higher (January and February numbers combined were 101!). To continue this work, support is always needed. Volunteers and donations are two very important needs right now. If interested in volunteering: pawsandlove.net/volunteer If you'd like to support TNVR work financially: pawsandlove.net/tnr As always, thank you for your support.  The large colony of cats that we have been working on is nearing completion. There are still a couple stragglers, but we wanted to give you an update on the cats we took to the vet today.
Out of the EIGHT cats we brought in, only ONE is male, which means SEVEN of them are female! This is why going back to TNR the remaining cats is so VERY important. It only takes one male, and with seven females, the potential for high population growth is there. In just the first litter of the season, we could see anywhere from 14-35 kittens born, which would be a HUGE setback! THANK YOU to the trappers and the caretakers who are vigilant and make sure any stragglers left behind are also caught and fixed. Be part of the solution. Donate: pawsandlove.net/donate Venmo: pawsandlove **Photo is of a previous mama cat who was spayed several years ago through our TNR program. She had FIVE kittens, some of whom needed to be treated for upper respiratory infections.  Remember when we posted about TNRing a LARGE colony of cats on February 13 in which a total of 41 cats have now been spayed/neutered? Well...these are some of the cats who eluded us the last time! We know there are at least 10 individuals and last night we were able to trap 7 of them! YES! It is so important to go back and get any stragglers. Even leaving just one cat behind can result in more kittens in the future so it's best to "fix 'em all." The last cat in the photos is a straggler from another large colony we did back in January. The caretaker is helping to get the final ones so that there will be no more babies. Teamwork!! We're getting closer to being able to mark both of these colonies as "DONE!" Hopefully the rain will hold off so we can get the others today. It's another trapping day! As a reminder, donations are always appreciated to continue this critical work here in Beaufort County. The average cost per TNRed cat is $150. So when we go out to trap large colonies like this, it all adds up to be quite an investment. Every donation, no matter how big or small, provides support to help cats and community members live better lives through spay/neuter. To support us: Venmo: pawsandlove pawsandlove.net/donate **If you wish for donations to go to TNR, please include that** Thank you friends! Lets hope we can get the rest of the kitties today! Wish us luck! Remember when we posted yesterday and said we estimated 20 cats at the location we're currently working on? Well... that estimate was wrong. We trapped Wednesday and continued into Thursday night. We were able to grab a total of 28 cats for the mini spay/neuter clinic today. A BIG THANKS to Dr. Poffenberger and her team at Pamlico Animal Hospital for setting aside a day to help tackle this large colony. BUT... There are at least 5 more cats who have avoided being trapped. AND... we already TNRed 13 cats at this location prior to today. So with some simple math, that means this colony has AT LEAST 46 cats!! Imagine how many kittens there would be in just one year! That's a potential for anywhere from 150 to 300 kittens in just 12 months!! This is why TNR is so very important. A colony can start with just one cat. Then another comes along and suddenly you find yourself with a litter of kittens. And the cycle continues as the population expands somewhat exponentially. But TNR stops that cycle. Thank you to all who have shared our previous post, donated, and commented words of gratitude. It is because of your support that we're able to help cats, and their caretakers. And thank you to the caretakers who have reached out to us for guidance and the many community members who help make our world a better place. We hope you'll take a moment to peruse the photos of the kitties and their farm friends (we heard the orange cat loves hanging around the dog). There are also a couple photos of the recovery setup to keep them nice and warm tonight while temps are low. If you would like to keep supporting this work, you can donate in the following ways: Venmo: pawsandlove Online: pawsandlove.net/donate *Please designate your donation for TNR so that it goes towards this program* Reactions, comments and shares also help if you're unable to assist financially. Thank you furriends!!  Our trapper, Barb, was out trapping last night and is back at it again today with the hopes of catching ALL of the cats at this colony. Estimates are 20 cats, but like our last mini-clinic, there might be more! (the last clinic went from 20 cat estimate to a total of 31 cats! )
In the month of January, we spayed/neutered an impressive number of 59 cats! Our trappers and vet partners are determined to get a headstart on TNR for 2026 before kitten season is in full-swing. Will you help us with a donation to continue this critical work? Venmo: Pawsandlove Online: pawsandlove.net/donate (please designate donation for TNR, otherwise it will go into the General fund) If you're unable to donate at this time, a reaction, comment, and share will greatly help spread the word. As we say "Gotta fix 'em all!" and the more support we have, the more we can accomplish!  Last year we were able to spay/neuter and vaccinate 277 community cats!
This brings our grand total to more than 2,455 cats who have been trapped, neutered, vaccinated, and returned. What does this mean? A female cat can have up to three litters per year, with 4–6 kittens per litter — that’s 12–18 kittens in a single year from just one cat. We know that more than half of the cats we have TNRed are female, but to keep the math simple, we’ll estimate 50% are females. In one year, 138 females can produce anywhere between 1,600 and 2,500 kittens. If we look at 50% of the grand total, 1,228 females, this increases to 14,000 -22,000 kittens!!! Sadly, most of these kittens will not survive past six months. Disease, abandonment, predators, parasites, injuries, and traffic take an enormous toll. Spaying and neutering prevents this cycle of suffering before it begins. TNR also dramatically improves the overall health and wellbeing of cat colonies. At the time of surgery, cats receive a rabies vaccine to protect against rabies, as well as the FVRCP vaccine, which guards against other deadly viruses and diseases. With population growth under control, there is less competition for food, and behaviors like fighting and spraying are greatly reduced. TNR is a big WIN for community cats and the members of our community who live alongside them. If you have cats in your area that you’d like to help, low-cost spay/neuter vouchers can be purchased at Pamlico Animal Hospital in Washington and used there or at Tar River Animal Hospital. The more people who participate, the bigger the difference we can make!  While many of us were preparing for this weekend’s ice storm and frigid temperatures , one of our team members was out last night trapping a BIG colony of community cats. The need for TNVR (Trap–Neuter–Vaccinate–Return) never stops—even in winter! So just how big is this colony? 28 cats… and COUNTING! And a project of this size doesn’t happen without an incredible team behind it. A huge shoutout to our amazing TNVR advocate Barb Jones for putting this together—handling trapping, transporting, after-surgery care, and everything else that goes into coordinating a large TNVR project like this. We’re also incredibly grateful to Dr. Marty Poffenberger and the crew at Pamlico Animal Hospital for offering this large spay/neuter opportunity, and to the Humane Society of Beaufort County, NC for partnering with us on such a large project. Thanks to these “mini” spay/neuter clinics, we’re able to take on some of the larger colonies in our area. When we’re able to trap all the cats from one location at the same time, it means we don’t have to return—unless a new cat shows up. And let us tell you, there’s nothing quite like stamping a location “DONE” and checking it off the list! Of course, TNVR does come with a cost. A colony this size can range from $3,000 (if all males) to $5,000+ (if all females). Every dollar raised directly impacts how many cats we can help and how quickly we can respond to the next urgent situation. If we’re going to keep preventing suffering and stopping the cycle before it starts, we truly need your support. So if you believe in TNVR and want to see it continue, please consider making a donation. Every cat in our TNVR program receives:
And no matter the amount, every little bit makes a big difference. Donate at pawsandlove.net/donate Please select “TNR” as the designation (otherwise it goes to our General Fund). Thank you for helping us help them.
(Yes, we said that backward—because when you’re trapping, you trap year round !! ) When we’re out trapping during this time of year, there’s a good chance we’re going to find kittens. Some are too tiny for surgery. Some are malnourished or sick. Some are living in dangerous conditions with no safe shelter or enough food. And when that happens, what do we do? Because here’s the reality: Shelters are slammed. Adoption-focused rescues are full. Fosters are few and far between. So… we make space. We shift things around. We raise extra funds to cover their vetting, food, and supplies. And we ask for more help from our community. (Yes, that’s you!) Today, these two tiny new arrivals came in—and they have a pretty adorable origin story. They were trapped together in the same trap. Side by side. Like true partners in crime. A two-fur-one! Too young for full vetting, they’re staying with us for a little while—getting socialized, gaining strength, and learning that humans bring the good stuff (like full bowls and cozy blankets). Once they’re ready, they’ll head to one of our amazing adoption partners to find forever homes. This is what it looks like when rescue and TNR work together. This is what making space means. Want to help? We’re always in need of kitten supplies, vet funds, and volunteers to keep up with the extra workload this time of year brings. Thank you for being part of this rescue family. Follow us and our posts on Facebook here. Donate: www.pawsandlove.net/donate Venmo: pawsandlove PayPal: www.paypal.com/paypalme/PawsAndLoveInc Amazon Registry: https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/355G8ADNPGW3G... Chewy Wishlist: https://www.chewy.com/g/paws-and-love-inc_b78143364
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Paws and Love, Inc. is recognized by the IRS as a 501(c) (3) nonprofit entity in Beaufort County, NC. We are a very small organization trying to make a BIG difference in the world and we are funded solely through the kindness of fellow animal advocates and the community. Any contributions made are tax-deductible and greatly appreciated!
©Copyright by Paws and Love, Inc. 2018-2026.
©Copyright by Paws and Love, Inc. 2018-2026.