Peggy Adams Animal Rescue League takes care of hundreds of animals at any given time, and now that it is “Kitten Season,” the leading animal organization in Palm Beach County is sharing the importance of TNVR (Trap-Neuter-Vaccinate-Return) as an effective solution to help control the population of outdoor cats.
During the spring and summer months, female outdoor cats experience their breeding cycle, resulting in litters of kittens. This phase is known as “Kitten Season,” and it lasts for more than half of the year. Female cats that roam freely outdoors can sometimes give birth to multiple litters in one season, which can put a significant strain on the time, money, and resources required for around-the-clock care. To address this issue, there’s a program called TNVR, which stands for Trap, Neuter, Vaccinate, and Return. In this program, community cats are humanely trapped, spayed/neutered, vaccinated, microchipped, and then released back to their outdoor homes.
“TNVR is an extremely effective method,” explained Alyssa Dazza, Admissions & TNVR Manager, “It works by immediately stabilizing the cat colony’s size by eliminating new litters. This reduces nuisance behaviors such as yowling, fighting, and marking territories with urine. Returning the cat to its original location prevents new intact cats from moving in and restarting the cycle of overpopulation. As a result, it helps reduce the number of kittens and cats flowing into local shelters, which in turn lowers euthanasia rates and increases the adoption of cats already in animal shelters.”
Peggy Adams Animal Rescue League offers residents of Palm Beach County free trap loans with a refundable deposit during our hours of operation for TNVR. Peggy Adams loaned out over 1,800 humane traps in 2023 and has a goal of 2,000 in 2024.
NOTE: Palm Beach County Ordinance 98-22 forbids trapping cats for any other reason than for TNVR or vet care. To learn more, visit peggyadams.org/tnvr.
Peggy Adams also reminds the community that if you find a litter of kittens, your first reaction might be to bring them to your local animal shelter. But chances are, their mother is close by – and you may actually be “kit-napping” them. Once newborns are separated from their mother, their chances of survival drop dramatically. Check out these resources at peggyadams.org/found-kitten-resources before determining how to intervene when finding kittens.
Currently, Peggy Adams has neonatal kittens who require foster care. As a neonatal kitten foster, you would take on the responsibility of bottle-feeding some of our smallest orphaned residents every few hours during their critical first few weeks of life. Peggy Adams will provide volunteers with comprehensive training, essential supplies, and ongoing support, and in return, you shower them with love! If you or someone you know would like to help care for a neonatal foster or learn more, visit peggyadams.org/foster.
