TNRM PROGRAM

Montreal residents who would like to participate in the program must acquire a mandatory permit from the City. This permit, available online, is free and valid for one (1) year.

To participate in the program, you will need to have at least one trap cage and one carrier on hand—both of which you can rent from the Montreal SPCA.

— Trap cage: Cats must be captured in gravity-activated (not spring-activated) trap cages. They are the safest way to capture feral cats, since they don’t involve physical interaction, thus minimizing any stress the animals may feel. A $100 deposit is required to rent the cage and will be refunded in full when the cage is returned.

— Carrier: The carrier will be used to transport the trapped cat back home. After the surgery, the animal will wake up in this carrier, which will make it easier to return to them to their environment. A $30 deposit is required to rent the cage and will be refunded in full when the cage is returned.

To rent the equipment, fill out the form in the next step.

Once the City has issued your permit, fill out the form below to apply for the Montreal SPCA’s TNRM program. We will contact you within three business days (72 hours) of receiving your application to schedule a time to bring the cat(s) to the shelter for spaying or neutering.

Form

To increase your chances of trapping successfully, set a fixed time and place to feed the cats each day. Here are some tips:

— Feed the cats according to the schedule for at least two weeks prior to trapping them (preferably in the early morning or evening).

— Get the cats used to eating within 30 minutes, then take away the rest of the food. Do not leave any food available outside of the set times.

— One to two weeks before your spaying/neutering appointment, place food in the trap, so the cats can get used to entering it. While you’re doing this exercise, deactivate the trapping device, e.g., by removing the back door or holding the front door open with a rope or tie.

— Remove the cage after 30 minutes, at feeding time, to avoid having it stolen or damaged, or having it accidentally trap a cat or other animal.

— If you are not the only person feeding the cats, coordinate feeding with the other participants. Stop feeding the cats about 24 hours before your spaying/neutering appointment; be sure to tell your neighbours. Just before your appointment, put some food in the trap; the cats should be hungry enough to enter it readily.

On trapping day (once you have an appointment booked), prep the trap cage properly:

— Set the trap cage at the designated time and place.

— Engage the mechanism.

— Lay newspaper on the floor of the trap.

— Put food at the bottom of the trap, so the cat will step on the locking mechanism when trying to reach the food. Pick tempting food like canned sardines or salmon.

— Squirt some of the liquid from the food across the floor of the trap leading up to the entrance.

— Cover the cage with an opaque sheet that still allows for airflow.

— If the cat is scheduled to be spayed or neutered only a few hours later, keep the cat in the sheet-covered trap in a safe place (out of people’s reach) and sheltered from the weather (e.g., bathroom or shed).

— Do not open the cage.

— Bring the cat in the cage to the shelter to be spayed or neutered.

— The cat will be spayed or neutered under general anesthesia and will receive basic and rabies vaccinations and parasite control.

— Cats in the TNRM program can be identified by their ear tags. They may have an abdomen tattoo for identification purposes.

— Pick up the cat at the time the SPCA team specifies.

— The cat must be released at the location where they were trapped; make sure the location is clear of cars and other hazards.

— Make sure the cat has food and water upon release.

— In winter, the cat should be kept warm in a safe place for 24 hours (e.g., a garage or heated shed) to allow them to recover.

— In the summer, a recovery area is not necessary.

— Continue feeding and providing fresh water for the rest of the spayed/neutered cat’s life.

— Provide a winter shelter for your cat, preferably in a quiet location away from people and protected from the elements.

— The area must be kept clean, according to domestic animal regulations and borough regulations on cleanliness and disturbances.

The TNRM program was created for feral or semi-feral cats living in Montreal and the Montreal SPCA’s partner boroughs (see above list). These cats live outdoors, aren’t socialized and are therefore difficult to handle or approach.

The program is not intended for domesticated cats or socialized cats, declawed or previously spayed or neutered cats, nor those less than 12 weeks old or with serious health problems. There are other solutions available to them.

An alley cat has lived outdoors since birth or has adapted to life in the wild. These cats are particularly quiet and stay away from humans. They live mostly at night and often form small or large groups called “colonies.”

A stray cat, on the other hand, is a domesticated animal who is lost, has been abandoned or injured, or is in bad shape. These cats are usually tame.

Alley cats are wild, shy or fearful animals; it’s quite difficult to tell whether they would settle into home life. This type of cat is not tame; their lifestyle revolves around freedom and avoiding human interaction. When properly cared for, alley cats are happiest outside on their own land, in their natural habitat.

These feral or semi-feral cats are not house cats. So, it’s important not to keep them in captivity for long periods of time. Taking them out of their environment, or eliminating them, does not solve the overpopulation problem. In fact, it only creates a “vacuum effect” that will soon be filled by other cats living nearby. If these alley cats aren’t released once they are spayed or neutered, others will replace them and take advantage of the available resources.

Alley cats only live where resources are available; otherwise, they move elsewhere. When these cats are spayed or neutered and return to their environment, they continue to use the resources, but because they are unable to reproduce, their numbers stabilize over time.

Only healthy feral cats are released back into their environment through the TNRM program. These cats are given food, water and shelter by citizen volunteers and can live happy lives.

The Montreal SPCA spays and neuters alley cats throughout the year. However, TNRM program activities are scaled back in the winter months due to the more stringent requirements for trapping and maintaining cats in their living environment, especially since the cats have a harder time recovering in cold weather.

From late October to about late April, freshly spayed or neutered cats should be placed in a safe, heated area, ideally inside a building (such as a garage or an unoccupied room in your home) for 24 hours to recover.

During milder times of the year, usually from late April to mid-September, most cats can be spayed or neutered and released immediately after surgery.