04/02/2026
Long informative post about TNR for those who are interested! 👀
I get asked a lot, "Can you show me what you do? 🤔 I'd like to get involved, but I don't know WHAT'S involved 😅".
Abso-friggin-lutely I can, but for those who are out of my physical reach, I figured making a post for reference might be beneficial 👾
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First and foremost - MAKE A PLAN! 📝
If you think I just go out, trap a cat, and then call around for appointments, you are unbelievably wrong 😅
The first phase is getting the appointments in the first place. Some clinics allow you to request as many as you want, some places limit you to two cats per visit. Clinics who use the terms "high volume" or "high capacity" are the clinics who will generally give you as many spots as you need. These clinics are situated further away, and tend to cost a lot less. Local clinics either don't offer TNR services at all, or severely limit the available appointments they can give. They're also usually much more expensive.
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Clinics for TNR services for FERAL cats:
- My absolute favorite, The Nobody's Cats Foundation in Camp Hill 🏆 High-volume clinic. Available appointments refresh online at midnight each night, so it's best to check for appointments after that time. It's $40/cat regardless of gender. They are hands down the best facility to use as they also conduct a full assessment on the cat and correct any issues at that time. I've had hernia repairs, dental extractions, abscess drainings, and plenty more done for pennies on the dollar extra. What would cost you thousands at a local vet, costs at most $40 extra at Nobody's Cats Foundation. If you need loaner traps/drop traps, they have those available if you contact them ahead of time to pick up. I believe they're free to rent as long as you're getting your cats fixed there, or it might be a refundable deposit. It's well worth the 1.5 hour drive from the Coal Region. This clinic offers these services to FERAL cats only. Payment (cash/credit) is due at time of services given.
- No Nonsense Neutering in Plains, Allentown, and Reading. Also a high-volume clinic who can loan traps if given advance notice for pick up. Available appointments refresh after midnight, so check at that time. They charge $65/cat regardless of gender. Extra charges incur for spay/abort or any additional services rendered. But they don't just offer services to feral cats. They do have services for pet cats as well as dogs, although the price is more than $40 (check their website for pricing). They offer discounted spay/neuter for veterans which is pretty rad, as well as FREE spay/neuter services for those who are homeless or transitioning from being homeless. If you can't swing the hour+ long commute, no worries! They have bus runs during the warmer months, usually starting in late March. Space is limited so bus runs only offer 2 cat spaces per person. You need to pay in advance of the appointment which is non-refundable if you can't make it. They post the bus run locations for dropping off and picking up cats on their page, so it's a good idea to follow them to see what's upcoming 🚌
- Meck's Cat House, nonprofit organization located in Millersburg, offers TNR services through Nobody's Cats Foundation. This is a little closer for those of us in the Coal Region as Millersburg is only about 40 minutes past Trevorton 🗺️ Cost is $65/cat and they must be dropped off to Debbie at least a day in advance of the appointment. All the services provided through Nobody's Cats Foundation, as detailed above, are offered through Meck's Cat House as well. Pick up of the cats occurs the same day they return from surgery. She can be reached through her page for appointments and can accommodate many cats per trip.
- LCEVS in Selinsgrove is a brand new facility offering TNR services as well as pet cat/dog services. For all cats, regardless of being feral or a pet cat, is $165 for females and $95 for males. I have not used this facility yet so I'm unsure of how much they charge for additional services rendered like spay/abort. They can be reached on Facebook, their website, or via phone.
- Hillside SPCA in Pottsville offers TNR services as well as pet cat/dog services. For feral cats, they charge $75/cat. Spay/abort services or in-heat females cost not a penny extra, so added bonus for this clinic! They limit to 2 cats per person per appointment and the appointments are very limited. They can be reached via Facebook, their website, or phone.
- Eastern PA Animal Alliance in Wilkes-Barre is another high volume clinic offering TNR services to feral cats. They also provide pet cat/dog services as well. Price is $50/cat (cash only) and additional charges incur for spay/abort or added treatments. They are a rare clinic in the fact that they offer walk-in days where you can bring one cat on their designated day (Wednesday) without an appointment made prior, as long as you arrive with the cat at the time of check in. Appointments can be made via their website.
- Pennsylvania SPCA Danville Center is a local clinic offering TNR services as well as a host of services for pet cats and dogs. Their feral cat package is $75/cat regardless of gender. They have very limited appointments and appointments can be made via their website or by phone. The appointments are available at the beginning of the month for the following month. So if you reach out in April, your appointment would be the following month in May.
- Humane Society of Harrisburg Area can accommodate 2 walk-in feral cats, daily, without an appointment Monday-Friday. These walk-ins are first-come, first-served, and cats must arrive by time of check in. Walk-in cost is $40 per cat. Additional charges can incur for spay/abort or any added treatments needed. Appointments can be made via their website or by phone.
- Save the Strays of Schuylkill - Cat Rescue offers TNR services through Ringtown Veterinary for feral and pet cats. Feral cats are $70 for males and $80 for females. A $50 charge is added for any cat currently pregnant requiring spay/abort or any male with cryptorchidism (where one or both testicles did not descend down). You must contact Save The Strays via their website or Facebook to secure appointments. This is offered to Schuylkill county residents only and all appointments must be prepaid.
- Kind Animal Rescue in Milton is a cat gallery that also assists the community with TNR services. While not a clinic themselves, they partner with high volume clinics and offer transportation to the clinics if you're unable to make the drive yourself. Cats must be dropped off at the rescue, and the cost is $50/cat (non-refundable if you don't show). Appointments can be made through their website, Facebook, or by phone.
- Cherished Cats Rescue Alliance while not a clinic themselves, they do provide logistics for getting feral cats fixed. They have loaner traps available for those who need them, and can provide financial assistance to those who qualify. Requests for help are made through their website under the "I need help" tab. Prices change depending on which clinic they use for that day. They are very responsive on Facebook for any questions or concerns. They provide services for Snyder, Union, and Northumberland counties.
- MT CARMEL BOROUGH NO NONSENSE NEUTERING VOUCHER PROGRAM while not a clinic itself, they do assist with getting feral cats fixed by securing appointments through No Nonsense Neutering. They can be reached via facebook and are one of the few entities assisting the Mount Carmel area with the stray cat population. They also post No Nonsense Neutering's upcoming bus runs for our area, so be sure to follow them on Facebook to keep up! 👀
- Ruth Steinhart Memorial Hospital, Sunbury Animal Hospital, Watsontown Animal Hospital, St. Francis Animal Clinic, and Alpine Animal Clinic do NOT offer TNR services, but they do offer a plethora of other services to pets.
- All of the above mentioned clinics include vaccinations, such as rabies and FVCRP (feline distemper), in the overall price as well as flea/tick treatment. Most, if not all clinics, will require the fixed cat to show outward alteration perceptible to the human eye, usually by way of an ear tip.
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Now that we've covered the first step of obtaining an appointment in advance of trapping, we can move onto the fun stuff - catnapping! 🥷🏼
Feral cats must always arrive to clinics in traps, no exceptions. If you roll up with a cat in a carrier, you will be turned away. So where do you get a trap from? Plenty of places! 🏪
- Tractor Supply offers a twofer trap bundle for $39.99 which includes a standard adult cat trap and a smaller sized trap which would be perfect for small kittens. However, it is important to note, most clinics will not accept a kitten in those small kitten traps. They too would need an adult sized trap, just FYI. These traps are pretty sturdy and not easily broken out of. If you secure the trap closed with a zip-tie once you secure your feral, you're golden.
- Harbor Freight offers a single adult sized trap for $29.99. Now, I have about 6 of these traps. Most of them are fine. However, I have had two cats successfully break out of these types of traps. Zip ties are a MUST. It's annoying AF, but after changing out the p*e pad or food/water, you NEED to secure these closed on the bottom portion of the trap to avoid any escap*es. If you don't, they will either escape or get caught under the trap door and suffocate, which is not the intended outcome for TNR. If you follow these directions, these traps are a godsend given how cheap they are.
- Tomahawk, Tru-Catch, and Havahart all offer premium traps, but they come at a premium cost. Your cats WILL NOT be able to break out of these traps easily. However, the low end price of these traps is $70 a piece with the upper range being more towards the $150 price tag. Well worth the investment, but not accessible to everyone in every income bracket.
- Specialized traps, such as drop traps, are even more expensive, closer to $200 a piece with the transfer cages needed for use being another $70/cage. Drop traps are excellent for catching multiple cats at a time, or catching physically compromised cats as the entrance is easier to walk into versus a standard trap. You need transfer cages for each cat that is caught under the drop trap. Standard traps can be utilized as well, but it's much harder to line up to the drop trap without the cat escaping through.
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Traps are great, but you won't entice cats into entering one without some added amenities 🐈
- Before trapping, line the bottom of the trap. This helps the cat feel more secure about entering as their paws won't fall through the bottom of the trap while walking in. You can line the trap with newspaper or puppy pads. This will also serve as the cats bathroom pad, which will need to be changed out once soiled 💩
- Place a paper plate with wet cat food and place it at the very back of the trap, past the trigger flap. The plate must be past the flap for the cat to step on it and trigger the trap to close. Wet food, smelly food, and KFC chicken are among the best types of bait to use, but if your ferals prefer something different, stick with what they know and love 🤤
- Set the trap. Instructions are on the trap itself for reference, so I'm not going to cover that here as they differ slightly from manufacturer to manufacturer. I usually set the trap right where their food is on a day to day basis. Cats are routine creatures, so if you have an established feeding station, it will be much easier to trap your intended targets. Blind trapping, or trapping without establishing a feeding station/routine, is a huge waste of time. Cats won't know your trap is there because they're not accustomed to accessing your area for food, so the food in the trap will largely be missed by most ferals. You need to have the cats accustomed to coming to you for food in advance of trapping to gain their trust in order to convince them into the trap once it's placed.
- Now you play the waiting game ⏳ If you set it right before your normal feeding time, you shouldn't have to wait very long. Traps need to be checked every 2 hours without exception. Personally, I don't leave my traps once they're placed, I'm always creeping somewhere nearby. Accidents happen so it's always good to be somewhere close to respond quickly and efficiently.
- The trap went off, right on! 🤘🏼 Get your b***y out there ASAP and cover the trap with either a blanket or large towel. When cats can see their environment from inside the trap, they will continue to try and escape. If you cover them, their ability to see their environment is taken away, and they calm down significantly. Cats can injure themselves greatly inside a trap if not covered 🤕 They will also be more likely to escape if left uncovered. Secure that trap with a zip tie and take it to whichever location you have designated for holding. Personally, in warmer months, I use my partially enclosed back deck, but you can place them wherever you want as long as it's in a shady area so they don't overheat 🥵 If you have outdoor outlets, you can use fans to keep air circulating within the trap. In the wintertime, I use my basement as keeping them outside is no longer an option when temperatures drop near freezing ❄️
- Before setting the cat down in the holding area, lay down puppy pads or cardboard down underneath the trap itself to collect any urine or f***s that falls through the trap. The puppy pads inside the trap should catch most of it, but this added step will protect your flooring from destruction. Change these out if they get soiled. Cats HATE feeling dirty, so the cleaner you can keep the trap and the cat, the easier the cat will be to care for 😻
- In the interim between trapping the cat and your appointment, you need to maintain the cat and the trap. This involves feeding, watering, and cleaning out puppy pads as often as necessary. I usually feed and water them 3x a day until the night before their surgery where their food is held. Puppy pads are changed out as needed. Because of this, you will go though so many zip ties, the ladies at Walmart will surely think you're some type of serial killer 🔪, but don't sweat it. Safety first!
- "Holy crud, the cat I have is a SPICY feral, what do I dooooo?! 🫣"
If you're terrified of the cat in the trap, and are afraid to change out anything or feed it, pull yourself together young grasshopper, it's just a cat! Safety measures that I use for the cats who want to turn my face into bacon strips 🥓 include:
- Tongs for reaching inside the trap to pull out puppy pads or food plates,
- Leather/raptor gloves to prevent any blood from spilling should any of their strikes land while I'm reaching into the trap,
- Divider trays that can be purchased as accessories to your trap to segregate the cat into one area of the trap so you can clean it without being attacked.
- Can't open the door to feed them because they keep striking at you? 😬 Switch to kibble and let it rain into their trap onto a clean area of the puppy pad. Sometimes they're not spicy, they're starving, and feeding them well makes them easier to manage. If you have a truly dangerous cat, keep the trap clean as best as you can. Sometimes this means pulling dirty puppy pads and plates THROUGH the trap itself. If you can get a soiled puppy pad out of a dangerous cat trap, keep it out, and just put puppy pads under the trap itself. You can also elevate the trap on several bricks on top of the puppy pad to allow urine/f***s to fall and not collect in the trap itself. Be sure to keep the trap balanced if you place it on bricks so it doesn't topple over. The trap WILL get messy, but it's better than a $1000 ER trip, and the puppy pads will be easier to change by simply lifting the trap and exchanging the pads. Also why it's important to trap as close to the date of your appointment as humanly possible because you never know what you're going to get! 🔥
- It's the night before the appointment, and there are things to do! 📑 Hold food at midnight the night before the appointment. Water can be given but preferably in small amounts. Make sure your traps are covered and zip tied before transferring them to someone else or into a vehicle. Put puppy pads or some type of protective waterproof cloth down before you place the traps in your vehicle. Do you have your paperwork filled out and signed? Do you have your payment ready? Do you have your directions for where to drop off and at what time? Perfect, off to surgery! 💉
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- Pick up is determined by the clinic 🏥 Every clinic is different so make sure you clarify with your specific clinic if you're not familiar. Cats must be kept in minimum 70° temperatures following surgery as anesthesia prevents them from being able to maintain a normal body temperature. Not following this step can lead to severe injuries or death depending on the weather they're being exposed to.
- After 24 hours, the anesthesia has worn off 🎉 Given there are no issues with the cat, they are eating/drinking, and going to the bathroom, the males can be released 24 hours after surgery to the location from which they were trapped.
- Any cat who is going ballistic in the trap needs to be released after 24 hours UNLESS there is a medical need to hold them. They WILL injure themselves 🫣
- Females should be held for 48-72 hours following their surgery as theirs is far more invasive than the males. If they were pregnant and received a spay/abort, they should be kept for 5 days in a dog cage with all their amenities inside the cage so they can recuperate. You can release them right from the dog cage, or transfer them into a trap/carrier with great care to not get hurt, and then release them. (Humans who get hysterectomies are prevented from doing much of anything for 2 weeks straight.) Keep that in mind when considering release times as these cats will be at the mercy of their environment once out of the trap 🥺
- DO NOT RELOCATE CATS TO A NEW LOCATION. THAT IS A DEATH SENTENCE FOR THAT CAT 💀
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- Once released, clean out and sterilize the trap for the next use. You can do this easily with a hose and cleaning supplies at home, or take your load of traps to the car wash and get em cleaned out there 🫧
- I didn't know where to put this, but a fun tidbit I've learned while doing this: Younger cats and kittens are very receptive to laser pointers. If you're skilled enough, you can trap a cat by having it follow the laser into the hidden/concealed trap, especially if it has the zoomies! 💨
- If you trap a cat and find out it's actually very friendly and don't feel comfortable releasing it back outside, hold onto the cat if you can, and reach out to local cat cafes/rescues for assistance with getting them adopted out. Some notable cat cafes in our area include The Scratching Post- Lewisburg Cat Cafe, Cats in Bloom - Bloomsburg Cat Cafe', Coal Cats Cafe in Tamaqua, and Kind Animal Rescue in Milton. Friends & Ferals is a TNR focused, foster-based organization made up of rad volunteers who use their own homes for fostering in lieu of a physical building. If you're willing to foster them independently in your own home, Friends and Ferals may be able to help you get them adopted if you contact them directly via Facebook 🫶🏼
- Most, if not all, rescues will help you get exposure for the cat you're trying to adopt out so long as you ask them nicely. Please note - Rescues and cat cafes are almost always inundated with cats. You may need to go on a waiting list to get them adopted out and foster them yourself in the meantime.
- I like to keep a journal of the cats I've trapped. I have the location where they came from, the facility I used to get them fixed, a general description of what they look like, genders, any health issues or behavioral issues, and whatever else I feel like remembering in the future. You never know when you'll need to reference it, but it's good to have a paper trail of what you've done.
- I also post photos of every single cat I trap to Facebook. This is done in the event that I trap someone's missing pet so they can recognize it and recover it before I release it back to where it was trapped.
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Affording TNR services isn't easy, but luckily, there are a few organizations to help with that:
- S.U.N PETS in Lewisburg - offers discounted vouchers for spay/neuter for pets of low-income families, and is based upon household gross income. Households above $40,000 do not qualify for this program. You must be a resident of Snyder, Union, or Northumberland county in order to apply. Apply online.
- PA PETS - To qualify for financial assistance from the PA PETS Pets Program, applicants must meet the following criteria and submit their application and copayment to the address on the application form. Income must be $40,000/year or less to qualify. Residency in Columbia or Montour Counties.
Payment of the PA PETS copayment amounts ($5, $10, $15 per animal - depending on income level), along with the submitted application form. NOTE: PA PETS' Columbia / Montour County Service Area also includes Riverside - as an extension of the Danville area, even though it's in Northumberland County, as well as the eastern portions of Berwick Borough, which happen to be in Luzerne county.
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Aside from organizations that financially assist with TNR, many towns, cities, and boroughs have programs designed to assist the community with managing the feral cat population. 2026 municipal TNR contracts in Columbia, Lackawanna, Luzerne, Northumberland, and Wyoming counties through No Nonsense Neutering include the following areas:
COLUMBIA County
• BLOOMSBURG: Free
LACKAWANNA County
• DUNMORE Borough: reimburses resident up to $50 per cat with receipt; can use any clinic
• MOOSIC Borough: reimburses resident up to $50 per cat with receipt; can use any clinic
• OLD FORGE Borough: Free
LUZERNE County
• BRIAR CREEK BOROUGH: Free vouchers with a $15 copay
• BEAR CREEK Township: Free
• DALLAS Borough/Township: Free
• DURYEA Borough: Free
• EDWARDSVILLE Borough: Free
• FORTY FORT Borough: Vouchers with a $15 copay
• KINGSTON Borough: Free
• LAFLIN Borough: Free
• NANTICOKE City: Vouchers with a $15 copay
• NESCOPECK Borough: Free
• NEWPORT Township: Free
• PITTSTON City: Free
• PLYMOUTH Borough: Free
• SWOYERSVILLE Borough: Free
• WEST HAZLETON Borough: Free
• WEST PITTSTON Borough: Free
• WHITE HAVEN Borough: Free
NORTHUMBERLAND County:
• MOUNT CARMEL BOROUGH: Free
• MOUNT CARMEL TOWNSHIP: Free
• City of SHAMOKIN: Free
WYOMING County
• FACTORYVILLE Borough: Free
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If you made it this far, you're basically a cat trapping expert now, congratu-friggin-lations! 👏🏼
Also, if you have any other tips, tricks, or information related to TNR that wasn't covered in this post, please feel free to drop a comment below so we can all learn! Knowledge IS power, after all 📖
Go get you some kitties to spay and neuter, and make my homie Bob Barker proud! 😎🐈🫶🏼
