Mesa Animal Control is committed to providing education and resources for humanely stabilizing the feral cat population. On this page you can explore the topic of Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR), borrow a humane trap through the City’s new TNR Trap Lending Program, and connect with local resources.

What is TNR?
Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) is a humane and effective method to help control feral cat populations and reduce nuisance behaviors including fighting, spraying, destructive behavior, and predation. With TNR, cats are humanely trapped, spayed/neutered, ear-clipped, and returned to their environment.

Trap: A feral cat is humanely trapped.

Neuter: The cat is spayed or neutered by a veterinarian. An ear is “tipped” or “notched” to identify the cat has been altered. This is a universal identifier of a sterilized feral cat.

Return: The cat is returned to its original location where it was previously living when trapped. Returning the cat stabilizes the colony and prevents a vacuum effect which causes other feral cats to take over the voided territory. This effect is a phenomenon that is scientifically known across all types of animal species.

TNR Benefits

• Ends the reproduction cycle, limiting the growth of feral cat populations
• Eliminates or minimizes annoying behaviors such as spraying, yowling, and fighting
• Helps end the increase of unwanted cats in a community

TNR Trap Program
In response to a need expressed by our community through our Cat survey, the City’s TNR Trap Program has been established to offer traps for TNR usage to Mesa residents. If you are interested in a City of Mesa TNR trap, please visit TNR Trap Program.

Low-Cost Spay & Neuter Services

• Altered Tails
• ADLA Spay Neuter Hotline
• Arizona Humane Society
• Spay Neuter Clinic