FAQ

1) MAKE A PLAN BEFORE YOU TRAP!!

Start trap training if possible.

Find out where you can take him.

a) Fresno TNR - private message through Facebook messenger a BRIEF

message to an admin; Cassie Garcia / Savannah Hill / Brandi Sherman.

$30 includes rabies, FVRCP vaccines and ear tip. $45 without ear tip

You can post and ask for a sponsor if you can’t afford the cost.

b) CVFIX IS CURRENTLY CLOSED Central Valley Spay Neuter - CVFIX.org -

c) SPCA - ccspca.com - $80 for ferals, proof of rabies required or they will

vaccinate for an additional fee. Appointments are booked about a month out.

d) H.O.P.E - hopeaf.com - Appointments usually available within a week.

$130 for ferals, includes rabies and ear tip. $75 for owned/friendly, surgery

only. You can request ear tip for a friendly for $5 additional cost.

e) Cat House on the Kings - cathouseonthekings.com

Get vouchers online for $30, includes ear tip. Sometimes grants also include

vaccines. If you register as a trapper to do colonies and use trapper vouchers,

ear tip is mandatory. You make the appointment at their cooperating vets. They are often

booked a month out.

f) Private vet. Call for prices and to confirm that they will do feral cats.

PLEASE VERIFY ALL PRICES YOURSELF

2) YOU’VE MADE AN APPOINTMENT, OR GOTTEN APPROVAL FROM FRESNO TNR

Trap the cat. There are lots of videos on YouTube on how to TNR. Then ask

questions on Fresno TNR’s Facebook page. Never leave the trap unattended! Other

animals and people can harm a trapped cat!

3) YOU’VE CAUGHT HIM!

a) Trap must be covered and kept in a secure, climate controlled place, away

from other animals.

b) Open the trap door 1” to slip in a paper plate with wet food mixed with a little

water to keep him hydrated. Don’t feed after midnight the day before surgery.

c) Zip tie the door closed when not feeding. Cats can escape and harm

themselves doing so.

d) Keep the trap on pee pads or newspaper - it will get messy.

4) DROP OFF/PICK UP CAT WHEN AND WHERE YOU ARE TOLD TO.

If transportation is a problem, figure it out ahead of time.

If you are going through Fresno TNR, you can ask for help on the Facebook page.

If you are a no-show, a valuable vet appointment is wasted!

This group (Fresno T.N.R.)

👉 If you are looking for an appointment for a FRIENDLY cat, join the Appointments Last Minute chat. Keep notifications on and be ready to put the cat in a carrier and go at a moment’s notice, typically early morning Monday-Friday. If approved to bring your cat, you will need to meet ASAP at the location provided. Cats MUST be in a HARD-SIDED carrier.

👉 If you are looking for an appointment for one or two FERAL cats (i.e., a cat that will run away if approached and bite/scratch/hiss if you attempt to handle), please send a direct message to an admin (Brandi Can, Savannah Hill, Cassie Garcia) to coordinate. You will need to trap and transport the cat(s) when asked. Feral cats MUST be dropped off in a TRAP, not a carrier. Cats will receive an eartip. If you are not able to trap/transport and do not have a friend/family member/neighbor who can assist you, then you will need to make a post on the page and see if anyone is available to help.

👉 If you are looking for appointments for several FERAL cats, AND you own a trap, AND you are willing to trap and transport the cats when requested, we can add you to our colony chat. The people in this chat receive priority whenever we know in advance that a large number of appointments will be available. Cats will receive an eartip.. All cats being fixed through this chat MUST be dropped off in a TRAP, not a carrier.

👉 If you are looking for an appointment for a PREGNANT cat, please take photos and/or video that clearly show the cat’s belly. Send those photos/video to Savannah Hill via direct message. Savannah coordinates urgent spays for pregnant cats and will do her best to help you get the cat spayed before the cat gives birth.

The cost for cats being fixed through Fresno T.N.R. is $30 per cat for feral/community cats receiving an eartip and $45 for cats not receiving an eartip. This price also includes a rabies and FVRCP vaccine. If you are not able to afford the cost, we ask that you pay what you can and that you make a post asking for sponsorship on our Facebook page. This means that you are asking for someone to make a donation that covers the cost. All sponsorship posts should include:

👉 the number of cats

👉 the cost per cat

👉 one or more clear photos of the cat(s) needing sponsorship

👉 THIS LINK to our website where people can pay the sponsorship cost: https://www.fresnotnr.org/donate

👉 a reminder that donations should be made with a note of “sponsor for [your name]”.

If you are unable to find sponsorship, you can also volunteer your time to help clean traps and transfer cages in lieu of payment. Please message an admin for details.

Cvfix

*LIMITED TO RESIDENTS OF FRESNO COUNTY* Appointments can be booked on the cvfix website. The cost is $20 per cat, with a limit of three cats per household without prior approval. Please contact them if you are trying to address a colony/hoarder type of situation, and they will do their best to accommodate your needs. New appointments are posted on the cvfix website every Sunday afternoon. Note that spay appointments tend to fill up VERY fast, so you will need to be quick about booking one once they become available. https://appointments.cvfix.org/

H.O.P.E. Animal Foundation

Appointments can be booked on the H.O.P.E. Animal Foundation website. The cost is $75 per cat for friendly cats and $130 per cat for feral cats. H.O.P.E runs frequent promotions for lower-cost spay/neuter for friendly cats. Check their website and Facebook page regularly to find relevant coupons and take advantage of those discounts. https://hopeaf.com/spay-and-neuter/

Central Valley SPCA

Appointments can be booked on the Central Valley SPCA website. The cost is $75 per cat for friendly cats and $80 per cat for feral cats. https://ccspca.com/spay-neuter-surgery/

You can find affordable vaccines, deworming, and wellness exams at: - Valley Animal Center: Offers low-cost wellness exams by appointment and vaccines/deworming during walk-in clinic hours. Pets over 4 months need a rabies vaccine, which requires a wellness exam. Visit their website for current pricing and availability. - H.O.P.E. Animal Foundation: Provides low-cost wellness exams, vaccines, and deworming by appointment. Check their website for current pricing and availability. - Central California SPCA: Offers low-cost vaccines, deworming, microchipping, and wellness exams. Visit their website for current pricing and availability.

Financial Veterinary Assistance Resources:

Angels for Animals: https://www.angelsforanimals.org/veterinary-services

Brown Dog Foundation: https://www.browndogfoundation.org/ask-for-help

Frankie’s Friends: https://www.frankiesfriends.org/apply-for-assistance-3

Saving Gracie - An Angel Fund for Pets: https://www.saving-gracie.org/angel-fund-apply-for-help/

The Pet Fund: https://thepetfund.com/for-pet-owners/financial-assistance

The Mosby Foundation: https://themosbyfoundation.org/apply-for-aid/

Red Rover: https://redrover.org/relief/urgent-care-grants/

Help a Pet: https://www.help-a-pet.org/apply.html

Hope Mending Hearts: http://www.hopemendinghearts.net/grant-application/

Paws 4 a Cure: https://www.paws4acure.org/askforhelp.php

The Onyx and Breezy Foundation: https://www.paws4acure.org/askforhelp.php

Violets Friends: https://oscarnewman.com/pages/violets-friends-applicant-pre-requisites

Pet Assistance Inc.: https://www.petassistanceinc.org/financialaid

You can reach out to local rescues like Cali Cats Animal Rescue, Cat House on the Kings, Friends of Madera Animal Shelter, Gabby’s Animal Rescue, Kirkland Foundation, and Whiskers, Tails & Ferals. Check their Facebook pages or websites for contact info. Mention if you can foster the cat(s) as it increases your chances of getting help. If these rescues can't assist, try contacting rescues outside the Central Valley, like in the Bay Area or out of state.

Yes, we support spaying pregnant cats. Our program focuses on preventing more kittens from being born and suffering. If you need help, send a private Facebook message to Savannah Hill with pictures or videos of the cat's belly. She will assess the urgency and help get the cat spayed as soon as possible. Cats can get pregnant while nursing, so it's crucial to act quickly. Pregnant spays can be done at any time during the gestation period.

If the kitten appears fat, clean, and healthy, please leave it alone. It is very likely that the kitten’s mother is nearby, and she is already providing adequate care. Unless you yourself have the knowledge, supplies, and availability to hand-raise that kitten for at least the next several weeks, it’s best to let mom do her job. This page from Ally Cat Allies provides an excellent overview of how to determine whether kittens need human help or whether they’re fine where they are: https://www.alleycat.org/community-cat-care/finding-kittens-outdoors/

If the kitten appears visibly sick, dirty, or is in clear distress (e.g., is cold to the touch, has been crying loudly for several hours with no sign of a mother cat), you may need to intervene. Be prepared to care for the kitten at least short-term while you search for more experienced help. This will include keeping the kitten warm via an external heat source; stimulating it to go to the bathroom; and feeding it every 2-6 hours, including overnight (the exact frequency depends on the kitten’s age). NEVER feed a kitten cow’s milk, soy milk, almond milk, or any other kind of milk not specifically formulated for kittens - kittens MUST be feed kitten replacement formula, which can be purchased at Walmart or pet specialty stores like Petco or PetSmart.

It is also HIGHLY recommended that you look up Kitten Lady’s website and YouTube channel. She has in-depth tutorials and just about everything related to kitten help. Some particularly relevant resources include:

👉 How to determine a kitten’s age: https://www.kittenlady.org/age

👉 How to keep a baby kitten warm: https://www.kittenlady.org/heatsources

👉 How to syringe feed a baby kitten: https://www.kittenlady.org/syringefeeding

👉 How to help a baby kitten pee or poop: https://www.kittenlady.org/stimulating

👉 How to check for and treat fleas on a baby kitten: https://www.kittenlady.org/fleas

👉 How (and why) to weigh a baby kitten: https://www.kittenlady.org/weighing

For additional resources on kittens and how to care for them, please visit the Fresno T.N.R. website: https://www.fresnotnr.org/kittens

To trap a difficult cat, start by making the trap familiar and non-threatening. Tie the trap door open with a stick, zip ties, or rope. Gradually move the food closer to and then inside the trap, eventually placing it at the back so the cat steps on the trigger plate to get the food. This process can take a week or two. Once the cat is used to the trap, set it with the familiar food bait to catch the cat.

Why choose TNR over euthanasia for feral cats?

2. I need to spay/neuter a feral/stray/community cat. What do I do?

3. What are some options for low-cost spay/neuter?

Where can I find affordable vaccines, deworming, and wellness exams for my cat?

5. Where can I get financial assistance with vetinary services for a sick or injured cat?

6. Which veterinary hospitals are available in the Fresno area?

Which local rescues can help with cats?

Is it okay to spay a pregnant cat?

9. I found a newborn kitten outside! What do I do?

10. Where can I take a deceased cat I found outside?

11. Where can I get a trap?

12. How to set trap video

How do I trap a difficult cat?

14. How do I secure my Amazon or Harbor Freight trap?

15. How do I sanitize my traps, carriers, and crates?

16. What are the laws in California about cats?

17. What is a Community Cat?

18. How can I safely treat fleas in community cats?

19. More FAQ about TNR