FAQ
The TNR program offers a humane and cost-effective way to control feral cat populations. It reduces taxpayer costs from $16 billion for euthanizing cats to $9 billion by relying on volunteers and rescue groups. TNR not only saves money but also ensures the well-being of feral cats, provides a compassionate alternative.
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) Central Valley Spay Neuter - CVFIX.org - Appointments drop online Sun around 2:00 PM for the next week.
$20 includes rabies vaccine, can request ear tip. Feral or owned are okay.
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!
👉 If you are looking for an appointment for a FRIENDLY cat, join the #3 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/
Valley Animal Center - Offers low-cost wellness exams on an appointment basis and vaccines and deworming during their walk-in clinic hours. Note that pets over 4 months of age are required to receive a rabies vaccine, and this requires a wellness exam. Please visit their website for current pricing and availability. https://valleyanimal.org/vaccines/
H.O.P.E. Animal Foundation - Offers low-cost wellness exams, vaccines, and deworming on an appointment basis. Please visit their website for current pricing and availability. https://hopeaf.com/price-list/
Central California SPCA - Offers low-cost vaccines, deworming, microchipping and wellness exams. Please check their website for current pricing and availability. https://ccspca.com/general-wellness/
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
Some veterinary hospitals in Fresno include Fresno Pet ER, Animal Medical Clinic, and Abby Pet Hospital.
Check the list of veterinary hospitals near you.
Some rescues you can contact include Cali Cats Animal Rescue; Cat House on the Kings; Friends of Madera Animal Shelter; Gabby’s Animal Rescue; Kirkland Foundation; and Whiskers, Tails & Ferals. Look up their Facebook pages and/or websites for information on how to contact them. If you are willing to foster the cat(s), make sure to mention that. Being willing to foster generally increases your chance of receiving help.
If none of these rescues are able to assist you, you should Google rescues outside the Central Valley (e.g., in the Bay Area or out of state) and try contacting them.
YES! We are PRO SPAY ABORT.
If you do not want to do it or agree, our program will not be able to assist you further. There are hundreds of kittens suffering and dying on the streets everyday of the week. There are not enough resources to save them all, but we can use our resources to help prevent more from being born and suffering. We can help spay pregnant cats...but you need to be onboard.
Send a private Facebook Message to Savannah Hill if you need help. Now is the time to take care of the issue, not after she gives birth. We cannot help with placing or vetting kittens.
If you have a pregnant cat, send Savannah Hill pictures and she will do her best to get them fixed as soon as possible. She needs pictures or videos of their belly. They do not have to be perfect pictures, but she will need to be able to see how urgently your pregnant cat needs to be spayed. Please do not send her pictures of only their face or of them laying on their stomach. She will not be able to tell how big their belly is in those photos.
Cats reproduce at an alarming rate.They can get pregnant while nursing their current litter. A cat's gestation is roughly 63 days, so time is of the essence. Do not wait to reach out! If you are unsure, still feel free to message Savannah Hill and she can assess the situation.
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
If in Fresno, you can take the cat’s body to 24/7 PetVets at 1639 N. Fresno Street. Tell them you found a deceased cat and would like to do a Good Samaritan Surrender of the remains. They will have you fill out a form and will then take the remains for communal cremation/burial.
You can also take the cat’s body to Fresno Animal Center at 5277 E Airways Blvd, Fresno, CA 93727.
Cat House on the Kings (Refundable deposit required)
Whitie's Pets (Refundable deposit required)
Tomahawk Live Trap (Use this code for 10% off: DCBESTFRIENDS256)
FAQ for Trapping
To trap-train a cat, you must acclimate it to the trap by making it a familiar and non-threatening object by tying the trap door open with a stick, zip ties, or rope.You then gradually move the food closer to and then inside the trap, eventually placing it at the back of the trap, so the cat steps on the trigger plate to retrieve the food. This process can take a week or two, after which you can set the trap with the familiar food bait to catch the cat, as it will be less startled and more willing to enter
We do not recommend these traps, but if you have them, use cardboard and zip ties to make them safer.
Follow proper cleaning guidelines to ensure safety and hygiene.
California laws require pet cats to be spayed or neutered in many areas, mandate rabies vaccinations, and include restrictions on animal cruelty and abandonment.
Outdoor cats, often called feral cats or community cats, are domestic cats who live outdoors and without a clear owner.
Flea treatments for cats include topical solutions, flea collars, or oral medications. Always use products specifically designed for cats.