1. Rent a Trap
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Text ABC at (254) 776-7303 to confirm availability (or call). Squirrel-size traps, these are not cat safe and won't be accepted.
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Pick up at the front desk- 3238 Clay Avenue, Waco, Tx, 76711
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Pay $50 deposit per trap for one week of use. If you like, the deposit will be returned when the trap is returned to us, use it toward the cost of care, or donate it to help the clinic's community work.
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Sign the Trap Rental Agreement and go through a quick orientation, if needed.
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Questions: Call or text 254-776-7303 or email centexoutreach@gmail.com in your TNR process.
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Costs of care: Cat Neuter $35, Cat Spay $45, Rabies $15, for a very limited time, we have the feline vaccinations at no charge. If you need financial help with the cost of the surgery portion, ask clinic staff if funds are available when you rent a trap or prior to services.
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Cats in traps do not need an appointment, but must get an eartip. If you don't want an eartip for a cat, schedule an appointment and bring the cat in a carrier or crate.
2. Trapping
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Use a predictable feeding schedule to increase likelihood of trapping success. Don't overfeed, leaving food out overnight or more than 30 minutes after each has eaten. This draws wildlife, prey animals, and outlying area cats.
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Pick a discrete area near where the cats normally eat.
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Set the traps on grass or another surface that will not get hot or on a blanket/sheet.
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Prep: The feeding prior to planned trapping, place a spoonful of food just inside the unset trap to help the cat be comfortable with the trap.
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Check traps often (within 15-30 minutes) after setting them.
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When you trap a cared-for, eartipped cat, release it or set it aside if you have more than one trap or it keeps going in after the food.
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Kittens can receive surgery and rabies vaccine at 3lbs / 12 weeks of age, so plan ahead for them. They are quite small and do great. This also catches the many that go into heat at 4 months to begin reproducing. If in doubt on size, text a good photo to the main ABC line.
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Female cats go into heat while they are still nursing kittens, so act quickly. Consult with staff for the trapping process for a mother with unweaned kittens.
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Don't take kittens away from nursing mothers. They move their kittens 2-4 times before they are weaned. Allow her to care for them. See more here: https://www.wacoanimalguide.com/kitten-help
3. Transporting to the clinic
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Cover the trap with a sheet or towel to calm the cat for the ride.
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Bring cat in the trap, do not open or attempt to transfer the cat to a carrier or separate two cats that may've been trapped at once. We will separate.
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Bring trapped cats in Monday through Thursday between 7:15am and 5pm. (avoid Thursdays 3-4pm). No Fridays without special approval.
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Cats in carriers or crates require appointments.
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You may bring up to 5 trapped cats in at a time without special approval.
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If you don't feel you've gotten all of the cats in your group or area, consult with staff to get additional trap tips.
4. Return the morning after surgery
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Release to the cat's outdoor home where it relies on knowledge of food, water, shelter, safety, and familiar kitty and human friends.
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Trap again right away for the shyest cats that won't allow themselves to be seen, or return trap to clinic quickly (they are needed by many others in our community giving them care).
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If you need to keep the trap(s) longer, email centexoutreach@gmail.com or text/call the clinic at (254) 776-7303.
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We have a limited trap bank, so fees will be charged for traps returned after a week unless you communicate with the Outreach team; 2 week max.
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MAINTAIN: this is a critical part of TNR. A new cat will get brave enough to join your group at some point. ACT fast to prevent a litter that will set you behind. ABC doesn't have unlimited resources to support litters that can be prevented. Assume that the new cat is there to stay, is likely female and already in heat. Trap within one week of seeing a new cat that may be scouting a location for it's next reproductive cycle.