Outdoor Cats and TNR (Trap-Neuter-Return)

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Outdoor cats without owners—though they may have caretakers—can be found across New York City. These "community cats” can be friendly or feral, and understanding how to help them is key to solving public nuisance issues caused by the overpopulation crisis.

The Mayor’s Office of Animal Welfare (MOAW) supports coordination among government agencies and the community to address community cats. MOAW works closely with remarkable organizations and volunteers caring for and working to humanely reduce the number of cats on streets across the five boroughs, and encourages New Yorkers interested in caring directly for these community cats to learn best practices from organizations with expertise in the subject.

What Are Community Cats?

  • Cats who live outdoors without a direct owner but may have a caretaker
  • Some are friendly, while others are feral and avoid human interaction
  • Feral Cat Definition (NYC Administrative Code): A cat with no owner, unsocialized to humans, and with an extreme fear of contact with people

Why Community Cats Are a Concern

Free-roaming cats can create significant challenges for both the animal welfare system and the community if left unaddressed. Common concerns include:

  • Loud noise from fighting or mating
  • Pungent odor from unneutered males spraying urine to mark territory
  • The presence of sick and dying cats and kittens
  • Predation on birds and other wildlife
  • Unwanted intrusion on private and public property
  • Concerns about disease transmission to people and other animals

By managing the population through humane and effective Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) programs, these challenges can be minimized, creating a healthier environment for both the cats and the community.

Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) Explained

TNR is a humane and effective strategy to manage community cats, reducing their numbers over time and solving public nuisance issues caused by irresponsible pet ownership, lack of community resources, and the stray and feral cat overpopulation crisis.

Many compassionate volunteers and nonprofit organizations work to TNR cats in New York City, and through training/certification learn about proper equipment and best practices. Here's how it works (with medical procedures provided by licensed veterinarians):

  • Trap the cats
  • Neuter/Spay the cats to prevent further reproduction (males are neutered, females are spayed)
  • Vaccinate for rabies and other necessary treatments
  • Return the cats to their original location
  • Identify cats who have undergone surgery by the removal of a small part of one ear (known as “ear-tipping”)

Whenever possible, TNR programs place friendly stray cats and kittens into foster care or adoptive homes – immediately reducing the population and associated problems.

Cats with Owners vs. Community Cats

To effectively manage community cats, we must also address cats who have owners. Here’s why:

  • Releasing indoor cats increases the community cat population
  • Spaying/neutering owned cats as soon as possible reduces overpopulation
  • Per NYC law, cat owners must spay or neuter their cats if they allow them to roam outdoors
  • If you are unable to care for your pet, consider:
    • Rehoming through Animal Care Centers of NYC (ACC) and other resources
    • Surrendering your cat to a shelter rather than abandoning them outside

How to Get Involved

Anyone interested in helping can become a TNR volunteer. While the City does not train or certify volunteers, nonprofit organizations do. Here's how you can get involved:

  • Take a TNR Training: Nonprofits such as Neighborhood Cats offer training and certification, providing access to discounted spay/neuter services and other resources
  • Follow Best Practices: For TNR to succeed, it is essential for volunteers to follow expert guidance and proven practices, e.g. not leaving food out for extended periods
  • Contact the Help Desk: Bideawee’s Feral Cat Initiative (FCI) provides a help desk for cat-related questions and maintains a list of NYC-area TNR organizations
  • Register Cat Colonies: Caretakers can register colonies with both FCI's database and Neighborhood Cats’ Cat Stats NYC, which can improve collaborative efforts to address community cats across the five boroughs

Legal Protections for Community Cats

Community cats are protected under New York State Agriculture and Markets Law (Chapter 69, Article 26), which, among other provisions, makes it illegal to:

  • Overdrive, torture and injure animals; fail to provide proper sustenance (§ 353)
  • Engage in aggravated cruelty to animals (§ 353-a)
  • Poison or attempt to poison animals (§ 360)
  • Throw substances injurious to animals, such as glass, nails or pieces of metal, in public places (§ 362)

More information on reporting animal cruelty in New York City.

FAQ

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Click a topic, or press the enter key on a topic, to reveal its answer.

What is the role of the Mayor’s Office of Animal Welfare when it comes to community cats?

The Mayor’s Office of Animal Welfare (MOAW) is frequently contacted about stray and feral cats and supports coordination among government agencies and the community to address this population. MOAW works closely with remarkable organizations and volunteers caring for and working to humanely reduce the number of cats on streets across the five boroughs, and encourages New Yorkers interested in caring directly for these community cats to learn best practices from organizations with expertise in the subject.

MOAW recognizes that affordable spay/neuter resources in New York City—for both owned and community cats—are limited and continues to explore ways to improve accessibility.

Who does TNR in New York City?

Compassionate individuals across the five boroughs volunteer to TNR cats, and through training/certification provided by nonprofit organizations learn about proper equipment and best practices. Some do this work on their own, while others are part of TNR groups or networks.

The New York City Health Department lists organizations that offer TNR information and facilitate TNR activities in New York City, and Bideawee’s Feral Cat Initiative also maintains a list of NYC-area TNR organizations.

The New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) contracts with a nonprofit organization for trap-neuter-release services to help manage community cats across NYCHA developments.

What if I find a cat or kitten outside in New York City?

Animal Care Centers of NYC (ACC) offers guidance on what to do if you find a cat or kitten outside, which depends on the age and condition of the animal.

Who can I contact about New York City cats in need of TNR?

The NYC Health Department lists organizations that offer TNR information and facilitate TNR activities in New York City, and Bideawee’s Feral Cat Initiative also maintains a list of NYC-area TNR organizations.

What if I think an outdoor cat is a victim of animal cruelty?

Animal cruelty in New York City should be reported to NYPD, by calling 311 or 911 if in progress. You can also make an online report.

Community cats are protected under New York State Agriculture and Markets Law (Chapter 69, Article 26).

More information on reporting animal cruelty in New York City.

How do I discourage stray or feral cats from coming onto my property?

If you do not want cats on your property, you can discourage their presence through humane deterrents such as fragrances they don’t like and sprinklers.  The Humane Society of the United States offers guidance on keeping stray cats away, as does Neighborhood Cats. Keep in mind that if the cats are spayed/neutered, they will be less likely to engage in behaviors that may be bothersome.

What if my question isn’t listed here?

The Humane Society of the United States also has an Outdoor cats FAQ.

 

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