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Community Cats

Community Cats- What We Believe

We believe there is an overpopulation of local Community Cats. This overpopulation not only causes our local animal shelter to use valuable resources responding to nuisance calls but it also causes many Community Cats to be euthanized. We believe we can learn to live in harmony with the Community Cats by working to reduce their population by Trap Neuter Return (TNR).
When a local trapper makes an appointment appointment online for a Community Cat, we are able to sterilize and vaccinate the cat at a low cost which not only ends reproduction but it also reduces many of the nuisance behaviors. We tip the left ear to signify that the cat has been sterilized and vaccinated. The trapper then monitors the Community Cat for 24 hours before releasing the cat back to it’s original location.
REHOMING: We ONLY rehome cats that are at certain risk of death. Usually these cats are given to us by local animal shelters, as they are deemed unadoptable. Some we are able to allow to decompress and rehome to indoors, some to indoor/outdoor and some to barns. As a LAST RESORT. Not because they are a nuisance. WE LOVE CATS and we believe they are GREAT for our community, especially when our community pitches in to help control the pet population!! We believe this 100% and encourage you to work with us on TNR. Please don’t attempt to guilt us into taking cats or threaten us with hurting the cats. It won’t work. When we are full, we are full.

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Community Cat Surgery at Fix West Texas

TNR services are by appointment only. Please make your appointment at www.fixwesttexas.org by hitting the Book Now button.

We ask that you do NOT book an appointment unless you have already caught the cat and know for sure that you will be able to present the cat on a certain day for surgery, as we do not make refunds for no-shows. We also do not allow you to reschedule the appointment, unless your cancellation is more than 24 hours in advance. All cats must be in a normal size cat trap. Any linens left at FWT may be disposed of, if they become dirty during the cat’s stay.

We ask that you schedule no more than 2 cats per day. We also ask that you are patient and kind with our staff as they usually have over 30 cats to check-in each day.

All cats will be assessed visually at check-in and weight will be approximated. In general, there is a higher level of risk associated with surgery on a feral cat due to unknown pre-existing conditions and the reduced ability to assess the cat before surgery and the reduced ability to monitor the cat post surgery. Cats will remain in their traps until they are safely sedated using a feral cat trap fork. Once cats are sedated, cats will be weighed to determine the appropriate amount of long-lasting pain meds. 

During surgical prep, cats will be shaved and any concerns will be discussed with the surgical vet. The surgical vet will determine if surgery is advisable (most often we will choose to operate on pregnant or lactating females), will recommend euthanasia in certain instances, will determine if the cat will need a long-acting antibiotic injection for any reason and will prescribe Sub Q fluids to any cat in need of fluids. Standard charges will be applied for cats in heat, pregnant, postpartum, lactating, or in need of antibiotics or euthanasia. A green tattoo will be placed on the cat, after spaying or neutering.

During recovery, cats will receive a left ear tip and will be given the rabies injection. Ears will be checked for mites, stool checked for tapeworms and body will be checked for fleas/ticks. If found, treatment will be performed, and standard charges will apply.

All sutures are absorbable. Cats usually need to be held in a climate controlled environment for 10-24 hours after surgery, depending on recovery speed. Male cats and often females can be returned to the trapping site as soon as they are fully awake and do not require further medical attention. Lactating female cats should be returned within 10-12 hours. Heavily pregnant cats should be held 48 hours.

It is important to note that we will NOT attempt life-saving measures, such as CPR on feral cats. 

Post-Operative Care

The cats will be returned to you in the same covered traps in which you brought them or in a transfer cage. You’ll receive their medical records, including rabies vaccination certificates via email.
Allow the cats to recover overnight. The cats will need some time to recuperate after their surgery, so keep them indoors in their covered traps. Make sure they’re in a temperature-controlled environment—cats can’t regulate their body temperature while recovering from anesthesia. Keep the cats away from loud noises, no music and pets and people. Do not let children near them. A warm basement or bathroom is fine.
Safety first! Keep the traps covered to ease the cats’ stress. Never (never) open the trap doors or let the cats out. As cute as they may look, don’t stick your fingers through the bars or try to handle them when they are awake.
TEXT Karen Patterson (254) 715-2815 if you have any questions or concerns.
Monitor the cats. Check the cats often and keep an eye out for any bleeding, possible inflammation, possible infection, and lack of appetite. If a cat is vomiting, having difficulty breathing, or not waking up, get veterinary assistance immediately. If a cat is vomiting while still unconscious (asleep), turn her head to avoid choking. You can do this by gently tipping the trap to no more than a 30 degree angle. Be careful and don’t jostle her too much.
Give the cats food and water after they wake up. Wait eight hours after surgery before feeding adult cats. Kittens can be fed shortly after waking from anesthesia. When feeding the cats, lift the back door of the trap slowly and only allow a small gap. Slide a plastic lid with a little bit of food on it through the gap—don’t put your hand inside. You can also use an isolator or trap divider to do this. If you don’t have an isolator and you feel you can’t slide a plastic lid in without the cat trying to escape, then don’t feed them. The cats will be OK, and they can eat once they are released.
Cats usually need 24 hours to recover, but depending on recovery speed, adult cats can be returned to the trapping site 10 to 24 hours after surgery. In some cases, females require 48 hours to recover. Make sure all cats are fully conscious, clear-eyed, and alert before release. If a cat requires more than 48 hours of care, transfer her to a large crate or holding pen. You may also need to transfer a cat into a clean trap if the newspaper becomes soiled during recovery. Clean any soiled traps and reline them with fresh newspaper.

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