TNR: After Trapping it is Time to Visit the Vet

Links: A. Wikipedia definition of TNR
           B. Ally Cat Allies/TNR

Tomorrow morning I will be getting up at a ridiculously early time; anyone care to join me, 'cause I sure could use the help! Not help with the cats, but help waking myself up at 4AM. I will be driving a load of  unhappy cats to the vet in Austin, so we can complete the middle section of the TNR (Trap-Neuter-Return) program. In most instances the reason why it is so difficult for me to wake up and do this drive is because I'm usually still tired from trapping cats the night before. I always set up the car the night before, because I'm on autopilot in the morning and I don't want to leave any cats behind. My normal breakfast of cereal and coffee takes no time at all and before the sun comes up my little blue car, filled with aggravated felines will be cruising down the road to Austin. In an hour and or so, I find myself backing into a parking spot at Austin Humane Society. I leave early so I can arrive early, because no one, I mean no one, wants to get caught in Austin morning rush hour traffic.  Another reason that I like to arrive early is to ensure that my cats are taken care of quickly and I don't get stuck in Austin all day. Everytime I make this trip, I turn the corner into the parking lot full of anticipation, waiting to see if I'm the first to arrive. Believe me, it's important; a matter of minutes in the morning becomes a matter of hours by afternoon. I usually get to the Humane Society a bit early, so I sit and wait until the staff unlocks the doors at 6:30 AM.  When the doors open, there can be a bit of a rush to see who gets signed in first.  If I've arrived first, fair and square, don't try and push me out of my first place spot!  Before I can leave, the still-caged cats must be brought into the facility, and then its real paperwork time.  After roughly an hour, I'm ready to say a temporary good bye to the cats, and I have usually five to seven hours to kill before the cats are ready for pick-up. I load up my reliable blue car with groggy, "altered" kitties, and I head west back to the Hill Country.

When we arrive back home, I remove the cats from the car and place them safely in my carport, where they will sleep off the anesthesia overnight. I also make sure that no complications have developed and that the cats have food and water. The next morning is the part of the process that I really

enjoy. When the cats are released back into the environment in which they are familiar, their happiness is palpable, as is mine. I feel like singing the theme song from "Born Free", as I watch the cats celebrating their freedom once again. Ideally, arrangements will be made for the cats to be fed on a regular basis.  Now TNR is not anyone's idea of a perfect solution. It begins with the unpleasant task of having to deny the cats food in order to coax them into the trap. Keeping them in the traps for an extended period of time is also not my idea of proper animal care. But in the end, an abandoned cat has been altered so that it doesn't create five unwanted cats every year.  I believe in the program because I know it works.  

6AM Outside the Austin Humane Society, waiting
for the doors to be unlocked

Covered cats in traps, lined up
waiting for surgery