One Sunday each month the ARC Mobile Spay/Neuter Clinic performs spays and neuters on feral cats for FREE! Local, licensed veterinarians and veterinary technicians, ARC staff and volunteers all donate their time and talent to this very effective trap-neuter-return program. Every person at a Feral Cat Day is there because they are dedicated to our mission, and they have each donated their time so that our resources can be spent helping the largest number of cats possible.

How Does the Program Work?

Feral cats need to be trapped before the scheduled Feral Cat Clinic Day, and a reservation is required. Traps are available through ARC, coalition members or at several locations throughout the county.

Each cat will receive these services:

• Spay/neuter surgery
• Vaccination for rabies/distemper
• Ears cleaned and treated with ear mite medication
• An application of flea medication
• An injection for internal parasites
• A left ear tip, which is a nationally accepted standard that identifies that a feral cat has been sterilized and vaccinated for rabies.

Discharge and caregiver instructions are provided at the time of pickup.

For more information contact our Feral Cat Program Coordinator at (941) 957-1955, ext 5, or email: feral@animalrescuecoalition.org

Additionally, colony management information is available - please contact our Feral Cat Program Coordinator to learn more.

There are Many Benefits to Participating!

• You have the complete satisfaction of knowing that you are an integral part of improving feral cats' lives.
• You are stabilizing colony populations and creating a more sustainable, less stressful environment for the cats as well as the people who care for them.
• You foster compassion in your neighborhood and the community by ensuring humane treatment for all animals.
• TNR eliminates annoying behaviors associated with mating, roaming and fighting, including spraying.
• TNR is more effective and less costly than repeated attempts at extermination. Costs for repeatedly trapping and killing feral colonies are far higher than promoting stable, non-breeding colonies in the same location. Vacated areas are soon filled by other cats who start the breeding process over again, a well-known phenomenon known as the vaccum effect. Read more about the vacuum effect here.

How to Get Involved

• Spay or neuter your own pets and encourage friends and family to do the same.
• Keep your cats indoors. Your browser may not support display of this image.
• Trap and maintain a feral cat colony. Encourage others to do the same.
• Become a volunteer. Volunteer your time and talent, whatever that may be.
• Ask your personal veterinarian to get involved.
• Tell people about ARC. If someone you know is caring for feral cats, let them know about our services. Education is the key, so make others aware.
• Make a contribution to ARC and help us reach more of society's forgotten cats.

Get More Information

• A Message From ARC's Feral Cat Coordinator
• What is a Feral Cat?
• Additional Resources and Partners
• Having a Hard Time Explaining to Others Why TNR is so Important? Print out these valuable resources and materials