Bay Area Cats

Getting Started

1. Find a place for TNR. It can take several weeks to get a TNR appointment, so do this as soon as possible. In San Jose, Cupertino, Los Gatos, Milpitas and Saratoga email SJRescue@SanJoseCA.gov for appointment slots at San Jose Animal Care Center. You will be approved for a certain number of TNR slots per week and you can bring in cats Sun - Thurs from 8-3 pm. They will keep the cats 24 hours while they recover, then they can be immediately released. For other areas, check out the TNR section. Kittens and pregnant, sick or injured cats are accepted at any time.
2. Borrow a trap. Check out Trap Rentals or contact me for more suggestions. Trap train while waiting for your appointment, zip tie open the trap so it doesn't trap a cat, and start feeding the cat out of the trap. This will get the cats familiar with the trap.
3. Learn to trap. Read over the Trapping page for tips, and follow the steps below:
   • Watch some trapping videos. The kitten lady offers a good trapping overview.
   • Take a look at page two of my trapping guidelines handout.
   • Take a TNR course offered by Neighborhood Cats.
4. Trap the cats. Withold food 12-24 hours before trapping. SJACC will hold the cats for recovery and adopt out kittens or friendly cats.

Not enough or feeling overwhelmed? Contact me at 408-384-8694 or bayareaTNR@gmail.com.

Request help

Visit Alley Cats Feral Friends Network and check off what you need help with, including: Trap-Neuter-Return Assistance, Trap Rentals, and Veterinary Assistance. You will receive an email with a list of phone numbers and email addresses for people, vets, and rescues in your area.

Fill out the Assistance Request Form, which will email volunteers in the area who can help you figure out what to do. This is a good resource if you have kittens in your yard / neighborhood.

Here is a guide on TNR. They can be contacted for help with trapping at 408-566-3637 or info@13thstcats.org.

TNR

At the moment, many TNR programs are closed and the county programs in connection with vet clinics have lost funding. There are still options:

• San Jose Animal Care Center for San Jose, Cupertino, Los Gatos, Milpitas and Saratoga. Email SJRescue@SanJoseCA.gov for approval to bring in cats on a per week basis, Sun to Thurs drop off betwewen 8-3 pm.
• Nine Lives Foundation. Spay $50 and neuter $40, includes rabies and FVRCP. Microchip $10. Call 650-368-1365.
• Silicon Valley Animal Control Authority free for Santa Clara, Campbell, Monte Sereno, and Mountain View locations only. Appointment only. Call to let them know location of the cats and situation.
• Peninsula Humane Society. Appointment only, ~2 weeks waiting. They have a street cat package for $50/cat (vaccines, FIV/FeLV tests, spay/neuter, microchip). Not limited to San Mateo county, but those in San Mateo can apply for vouchers here.
• Try a low cost vet like Animal Medical Center, which offers services for feral cats. Males $55, females $75 (vaccines $25). Max 2 per day.
• Submit a request on Alley Cats Feral Friends Network for Veterinary Assistance and contact the listed vets and rescue centers.

Renting traps

Submit this form and select “Trap Rentals” if you want to receive an email with a list of contacts in your area who have traps available. On this list are individuals, as well as organizations such as:

• 13th Street Cat Rescue • 408-566-3637 • info@13thstcats.org
• Cat Resource Center • (408) 335-4357 • admin@catcenter.org
• Homeless Cat Network • info@homelesscatnetwork.com
• Nine Lives Foundation • (650) 368-1365 • ninelivesfoundation@gmail.com

Kittens

Take kittens to San Jose Animal Care Center (SJACC) if found in San Jose, Cupertino, Los Gatos, Milpitas and Saratoga. These kittens are almost always taken in by rescues like Nine Lives, 13th Street Cats, IBOK, Dancing Cat, and others. Check with your local shelter on the policy of found kittens. Kittens should be taken away for socialization at 4-6 weeks, or earlier if sick or in unsafe conditions.