Community Cat Advocacy
Trap-Neuter-Return
The only proven, humane method for managing community cat populations. TNR saves lives, reduces suffering, and makes neighborhoods better — one cat at a time.
What Is TNR?
Trap-Neuter-Return is the humane, science-backed approach to managing feral and community cats. Cats are humanely trapped, brought to a clinic to be spayed or neutered, vaccinated, and ear-tipped — then returned to their outdoor home.
The ear tip (a small, painless removal of the tip of the left ear) is the universal sign that a cat has been sterilized. It protects cats from being re-trapped unnecessarily and lets animal control know they are part of a managed colony.
Unlike catch-and-kill, which has been tried and failed for decades, TNR actually works. It stabilizes and reduces colony populations over time while improving the health and behavior of the cats.
Why TNR Works
Catch-and-kill creates a vacuum effect — new cats move into the territory. TNR stabilizes the population at its current location permanently.
For the Cats
- ✓No new kittens born into harsh outdoor life
- ✓Reduced roaming, fighting, and injury
- ✓Less yowling and spraying behavior
- ✓Vaccinated against rabies and distemper
- ✓Longer, healthier colony lives
For the Community
- ✓Quieter neighborhoods — no mating calls
- ✓Fewer nuisance complaints to animal control
- ✓Natural rodent control maintained
- ✓Stable, familiar cats residents recognize
- ✓More humane image for the neighborhood
For the Shelters
- ✓Fewer cats surrendered or impounded
- ✓Frees up space for adoptable animals
- ✓Reduces taxpayer cost of euthanasia
- ✓Decreased officer time on cat calls
- ✓Better outcomes across the board
How To Do TNR in Kern County
Critters Without Litters is Kern County's only nonprofit spay/neuter clinic and the go-to resource for TNR in our area.
Book Your Appointment
Appointments are required — no walk-ins. Openings are posted every Friday morning between 6–7 AM at critterswithoutlitters.org. You can schedule up to two weeks in advance. You are limited to two cats per day, one cat per trap. When booking, select "Lion Female" under species (staff will adjust for males after surgery).
Get the Right Trap
Trap size matters for the cat's safety. Use a minimum 9″ × 9″ × 28″ trap — avoid small feed-store traps (7″ × 7″ × 24"). The ideal size is 10″ × 12″ × 32″. Critters Without Litters offers trap rentals for a $75 refundable deposit, available Monday–Thursday 8:30 AM – 4:30 PM.
Trap the Night Before
Set traps the evening before your appointment. Withhold food from the colony for 12–24 hours beforehand so cats are hungry and motivated to enter. Use a small amount of smelly bait (tuna, sardines, or wet cat food) at the back of the trap. Check traps frequently — every 1–2 hours, especially at night. Never leave a trapped cat unattended for long periods.
Drop Off at 7 AM
Arrive at Critters Without Litters (4300 Stine Road, #720, Bakersfield) at 7 AM on your appointment day with your completed intake form. Cats stay in their traps throughout — do not transfer them to a carrier. Leave the cat overnight for surgery.
Pick Up the Next Morning
Return the following morning at 7 AM to pick up the cat. Each cat will have been spayed or neutered, vaccinated for rabies and FVRCP, and given an ear tip on their right ear. Hold the cat in the trap for recovery — preferably in a quiet, sheltered spot — for at least 24 hours before releasing, or until fully alert.
Release & Monitor
Release the cat in the late afternoon or evening at the exact location where they were trapped. Do not relocate cats — they have established territories and relocating causes extreme stress and disorientation. Continue providing food, water, and shelter for your colony, and monitor for any cats that still need to be TNR'd.
Trapping Tips & Best Practices
Know Your Local Rules — Kern County
Kern County does not currently have an ordinance that prohibits TNR on private property. However, a proposed ordinance to ban feeding feral cats on county-owned public property (parks, buildings) was debated in 2025–2026 — advocates successfully pushed for an ad-hoc committee to study the issue instead.
Residents within Bakersfield city limits can access TNR services through Critters Without Litters with the $60 fee covered by the City of Bakersfield. Kern County residents (outside city limits of Bakersfield, Shafter, Delano, or Wasco) can have the $60 fee charged back to Kern County Animal Services.
Always obtain permission from property owners before trapping on private property you do not own. You must acknowledge on the intake form that cats were trapped on property you own, rent, or have authorization to trap on.
Local Resources
Critters Without Litters
Kern County's only nonprofit spay/neuter clinic. TNR appointments, trap rentals, vaccinations.
4300 Stine Rd #720, Bakersfield · (661) 831-6000
Book TNR Appointment →Kern County Animal Services
Manages the county-wide TNR program and can provide guidance on feral cat assistance.
animalservices@kerncounty.com
Learn More →Alley Cat Allies
The national leader in TNR advocacy. Deep library of guides, research, and colony management resources.
alleycat.org
TNR Resources →We Believe Every Cat Deserves a Chance
TNR isn't just a program to us — it's a philosophy. Community cats are not a nuisance to be eliminated. They are living creatures who deserve to be treated with dignity. With the right tools and knowledge, every person can make a real difference for the cats in their neighborhood.
If you'd like to support our work rescuing, rehabilitating, and finding homes for cats in Kern County, consider making a donation. Every dollar helps.