We are here to help our community and their beloved pets.
WCA Animal Welfare Services
-
Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR)
Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) is a humane and effective method for managing feral and stray cat populations. It involves safely trapping community cats, having them spayed or neutered by a veterinarian, vaccinated, and then returning them to their original territory. This approach prevents reproduction, reduces nuisance behaviors like fighting and yowling, and improves the cats’ overall health.
Over time, colonies stabilize and gradually shrink as cats live out their natural lives without producing more litters. Unlike outdated practices such as euthanasia or relocation, TNR respects the cats’ place in the ecosystem while addressing overpopulation in a compassionate, sustainable way.
-
Foster-Based Cat Adoption
Foster-based cat adoption is a compassionate, community-driven approach to rescuing and rehoming cats. Instead of housing animals in shelters, foster-based rescues place cats in temporary homes where they receive individualized care, socialization, and love. This model helps reduce stress for the animals, allows for better behavioral assessments, and gives adopters more insight into each cat’s personality and needs.
In places like Warrensburg Cat Advocates, foster families are a critical part of the rescue effort. Foster-based adoption also frees up shelter space and enables rescues to save more lives, especially during kitten season or emergencies.
Every home becomes a stepping stone to a forever one.
-
Pet Food & Resource Assistance
Warrensburg Cat Advocates (WCA) offers a Pet Pantry and Resource program designed to support both pets and their caregivers in the community. When funds and donations are available, this initiative provides essential supplies—such as cat food, litter, and basic care items.
In addition to tangible supplies, WCA’s resource support may include guidance on low-cost veterinary care, spay/neuter services, and behavioral advice. By offering these tools, WCA helps build a more compassionate and resilient community.
It’s about keeping families together, reducing shelter intake, and honoring the bond between people and their pets.
TNR FAQs
-
Trap, Neuter, Return, or “TNR” (also sometimes referred to as “TNVR”) is widely used around the world as the only effective and humane option to manage the population of stray and feral cats. During this process, the cats are trapped using a live trap, and transported in the trap to a participating Spay and Neuter Clinic where they are sedated, spayed or neutered, and vaccinated for rabies. During the surgery, the veterinarian also removes the very tip of the left ear. The eartip is the universal sign that the cat has been through the TNR process.
-
Community cat is a term used for all free roaming cats, whether stray or feral. They live in colonies together, where they are looked after by a caretaker.
-
A feral cat is just like your domesticated indoor cat, however, the only difference is that a feral cat has never been socialized to humans. They have never had contact with humans, and they live happily outside in their territory with a dedicated caretaker. They can thrive with a little help from us, and will live a healthier, safer life after being spayed/neutered and vaccinated.
-
A caretaker is someone who lives near and looks after a colony of feral cats. They provide them with access to food and water, shelter from the elements, and in cities with a TNR ordinance, maintain records of the cats to provide upon request if needed. Caretakers are essential to TNR, and for the wellbeing of the cats’ health and safety.
-
TNR ordinance allows rescue volunteers, caretakers, and concerned citizens the legal ability to perform trap, neuter, return to help our community cats. This allows feral cats to remain where they are, preventing their impoundment by animal control. Feral cats are not adoptable, and do not belong in a shelter environment. The ordinance allows the community to work together to prevent future suffering of kittens born outside, and to help reduce the number of homeless cats.
-
Without knowing cat behavior, the common stereotype is that feral cats are mean and aggressive. This is simply not their motive. Ferals cats do not seek out human attention, and stay as far away from people as possible. Their reaction to humans is out of fear and defense.
-
Most feral cats prefer to live in their territory outside with their colony, and will never become an indoor lap cat, and that’s okay! Some may become socialized and friendly once trust is built with a caretaker, and they may decide they would rather spend their time indoors with a family.
Sometimes adults feral cats can become socialized rather quickly depending on their needs, while it may take years for others.Young kittens become social quite quickly, and adjust easily to the indoor lifestyle.
-
Kittens that are trapped through the process are not returned outside. Instead, with owner/caretaker permission and surrender, they are taken in to be socialized, fully vetted and then adopted out at the appropriate age.
-
If friendly adult cats are trapped, they are scanned for an identifying microchip. Placed on a legal stray hold and posted as possible lost or stray cats. TNR helps us reunite lost cats with their families, helps us get cruelly abandoned cats off the streets and into the loving forever homes they deserve.
Get Involved
Foster or volunteer for our cat rescue.