TNR Portales, NM

10/24/2025

Another Portales community Cat no longer "litter"ing.

Spaying/neutering, vaccinating and returning the existing cats (TNR) is the only proven method to decrease the amount of cats in the community AND cats & kittens entering the shelters.

If you are feeding community cats please get them spayed/neutered. There are several no cost and low cost options available for TNR. Message me to get on the waitlist or to learn more ways to get your community cats fixed asap.

Thank you Street Cat HUB Inc. for finding placement for 10 more Portales kittens and spaying this Momma so she can live out her life without adding to the cat over-population crisis.

10/19/2025

If you would like to be next to have your entire colony TNRd, please message me!

TNR works!!!
Stop "litter"ing Portales!

When your local shelters and rescues are flooded with so many cats, it is largely due to the ever-growing population of community cats who are not altered. If you want to support your shelters and rescues, start by supporting TNR!

🌟It’s the most humane solution to cat overpopulation! 🌟

10/19/2025

Another Portales community Momma cat released after her itty-bitty kittens were fully weaned and sent to a rescue. All thanks to Street Cat HUB Inc. for facilitating the rescue/placement for these kittens and their mom and then spaying/vaccinating Momma Cat!!!
This beautiful orange mom was the first to be trapped in this group of 25 cats/kittens being sent to Albuquerque in August 2025.
Thankfully, the feeders of this momma had an idea of where her kittens might be. We found them in the center of a juniper tree. Eyes still closed. They were quickly reunited with their Mom.
The last picture of Momma cat was taken about a week after she was released/returned.

10/14/2025

I'm not a fan of barn relocation for community cats. I cringe when I see that being offered as a solution. Most cats won't survive the first two weeks and the ones that do.... live less than 2 years.

TNR works!
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/167RrLUsYP/

🐾 Barn Homes Aren’t Always Happy Endings for Cats 🐾

Lately, it feels like putting cats in barn homes has become the new “solution” when people decide it’s better than TNR. It can sound like a kind, responsible choice- but for the cat, it often isn’t.

In my 20+ years of doing rescue and TNR, I can count on one hand the situations where a cat truly could not, under any safe or ethical circumstance, return to its original home.

🔹 Is the cat’s original site always ideal? No.
But it’s their home. It’s where they know the hiding spots, the predators to avoid, the food and water sources, and the other cats in the area. Cats are territorial- familiarity is what keeps them safe.

📊 What we know about relocation:
• A large percentage of relocated cats don’t stay at their new site, even with proper acclimation.
• Many disappear within weeks despite being given food, shelter, and careful introductions.
• Even highly experienced rescuers who do everything “right” see heartbreaking results.

One of my mentors used to run barn relocation classes and oversaw many placements. She set them up with large safe spaces, proper slow-release periods, and great follow-up. And still, the number of cats who didn’t stick around was devastating. She eventually stopped, because even with the best methods, too many cats were lost.

✨ A Real-Life Example ✨
The cats in this photo were originally being considered for a “better” barn placement. But after talking with their feeder and explaining why TNR would be best for them, the plan changed. They were all trapped, neutered, and returned to the only home they’d ever known.

They know the area, they know how to stay safe, and best of all- they get to stay together, because they love one another. 💕

💡 Of course, there are times when relocation is the only safe and humane option- whether due to demolition, extreme danger, or truly unlivable conditions. And when that’s the case, it’s understandable. But too often, people are quick to make that decision for the cat.

👉 Relocation should be the last resort, not the default.
👉 A barn placement may look like a happy ending to us, but to the cat, it can mean losing everything familiar.
👉 More often than not, the best outcome is letting them stay where they already know how to survive.

So the next time you see a post about a cat “needing a barn home,” please remember: it may not be the happy ending it sounds like. For most cats, the real happy ending is going back home. 🐾

10/13/2025

Please message "TNR Portales, NM" if you would like resources for getting your neighborhood cats fixed and vaccinated (TNR).

Download: PDF What is Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR)? Trap-Neuter-Return is the humane and effective approach for stray and feral cats. Now in practice for decades in the US after being proven in Europe, scientific studies show that Trap-Neuter-Return improves the lives of feral cats, improves their relat...

10/13/2025

Quick Facts: If cats are removed from their outdoor home, it creates a territorial opening, or vacuum, that will not remain empty. Removing cats from an area may cause a temporary decrease in the cat population, but more cats WILL take their place–and it won’t take long. This phenomenon is known...

10/11/2025

Woohoo! Thank you for the shout-out!!!

2 Portales people (so far) have made the trip with their colonies.

If you too would like your colony completely TNR'd (all at once) let me know and we'll see how many carriers and traps we can fit in your car!

10/11/2025

I am compiling a list for upcoming TNR events.
Please let me know if you would like to volunteer, learn about available TNR options or have general questions about TNR.

If you want to be proactive and get your colony TNRd asap, reach out for the available options.

If you have previously reached out to get on the wait-list (in 2024), please reach out again. Many times I have been unable to reach people on the list when their turn is up so I move on to the next person.

Feel free to message me if you are unsure if you are on the list or would like to be added to the list.
All cats must have a designated feeder that will continue to provide care after the cat(s) have been fixed, vaccinated and returned/released.

This is a return/release from yesterday. Thank you Street Cat HUB Inc. !!!

10/01/2025

It might look “cute” to see kittens born outside, but the truth is heartbreaking. The National Kitten Coalition reports that approximately 75%–80% of kittens born outdoors die before they are 6 months old.

💔 Most don’t survive because of:

Starvation – mama cats can’t always find enough food.

Disease – without vaccinations or care, illnesses spread fast.

Trauma – predators, cars, and harsh weather take a heavy toll.

This high death rate is why spaying, neutering, and Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) programs are so critical. Every cat fixed means fewer kittens born into suffering and more cats living healthier, safer lives.

✨ Letting cats have babies outside isn’t cute—it’s a cycle of suffering.
Together, we can break that cycle through compassion and prevention.