If you've ever called animal control about stray cats in your Bakersfield neighborhood, you may have been frustrated by the response. The truth is, simply removing cats from an area doesn't work — and there's decades of science to prove it.
The solution is TNR: Trap, Neuter, Return.
How TNR Works
Trap: Humane box traps are set in areas where stray or feral cats have been spotted. Cats are lured in with food and the trap door closes safely behind them.
Neuter: Cats are taken to a veterinary clinic to be spayed or neutered. They're also vaccinated for rabies and often ear-tipped (a small notch in the left ear) to identify them as TNR cats.
Return: Cats are returned to their home territory, where a caretaker continues to provide food and monitoring.
Why Not Just Remove Them?
When cats are removed from an area, new cats quickly move in to fill the vacuum — this is called the "vacuum effect." The population rebounds within months. TNR, by contrast, stabilizes and gradually reduces colonies over time as cats are no longer reproducing.
The Results in Kern County
Stray Paws Society has been conducting TNR operations across Bakersfield and Kern County, targeting neighborhoods, apartment complexes, and commercial areas with established feral cat colonies. Each cat we sterilize represents dozens of future cats that will never be born into a life of hardship.
How You Can Help
- Report stray cat colonies to us so we can schedule a TNR operation
- Become a colony caretaker — provide food and monitoring for cats in your area
- Donate to cover the cost of spay/neuter surgeries (typically $50–$80 per cat)
- Foster kittens pulled from colonies who are young enough to be socialized