January 29, 2023
Pepper #11
Have we mentioned how many brown/gray tabby cats there are!!
We were sure it would be a quiet Monday morning at Critters because Sunday evening had gotten cold and rainy. We had our two trapped by 4PM and safely stowed in the horse trailer. We got to Critters at 4:01 AM and were handed number 15!!!! Remember, the numbers are critical to getting on the list. Critters guarantees 20 cats per day and though they try their very best to get everyone in, there is a limit to what the vets can do.
Smoggy #12
If you don’t give them a name Critters will assign one….and they can be pretty funny!
So, we are number 15, the list goes up at 6:00 AM and folks start signing up. If a lot of people have two cats then we are not assured of getting in that day. When I sign our name I can see that there are already 26 cats on the list. Now we wait until 7:00 AM to see if our cats can get done today. At the end of the sign up, I counted 36 cat traps sitting on the patio. Some are going to be disappointed.
Intake starts about 7:15 AM, and we breathe a sigh of relief…they are taking our two cats. This makes a total of 12 for us, six males and six females. We are down to the last six or seven and may have to change how we approach the trapping.
Steps for participating in the TNR program at Critters without Litters:
Trap a cat or two-Critters will take two cats per address.
Bring your ID on your first trip so your address can be verified. Critters bills the city or county depending on your address.
Get there early-Monday thru Thursday. If you want a guaranteed spot, between 3:30 and 4:00 AM.
A fellow trapper will be on hand to give you a number. Make sure you get a number!
Critters will post a list a few minutes before 6:00 AM. The trappers will have lined up in their number order to sign up on the list.
If you are amongst the first 20 cats, you are golden. If you are on the list at all, your chances of getting in are good. If you are on the standby list, it can go either way.
Put your cats (in their traps) on the patio. At 7:00 AM intake will start after pickups are handled. Your name will be called from the list. Hand over the paperwork you did ahead of time (the forms are on the patio-bring a pen), and the wonderful staff member will tell you to pick up your cat the following morning at 7:00 AM. You are done! Go home and take a nap.