VIENNA TWP., Ohio (WKBN)- The Animal Welfare League of Trumbull County says the overpopulation of feral cats in the Valley is becoming “concerning”.

To help limit the problem, humane agents are asking for your help with something called, TNR: Trap, Neuter, or Spay and Release.

Safely trapping the cats, getting them fixed, and then releasing them back to the outside is essential when it comes to population control. This also helps keep cats out of the shelters.

“These cats just continue to reproduce and can reproduce very quickly. A kitten as young as 6 months can get pregnant with a litter of kittens so that just shows you a kitten born in the spring can be having kittens by fall,” said CEO of Animal Welfare League, Lori Shandor.

Shandor says the feral cats most likely will not be great pets, so releasing them back outside is best for the cats to live happy lives.

“They’re going to live out their lives the happiest outside and living the life they know, so they spay, neutering will not alter their quality of life, actually, it will improve their quality of life,” Shandor said.

Shandor says this is especially important for female cats because it will lessen their chances of catching deadly diseases and not being able to fight them off.

To help with costs, the Glen and Jean Charitable Foundation, Rascal Charities and AWL have hosted some low-cost spay and neuter health clinics in 2023. AWL plans to continue this partnership.

Typically, AWL tries to keep their spay and neuter prices as low as possible year-round, which will cost $40 for cats and $80 for dogs.

If you notice a population near your home or office, you can contact a humane agency that can help guide you explaining how you can ensure to safely trap and handle feral cats to take them in for spay or neuter surgeries.

If you notice a population, pay attention to their ears. Shandor says when they have a TNR cat, they will clip just a tiny part of the cat’s ear. That indicates that the cat has been fixed.