Cat Rescuer Seeks Advice After Secretly Neutering Pet Cat During TNR Program

June 4, 2024 Malorie Thompson

Trap-Neuter-Return programs help stray cat populations around the world. It's something even individuals can do for a community overrun with cats to make a huge difference.

While pet owners should know to spay and neuter their cats, stray animals are a different story. They don't have anyone looking after them.

Photo: Flickr/kisluvkis License: CC BY 2.0

Reddit user u/Dazzling-Ad7801 runs a TNR program for feral cats in his community. After crossing a pretty serious boundary in his line of work, he took to the subreddit r/AmItheAsshole to ask about the situation.

He titled the post, "AITA For neutering a cat that was clearly owned?"

He explained that his TNR operation is fairly small. He said, "I catch all cats and get them the medical attention they need myself, out of my own pocket. I love helping them. A lot of the cats are not able to be rehomed, so I fix them and release them. Get them their shots and hope for the best."

Photo: Pexels/ROMAN ODINTSOV

During a recent call to an area "overrun with orange cats," he noticed one of the felines was well-groomed and boasted a fish-patterned collar. He shared in the post, "My plan was to find his parents and drop him off with a warning to keep him in due to the large amount of traps being set." But that plan changed when he noticed the cat wasn't neutered.

"He was an indoor-outdoor cat (indicated by his collar tag), and with so many strays, I'm certain some were carrying his genetics," he added.

In the end, he chose to neuter the pet cat along with the stray cats. After the surgery, he called the cat's owners to explain where the feline was and where he could be picked up.

Naturally, the owners of the cat weren't happy. They made a big fuss about the situation and claimed the Reddit user had kidnapped their pet.

Photo: Pexels/Engin Akyurt

While some people agree that it was wrong for him to not immediately call the cat's owners, others said the cat was fair game for neutering since he was free-roaming outside.

Where do you stand on this one? Let us know!

Malorie Thompson

Malorie works as a writer and editor in Northern California. She's passionate about food, conscious living, animal welfare, and conservation. She's worked with a variety of publications in different sectors but is happiest covering topics close to her heart. When not at her laptop, Malorie can be found enjoying picnics on the beach, hiking in the redwoods, and spending time with her rescue pup, Jax.

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