FAQs

What is the Tioga County Cat Project (TCCP)?

The Tioga County Cat Project is a 501c3 nonprofit volunteer-run organization with a mission to improve the lives of cats and community members by making affordable spay/neuter accessible to anyone who needs it in Tioga County, Pennsylvania.

What does TCCP actually do?

We assist community members with spaying/neutering cats - pets, ferals or strays. For the latter two, we implement TNR (trap, spay/neuter, return). We then coordinate dates with low-cost clinics and transport cats to and from those clinics, which we pay for in donations or contributions from municipalities made directly to the clinic. We also provide education and outreach regarding the importance of spay/neuter and organize various fundraisers to help pay for these efforts.

Is TNR really the best way to deal with the cat population?

Absolutely. TNR (trap, neuter/spay, return) is the best proven method to dealing with an area’s free-roaming cat population. Obviously, fixing cats keeps them from adding to the population. TNR includes rabies vaccinations, so it helps cut down on disease and transmission, too. Returning these cats to their original locations deters new, unaltered cats from moving in. Cat colonies that have been 100% TNR-ed hold steady populations before eventually disappearing completely over time.

Wouldn’t euthanasia or relocation work just as well or better? Or, why aren’t the cats taken to a shelter to be adopted?

No, this is a huge misconception. It’s been proven over and over all across the country that euthanasia is an outdated, inhumane and ineffective attempt at controlling cat populations for several reasons. Returning fixed cats to their original locations deters new, unaltered cats from moving in. Euthanasia would actually take much longer because it’s more difficult these days to find a veterinarian who would would put down several healthy cats at a time. It’s also usually more expensive than low-cost spay/neuter clinics. In addition, because these cats are often loved and cared for by community members, getting their cooperation would be much more difficult.

We don’t relocate cats unless their lives are in immediate danger (threats of harm from neighbors, structures they’re living in being torn down, etc.). Relocation can actually do more harm than good for cats; some suffer greatly from stress or no longer knowing where to find food or shelter. Imagine being uprooted from the only home you’ve ever known and not knowing how to survive? And, it’s actually harder than one might think to find a barn that wants even more cats.

Does TCCP have its own facility or veterinary clinic?

No. TCCP coordinates dates with low-cost clinics independent of our organization, usually outside Tioga County. We choose these clinics based on cost, quality of service and number of cats allowed at a time.

Why don’t you use local veterinarians?

Low-cost clinics outside the area are able to give us the best prices and take several cats at a time. Most vets in Tioga County aren’t equipped to do this. If we can find a way, we’d love to work locally, though!

What is included in the low-cost clinics? Can pet-owners request additional services?

TCCP pays for spay/neuter, rabies vaccination and ear tipping (not necessary for indoor-only cats). Depending which clinic we use, certain additional services may be able to be requested, such as deworming or flea treatment, but these will be at your own expense and if the vet has time. If a cat is found to be visibly injured or sick, the clinic will do what they can to help, but follow-up visits at your regular veterinarian are recommended.

What does it cost?

The low-cost clinics where we take cats charge between $45-$55 per cat. While we pay for everything with donations and don’t charge cat caretakers, we appreciate anything you’re able to give. This helps us help as many cats as possible.

How do I report cats who need to be fixed, or find out more information?

• Email - tiogacountycatproject@gmail.com

• Facebook - www.facebook.com/tiogacountycatproject

• Report cats using this form.

  Please note, we are volunteers who get several inquiries at all times of the day and night, so we do not give out our personal phone numbers. Please use one of the methods above to contact us. If you know of someone who has cats but doesn’t have internet access, consider filling out a form for them, or contact us with their phone number and we’ll reach out. Thank you for understanding!

How do I donate to the cause?

• Donate on PayPal at https://www.paypal.me/tiogacountycatprojec (note no “t” at the end of “project”).

• Make checks out to Tioga County Cat Project and send to
  PO Box 160, Elkland, PA 16920.

• Buy some merch! We have an online store through Redbubble with tons of items and designs. Check it out here.

• If you’re having cats fixed, you can also give donations directly to the transport volunteers.

Why is spaying and neutering so important?

There are several reasons! For pet cats (and dogs), spaying/neutering prolongs their lives. It spares them from complications or infections from not being fixed or giving birth and keeps them healthier in general. And no, it’s not “cruel” to deny a cat having a first litter of kittens. Unlike some humans, cats don’t dream of having babies.

For outdoor cats, population control is key. Cats can start reproducing as early as four months of age and each female can have up to three litters per year. This means even just two unaltered cats can can quickly turn into hundreds. While many kittens born outside don’t survive, their suffering can be prevented by spaying their mother. Neutering males not only keeps them from impregnating females, it also cuts down on nuisance behaviors like spraying and fighting. In fact, studies show that nuisance complaints drop about 95% after TNR is implemented!

Why don’t you take the stray and feral cats to shelters to be adopted?

Local shelters are already so short on space, some with wait lists for people to bring in cats. Spaying/neutering strays and ferals will help lessen this burden on shelters over time. If we encounter very friendly strays or young kittens that could easily be adopted, we try our best to place them with a shelter partner or foster, but this isn’t a normal part of our program. Feral cats, however, can’t be adopted out as house cats. Most of the time, they’re far too distrusting of humans and used to living outside. They may trust their feeder, but usually no one else. Most shelters don’t have the space, time, resources or staff to work with a feral cat to bring it out of it’s shell, often a futile effort.

Are there programs like this elsewhere in Tioga County? 

Area animal rescues/shelters or individuals have TNR-ed certain pockets of the county, but a lack of resources or funds have hindered these operations. TCCP is the first and only organization in the county with solely focused on spay/neuter. Since we don’t rely on a one-time grant or limited funding source, we won’t stop until we’ve fixed as many cats as possible.

How many stray or free-roaming cats are in Tioga County? How many have you fixed so far?

While there’s no way to know for sure, we estimate there are roughly 25,000 free-roaming cats in Tioga County. Since starting informal programs in Elkland, Mansfield, and Tioga boroughs in 2019, we’ve fixed 400 cats as of October 2020.

Do you only help feral/stray cats?

No! We help pet owners get their cats fixed, too. However, we prioritize cats who spend a lot of time outside and can easily reproduce. If your indoor cat needs to be fixed before we have availability, we can provide information about low-cost clinics where you can take them.

Does TCCP provide adoption, re-homing, or cat removal services?

No. Our mission is focused on getting cats fixed. While we try to help where we can, we do not provide adoption or re-homing services. We do not “pick up” or “remove” cats. Once cats are fixed, they will be returned to where they came from to live out their lives without reproducing.

I have a cat to be fixed. What is your process?

When a clinic we work with provides a date and number of cats we can bring, we contact people who have previously reported cats. We keep detailed lists so we’re able to start coordinating as soon as we have a date, so it’s a good idea to contact us as soon as you have cats, not when they might be ready to be fixed.

We determine if the cats on the property have to be trapped or if they are friendly enough to be put in carriers. We ask anyone feeding cats who need to be trapped to hold food for 24 hours beforehand, because it’s easier to trap a hungry cat using food as bait. We can provide traps and either set them ourselves and/or teach you how to set them. We also have carriers to lend.

We ask cat caretakers to meet us at a central location for drop-off and pick-up. Sometimes this is in the morning and evening of the same day, and sometimes it’s over two days. Volunteers transport the cats to and from the low-cost clinic, usually about 1-1.5 hours away.