Trap, Neuter & Release

Trap, Neuter & Release, or Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR), is the most humane and effective approach to addressing community cat populations. It improves the lives of cats, addresses community concerns, reduces complaints about cats, and stops the reproduction cycle. The Stockton Animal Shelter provides TNR services based upon availability and resources. Some of the benefits include:

• Relieves cats of the constant stresses of mating and pregnancy; they stop reproducing.
• Mating behavior cease, such as roaming, yowling, spraying and fighting.
• Physical health of the cats improves, due to spaying and neutering.
• Cats are vaccinated against rabies.

TNR Registration and Requirements

The Stockton Animal Shelter Trap-neuter-release (TNR) clinics are organized as frequent as resources permit.  Please keep in mind the following requirement for our TNR program:

• In person registration required, on designated registration dates.
• Feral and community stray cats only.  No pets allowed.
• Two cats per address.
• Cats must be in cat traps.  One cat per trap.
• $30.00 non refundable fee per cat, due at the time of registration.
• Valid/current form of ID required.
• Citizen must live in the Stockton city limits or the unincorporated areas of San Joaquin County to qualify.
• City of Stockton Animal Shelter reserves the right to keep, hold, or rescue transfer any of the feral/community strays registered for the TNR program.

Barn Cats

The Stockton Animal Shelter regularly has cats that are feral that do not qualify for our standard adoption program. These cats may be coming from a variety of backgrounds/situations and have been professionally evaluated as not tamed.  These cats are spayed or neutered, vaccinated, ear-tipped (an indication they have been spayed or neutered) and provided a rabies vaccination.

Barn cats are an excellent provider of rodent control for farms, small ranches, or other large properties and may or may not need a regular food source in addition to the rodent control they provide.

Please email us at AnimalServices@stocktonca.gov to inquire about our available barn cats. Please note, we do not actively accept owned or community stray cats into this program at this time.