Policy and Guidance Statements

Cat Facts: TTVARM Program

A solution to the problem of free-roaming animals, and diseases they may carry, is known as Trap, Test, Vaccinate, Alter, Release and Maintain (TTVARM).

This type of program has been endorsed by The Cat Fanciers' Association, Inc., San Francisco SPCA, the Orange County California SPCA, The National Pet Alliance, Alley Cat Allies and many other animal organizations. We believe that feral cats should be trapped, tested for diseases, given medical care and vaccinations (only euthanised if extremely ill), placed for adoption (if young kittens or tamable adults), altered and released into areas where there are "care-givers" who can maintain them.

This approach was developed in America over the last 6 to 8 years and is gaining support. Stabilizing and managing feral/unowned cat colonies helps reduce unwanted reproduction and controls disease, while advocating respect for the humane treatment of cats. Reproduction intervention of unowned cats ultimately saves the taxpayers money.

The Cat Fanciers' Association is proud to have co-sponsored, along with the American Humane Association, a ground breaking national scientific workshop entitled "A Critical Evaluation of Free roaming/Unowned/Feral Cats in the United States" August 9-11, 1996, in Denver, Colorado.

TTVARM programs, rather than legislation directed toward the already responsible pet owners and pedigreed cat breeders, are a more cost effective and efficient means to solve the problems created because of random reproduction of unowned/feral cats. In 1994, the Humane Society of Santa Clara, California stated that over 37% of the cats euthanised in their shelter were feral/free roaming cats.(1) In Stanford California, at Stanford University in Palo Alto, the Stanford Cat Network succeeded in creating a zero population growth rate through the use of a TTVARM program.

References:

1. San Diego Survey and Analysis of the Pet Population, The National Pet Alliance, Johnson and Lewellen,1995.

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