To help reduce the feral cat population, SOS holds monthly spay/neuter clinics at the Batavia Animal Hospital, and follows a successful Trap-Neuter-Vaccinate-Return (TNVR) strategy. Please see the "Cats that Qualify" or "The Actual Process" sections below to see if your feral cat is eligible for this program, or to read more about the whole trapping-to-clinic process. Cost is a $35.00 donation per cat, although discounts are available to those in need. The following clinical services will be provided by a group of qualified volunteers to each cat:

• Spay/neuter surgery
• Anesthesia & pain control
• Dissolvable sutures
• Rabies & distemper vaccinations
• Flea treatment & deworming
• Mandatory Ear tipping under anesthesia (a universal symbol - clipping the tip off the left ear identifying him/her as neutered)

The following cats qualify for the monthly clinics: true feral, unsocialized cats living in or around barns, gas stations, restaurants, city neighborhoods, etc. Also accepted are stray unowned cats, living outside the home or in barns, that people feed.

Cats that do NOT qualify for monthly clinics are: cats that are pets, any cats living in people's homes, or any owned cat or socialized stray cat that will be adopted. Other sources of population-control are available in these instances. See our Low Cost Spay & Neuter page for more information about other options.

If you have a cat in your area that qualifies for the Spay Our Strays program, contact an SOS representative via telephone, or using the e-mail link below. Do not trap the cat, as the cat will be placed on a clinic waiting list at this point. Clinics are typically run once a month, processing approximately 15 cats at a time. As soon as a clinic date is determined, you will be notified and you should prepare to trap the cat. An excellent trapping and clinic-preparation guide can be viewed or printed here. If you do not have a way to trap the cat, SOS can loan you humane traps. It is your responsibility to take the cat to Batavia Animal Hospital by 1pm on the date of the clinic. A donation of $35/cat to Spay our Strays is expected when you drop the cat off at the clinic. Financial assistance may be available to defer part of this cost, so please do contact us and ask in advance. Prepare to pick the cat up from the clinic at the specified time and plan on releasing the animal back into its familiar environment right away, except during cold winter months. (In cold weather, the animals should be kept in their traps in a heated area overnight following surgery, and released the following morning.) Once you reach this point, you should pat yourself on the back because thanks to all of YOUR effort and a small donation, you have just put a stop to the pain and suffering of literally hundreds of potential feral cats.