TNR Portales, NM

10/31/2026

*TNR Success Story: From the Streets to the 'Night Shift'!* 😺 🌙🐭

Remember the post asking if anyone recognized this ear-tipped kitty? Well, she has officially found her place!

The caretaker has shared that this TNR alumni, nka "Mouser" is an incredible asset.
Mouser's first overnight stay inside the house didn't go quite as planned and she actually destroyed a few curtains and other items trying to get out of the house! 😹 But after that initial night surviving inside a house, something clicked with this feral girl.

Now, she willingly comes inside every single evening and looks forward to 'mousing' all night long. She's still an independent spirit and isn't a fan of being around people, so first thing in the morning, she is let back outside to enjoy her day.

This kitty has been put to work and is absolutely earning her keep! It’s a perfect example of how TNR cats can thrive and provide a service when given a chance.

10/31/2026

Incredible job 👏👏👏👏👏👏!

Thank you Street Cat HUB Inc. !!!

10/26/2026

Please share & follow for upcoming dates and approximate locations.

📅 🐾 👀 Attention West Broadmoor, West Boxwood, West Cherry area AND the Pueblo Loop area for the next trap date.

😺 I have an upcoming trap date scheduled for your area! One of your neighbors volunteered to do the drop off in Lovington and another neighbor has volunteered to drive them back to Portales. We have secured 8 spots and may have 2-3 available spots.

I am looking to connect with any cat feeders/guardians in those areas of Portales that have community cats needing to be spayed/neutered.

*If you are feeding in either area, please message me privately.*

I want to assure everyone that your information remains anonymous. I never give out feeder/guardian names or locations to anyone else. My only goal is to help you stabilize your colonies and stop the cycle of new kittens.

‼️*Important Coordination Note:* If you contact me about getting your block done, I am going to need you to commit to driving at least one way before we come up with a plan. We will then work together to try and find another volunteer to handle the second leg of the trip. My goal is to make these efforts sustainable by sharing the workload‼️

Let’s work together to get these neighborhood cats fixed! Send me a message to coordinate the next trap date. 📩❤️

10/15/2026

The Ultimate Goal of Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) and why removing cats makes matters worse.

• Population Stabilization and Gradual Reduction: The primary objective of Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) is not to instantly clear every cat from the streets by force, but to humanely stabilize and naturally reduce free-roaming cat populations over time.

(The colony of cats I inherited with the house I purchased in 2019 was close to 30 cats. There are about 8 cats left that stay on my property. No roaming, fighting, spraying or new kittens.
Neighbors have all mentioned the dramatic shift after they were all TNRd.)

• Ending the Breeding Cycle: By trapping, spaying or neutering, and returning cats to their outdoor colonies, TNR stops continuous reproduction. Kittens are no longer born into the cycle, and existing cats eventually live out their natural lifespans without adding new generations.
• Diverting from Shelters: TNR prevents untamable feral cats from flooding traditional animal shelters, where they face high euthanasia rates because they cannot be socialized for standard adoption.

Why Removing Cats From Areas With Feeders Makes Matters Worse (The Vacuum Effect)

• The Vacuum Effect: When cats are completely removed or killed off from a resource-rich location (such as an area with active food sources or feeders), a phenomenon known as the vacuum effect occurs.
• New Cats Move In: Nature does not leave empty ecological niches. New unsterilized cats and wildlife (like rodents, raccoons, or neighboring cats) quickly migrate into the territory to exploit the available food and shelter.
• Rapid Re-population: The newly arrived cats resume mating immediately, leading to higher reproductive rates and a larger, unmanaged population than before the removal.
• Why Returning Works: Under TNR, the sterilized resident cats maintain their territory and block newcomers from moving in. Because they can no longer reproduce, the colony size gradually shrinks over time without triggering the destructive boom-and-bust cycle of removal.

Cats with an ear tip or ear notch have all been through the TNR process and have a designated caretaker.

10/14/2026

Every friendly cat trapped equals another Portales cat owner that was adding to the overpopulation CRISIS we are currently in.

Please spay and neuter your pets! It is a matter of life and death.

We have a people problem, not a cat problem. Fix your pets!!! ...

10/12/2026

We have a serious hurdle to clear in Portales, and we need your help to stop the cycle. 🛑🐾

During our last round of trapping, we noticed something telling: some of the cats seemed friendly and comfortable with human contact. In fact, I saw a Facebook post about a missing cat during that same round and was able to confirm it was one I had trapped.
By the time I saw the post, that cat was snipped, tipped and vaccinated.
Their cat, an intact male, was trapped on someone else's property because the cat was relying on a neighbor, rather than its own home, for food.

This shows that many 'street cats' aren't feral—they are abandoned pets or roaming pets that aren't being properly contained.

*The Good News:* Because of our TNR efforts, we are seeing fewer truly feral cats in neighborhoods we’ve previously stabilized.

Trap-Neuter-Return. Is. Working!

*The Challenge:* I am seeing new litters and friendly 'lost' pets appearing on those same blocks because people are carelessly releasing their intact cats to roam. When an unfixed pet wanders, it undoes years of hard work and starts the overpopulation cycle all over again in a previously stabilized area.

*How you can help:*
✅ Keep your pets indoors and securely on your own property.
✅ Spay and neuter your animals—roaming intact cats are the #1 cause of new cat colonies.
✅ Don't rely on the neighborhood to feed your pet; keep them home and safe.

Let’s protect the progress we’ve made. Don't let careless roaming undo ALL of our TNR work in Portales! ❤️

10/08/2026

Spot on!!!

We know how frustrating it can be when you reach out to a TNR organization and find out they're working with a 𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝘄𝗮𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗹𝗶𝘀𝘁. 🫤

The reality is that many TNR groups are completely overwhelmed. 🥵 The number of cats needing help can far exceed the number of volunteers, traps, appointments, and resources they have available. 😕

But while you're waiting, the cats are still reproducing. 👎🏾👎🏼

𝘐𝘯𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘸𝘢𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢 𝘷𝘰𝘭𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘦𝘳 𝘰𝘳𝘨𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘻𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 to do everything for you, consider asking whether they can loan you a trap and provide some guidance so you can take on the rest. ✅

You can schedule the appointment. 🫵🏼 You can trap the cat. You can transport the cat. 🫵🏼 You can provide the appropriate recovery space. And you can return the cat to where you found them. 🫵🏼

𝕐𝕠𝕦 𝕕𝕠𝕟'𝕥 𝕙𝕒𝕧𝕖 𝕥𝕠 𝕕𝕠 𝕖𝕧𝕖𝕣𝕪𝕥𝕙𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕒𝕝𝕠𝕟𝕖. Sometimes you just need someone to show you how to get started. 🫶 Personally, we have had such great success teaching others how to properly TNR!

With the right supplies, a little preparation, and some guidance, anyone can learn to TNR. And, you may be able to help those cats much sooner by becoming part of the solution yourself. ❤️