Resources

The Facts

  • The recommended age for spay/neutering is 2-6 months of age

  • Female animals should be spayed before their first heat; they do not need to have a litter before being spayed

  • Spaying or neutering your pet can decrease the risk of diseases contracted by mating, and injury from fighting or chasing after an animal for mating

  • Pets who are spayed/neutered have decreased or zero risk of certain types of cancer (e.g., testicular cancer, mammary cancer)

  • Altering your pets reduces and often eliminates annoying behaviors

  • And, most importantly, spay/neutering ends the chance of generations of future homeless animals!

Area resources for lost-cost spay/neuter include:

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Community Assistance

  • Thank you for caring about the cats in your community!

    The first step is to make sure these cats are not owned or lost — you can do this by asking neighbors, posting physical flyers, and browsing and making social media posts online (consider posting to lost and found Facebook groups, local groups for your area, Nextdoor, and Ring Neighbors, or ask a friend to post to these platforms on your behalf).

    Spend some time generally watching the cats, observing their behaviors and appearances. How long have you seen these cats around? How many are there? Do they have collars? Are they friendly? Do they run when you approach? Do they appear to go home at night? For more information on the differences between owned, stray, and feral cats, please click here.

    For more information on community cats, click here. Please note that if any of the cats appear to have an ear tip or slanted left ear, that is the universal sign of an altered feral/community cat. This means that particular cat has already been to a vet before and has been spayed and neutered.

    Once you have determined that these cats are not owned or lost, please reach out to us.

    If you are willing to help us humanely trap the cats, great! We can train you on the cat-trapping process — it’s easy and not scary, trust us. It’s humane, safe and gets cats what they need —spayed/neutered and vaccinated, and (if they turn out to be friendly, or are young enough to be socialized) — homes. We will provide traps, training, and get the cats to one of our veterinarians.

    Adult cats who are feral in nature will be returned back to their colony after neutering.

  • TAILS offers low-cost spay-and-neuter or no-cost assistance for those in need, whenever possible.

    We are only able to assist in the following Connecticut towns: Bridgeport, Fairfield, New Canaan, Norwalk, Shelton, Stratford, Trumbull, Weston, Westport, and Wilton.

    Click here for more resources.

  • Kittens rescued from the streets (or friendly adult cats) who are young enough to be socialized will be placed into our robust foster program and go through our adoption program. Once they reach 12 weeks of age and have been to the vet to be spayed, neutered, vaccinated, tested and microchipped, they will be listed on Petfinder as an adoptable cat.

    Adult cats rescued from the streets who are feral in nature will be spayed/neutered and vaccinated. After a brief recovery period, they will return to their colonies and outdoor homes to continue to be cared for by their caretakers.

Support TAILS

  • Yes, we do!

    Check out our Amazon and Chewy wishlists.

    We sell new or gently used items on Poshmark to raise additional funds.

    We accept the following donations: clothes, jewelry, footwear, handbags, electronics, accessories, gift cards, and pet items. If you’re interested in donating, please contact us.

    Thank you for your support!

  • Follow and engage with us on social! — Find us on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn (@TAILSSpayNeuter). Like and re-share! 

    Leave us a review on Facebook or Google.

    Volunteer with us!

    Subscribe to our mailing list.

    Check out our items for sale on Poshmark.

    Take a look at our Amazon and Chewy wishlists.

    Know someone looking for a cat in southwestern CT? — We would love to hear from them! Whether they’re looking for an adept barn cat or a cuddly companion, we have a cat for everyone. Send them a link to our foster or adoption application!

    Speak up for the cats (and people!) in your community. — Animals need us to be their voice and advocate. If you see a cat in trouble, or if you notice a cat colony getting out of hand, say something. Do something. Get involved with TNR to rescue cats in your neighborhood. Let a friend, family member, or neighbor know about our spay-and-neuter assistance program. YOU are the solution — and the smallest acts of kindness can mean a world of difference to an animal whose life you just saved.  

  • For all other inquiries not listed here, please visit our contact us page.

Make a donation

We rely upon donations – both financial and of goods and services – from individuals and businesses to support our spay/neuter initiatives, and can credit the generosity of our community members for the success of our programs.

Donate Now