Navasota council reviews trap-neuter-vaccinate-return program for feral cats

Chief Mize, Chief of Police, presented a proposed TNVR (trap-neuter-vaccinate-return) program at a special Navasota City Council workshop, saying the plan would trap feral cats, transport them to Best Friends in Houston for spay/neuter and vaccination, then return them to the area where they were captured.

The program as described would have Best Friends perform surgeries and vaccinations at no charge to the city; the city’s cost would be staff time to trap animals, transport them to Houston, supervise the procedures, and drive them back. Mize said cats that are already microchipped or wearing tags would be returned to owners rather than treated as feral.

The proposal aims to reduce feral-cat reproduction and lower the risk of bites by ensuring vaccinated animals. Mize said participating cities document trap locations and release cats in the same general area; cats that are sterilized are marked by an ear clip so officers and residents can identify them as fixed and vaccinated. Mize described the ear notch as a routine identifier and noted local examples of clipped-ear cats already in town.

Councilmembers and…