The Humane Society of Utah CATNIP Program is for community cats only.

Community cats are unowned, free-roaming outdoor cats and kittens who may be feral or social with people and may or may not have a human caregiver. This is a community-supported program to help reduce the homeless cat population funded by the Bissell Pet Foundation.
bissell pet foundation logo

If you are interested in spay/neuter surgery for your pet cat, please call our Murray Clinic at 801-261-2919 ext. 230 to make an appointment. Spay/Neuter surgeries are done by appointment only Monday through Saturday. 

If you’d like to spay your pet cat and get help rehoming her kittens, please complete an application for our Last Litter Program. 
 

Please be sure to read all instructions before booking an appointment.

  • The cat must weigh at least 2 lbs to be sterilized.
  • You must make an appointment for each cat you intend to bring in for surgery. 
  • Payment must be made at the time the appointment is scheduled. 
  • The cost is $25, which includes spay/neuter surgery, rabies, and feline distemper vaccinations. 
  • You will receive a confirmation email after booking that will allow you to cancel or reschedule up to one hour before your appointment. We are unable to process refunds for any missed appointments. 
  • Cats must be in a humane cat trap when they arrive for their appointment. We will not admit any community cat for surgery if it is not in a trap. Carriers, crates, and kennels are not acceptable. We are unable to process refunds, so please make sure to follow this important rule. 
  • When setting the trap, make sure to line it with newspaper and/or a towel before placing any food inside. Make sure to keep the cat’s safety in mind when selecting a location for the trap. Do not place under vehicles, on uneven ground or in reach of sprinklers, etc. A towel or blanket should be draped over the trap to create a comfortable environment and shelter the cat from the elements as much as possible. (Tarps also work well). Keeping the trap covered during transport and check-in will also help keep the cat calm during the process.  
  • Do not attempt to open the trap or touch the cat inside. If the cat were to bite anyone, we would not be able to accept it for surgery for at least ten (10) days. 
  • For your appointment, make sure to print and complete this Cage Card and Surgery Release and bring them with you at check-in. Links to these forms will also be sent to you in your appointment confirmation email.
  • Surgery appointment check-in is between 7:30–8:30 a.m. Please arrive as close to your appointment time as possible and notify us if you will be late.   
  • All cats brought in through the CATNIP program will have their ears tipped. While under anesthesia, a small notch will be surgically removed from the cat’s left ear. Ear-tipping is a universally accepted method to signify that a community cat has already been spayed or neutered. Ear-tips are readily visible from a distance and will prevent other animal advocates from attempting to trap them again. This procedure is not optional.  
  • The cat must be picked up between 3:00–4:00 p.m. Make sure to keep the cat in the trap in a safe, warm place overnight. The cat may be released from the trap the following morning after the effects of the anesthesia have worn off. 

Book An Appointment

Print, complete, and bring the Cage Card and Community Cat Surgery Release Form with you to your appointment.

The Humane Society of Utah is excited to offer a rental program for humane cat traps to help with community or feral cat TNR. If you are interested in renting a humane trap, please read the information below, then come visit the clinic’s check-in canopy during walk-in hours. Call our clinic with any questions at 801-261-2919 ext.230.

  • Traps are only available for the purpose of trapping community cats or feral cats prior to a scheduled spay/neuter appointment.
  • You will need to provide a photo ID and payment at the time of pick-up.
  • Traps can be rented for a deposit of $75 for up to 7 days. Your deposit will be returned to you if the trap is returned within the 7 day period in good working condition (able to open/close normally, trip plate can be set, and without structural damage).
  • When setting the trap, make sure to line it with newspaper and/or a towel before placing any food inside. Make sure to keep the cat’s safety in mind when selecting a location for the trap. Do not place under vehicles, on uneven ground or in reach of sprinklers, etc. A towel or blanket should be draped over the trap to create a comfortable environment and shelter the cat from the elements as much as possible. (Tarps also work well.) Keeping the trap covered during transport and check-in will also help keep the cat calm during the process.
  • Traps should only be open and set when able to be checked frequently, and not during extreme weather conditions.

Here’s a video with basics about how to use the traps from Alley Cat Allies.