Every year, thousands of feral cats are euthanized in Utah, and this year, experts say they are seeing a dramatic spike in those numbers.

Holly Sizemore, spokeswoman for No More Homeless Pets in Utah, says 26,000 cats were euthanized in Utah last year, up from an average of 6,000 in previous years.

With Friday, Oct. 16, being "National Feral Cat Day," Sizemore's organization is sponsoring an event called "Trap-Neuter-Return" (TNR), to combat the problem.

TNR is a comprehensive management plan whereby entire colonies of cats are humanely trapped, evaluated, neutered by veterinarians, marked and returned to their colonies, where they live out their lives under the watch of volunteer caregivers.

"The old way is not working," Sizemore said of the traditional way of simply killing feral cats, stressing that the trap-and-return policy reduces feral-cat numbers.

The new program will be spotlighted at Salt Lake County Animal Services, 511 W. 3900 South, Friday, from 2-7 p.m. in an open house.

"Sadly, twice as many cats are euthanized as dogs in Utah's animal shelters every year, and a large number of those are un-owned, stray or feral cats," Sizemore said. Sizemore said some of the feral cats they're seeing are abandoned pets that have become wary of humans as they attempt to survive. Some are born wild, a product of domestic cats allowed to roam unfixed.

She said Salt Lake City, unincorporated Salt Lake County and West Valley City favor the TRN strategy. Now, Murray is looking at it, too, though some places, like Davis County, have shown no interest in it.

No More Homeless Pets in Utah has developed the Feral Fix program, designed to help communities, caregivers and cats. The statewide program, identified by its mascots "Darryl and Cheryl," sterile feral cats, provides the TNR tools to caregivers.

"We make TNR easy and affordable," said Daye Abbott, program director for the Feral Fix Program.

The Feral Fix has set up Trap Trading Posts across the state. At these Trap Trading Posts, caregivers can borrow humane traps, learn cat-trapping skills, learn how to make sure neighbors are not bothered by the cats they care for, get spay/neuter vouchers and receive mentoring from TNR experts.

In order to qualify for spay or neuter vouchers, the cat must be truly feral or an "un-owned and free roaming" stray.

The feral cat must be brought to a participating veterinarian in a humane cat trap, and the caregiver must agree to have the cat's ear tipped. Ear tipping, or the removal of a tiny tip of one ear while under anesthesia, is the international symbol of an altered feral cat.

Some animal-ordinance restrictions may apply in certain areas of the state.

The mission of No More Homeless Pets in Utah is to end the euthanasia of homeless dogs and cats statewide and provide humane alternatives for feral cats. Since the project began in 2000, there has been a nearly 40 percent decrease in statewide euthanasia. More information is available at www.utahpets.org or by calling 1-866-UTAH-PETS.

e-mail: lynn@desnews.com