An ear-tip is the universally recognized symbol of a cat that has been spayed/neutered and vaccinated as part of a trap-neuter-vaccinate-return (TNVR) program. It allows people to see at a glance that the cat has been fixed.
Cat ear-tipping involves surgically removing a small portion of the cat’s ear while the cat is under anesthesia for spay/neuter surgery. Ear-tipping is very safe. There is little to no bleeding involved and it is not painful. The ear heals quickly.
Ear-tipping allows people to see from a distance whether a cat is fixed or needs to be placed in a TNVR program. It also allows caretakers to see when a new cat has entered a colony of cats.
Not only is ear-tipping the universal sign of a cat that has been in a TNVR program, it is also a universal sign that someone lover and cared enough for the cat to get it fixed!
Community Cats United Inc.