During spay/neuter surgery, our vet will remove the tip of the cat’s ear. Ear-tipping is extremely safe and is performed while the cat is already anesthetized for spay or neuter surgery. There is little or no bleeding involved, and it is not painful to the cat. The ear heals up quickly and the tipped ear doesn’t detract one bit from the appearance or beauty of the cat.
Ear-tipping allows trappers to tell from a distance whether or not a community cat has been spayed or neutered. That tipped ear saves the cat the stress of being trapped and anesthetized a second time. Ear-tipping can also help anyone who is feeding the cats keep track of them, and notice if a new cat has joined the colony.