A Murfreesboro neighborhood is reeling after a mother cat was found dead inside a humane trap set by a county animal-services crew in a drainage ditch ahead of storms, while her kittens were discovered alive but stuck in a nearby utility box. Neighbors pulled the kittens to safety. Photos shared by a local resident show the adult cat upside down in a metal cage, with water pooled beneath it, and the scene has residents and rescue groups demanding answers and tougher rules on where traps can be placed.
What Happened
According to neighbors, the situation started when a Murfreesboro resident spotted a mother cat and her kittens near the Dollar General on Broad Street and posted in a public lost-and-found pets Facebook group. Rutherford County Pet Adoption & Welfare Services (PAWS) came out and set a humane trap. The resident later told reporters she went to check that trap after Monday night’s storms and found the mother cat dead, while the kittens were trapped in what appeared to be an electrical box. The kittens survived and were pulled out, as reported by WSMV. The choice of location, a low-lying drainage ditch with standing water, is at the center of much of the community outrage.
Local Rescues Demand Answers
Rutherford County Cat Rescue, an independent Murfreesboro nonprofit that focuses on trap-neuter-return (TNR) and rehoming community cats, is pushing county leaders to dig into what went wrong and overhaul trapping procedures, according to its profile on Petfinder. The group and nearby residents say the county needs better site selection, clearer written protocols and more transparency so preventable deaths do not become “just another mistake.” Their calls come as shelters and nonprofits across Middle Tennessee report rising intakes and higher costs that are wearing down staff and volunteers, as reported by NewsChannel5.
County Shelter Responds
PAWS of Rutherford County acknowledged the incident on social media, saying it “regrets the unfortunate death of an injured feral cat” and confirming that an initial internal review found the situation “was not handled according to our department protocols.” The agency said it “will take appropriate disciplinary action” and added that it does not take the incident lightly, as reported by WSMV. Advocates, however, argue that an internal review is not enough and are calling for outside scrutiny and clear, public-facing rules so residents know what is supposed to happen when county crews deploy traps.
Trapping Practices and Safety
Trap-neuter-return is widely considered a humane way to manage outdoor cat populations, but experts say the details matter. Traps must be placed and monitored carefully to keep animals safe. Alley Cat Allies’ TNR guide, for instance, recommends setting traps on stable, shaded ground, checking them frequently, and steering clear of low-lying or flood-prone spots where water can collect. Those basic steps help reduce stress and the risk of injury. Local rescuers told neighbors that such precautions are especially critical during kitten season, when mother cats are nursing, more protective, and more vulnerable.
What Comes Next
Rescue groups and residents say they plan to follow the county’s review closely and continue pressing for concrete policy changes and public reporting on what investigators find. PAWS has stated it will take disciplinary action if staff fail to follow protocol. In the meantime, officials and rescuers are urging anyone who encounters an injured or nursing cat to contact Rutherford County PAWS or a local TNR group for help. The county’s animal-services page lists contact information and lost-and-found resources at PAWS Rutherford County.
