Why some stray cats in the UAE have a clipped ear

If you have ever spotted a stray cat with a small notch cut from its ear, it is not an injury. According to Khaleej Times, it is a deliberate mark, and it means the animal has already been looked after.

If you have ever spotted a stray cat with a small notch cut from its ear, it is not an injury. According to Khaleej Times, it is a deliberate mark, and it means the animal has already been looked after.

According to Khaleej Times, the clip identifies cats that have completed a trap-neuter-vaccinate-return programme, known as TNVR. Volunteers and animal control staff can identify these cats at a glance, The National notes, without needing to catch them again.

How the TNVR programme works

In Abu Dhabi, the Department of Municipalities and Transport runs the programme. Stray cats are trapped, sterilised, vaccinated, microchipped, and dewormed. A small clip is then made to the left ear before the cat is returned to the community where it was found.

The procedure is carried out under anaesthesia. The clip itself does not cause the cat ongoing pain. It heals quickly and leaves a permanent visible marker that the animal is already in the system.

TNVR is the internationally recognised standard for managing urban stray cat populations. Earlier culling programmes were found to be ineffective: removing cats from an area simply created space for new animals to move in. Sterilisation and return stabilises colonies over time and reduces the overall population more reliably, without repeated removal.

Without the ear clip, the same cat could be trapped and processed multiple times, wasting resources and causing unnecessary stress to the animal. A quick visual check is all it takes to confirm the cat has already been through the programme.

Residents who spot a community cat without a clipped ear that appears to need the programme can report it to the Abu Dhabi Government Contact Centre at 800-555.

Pet registration rules in Abu Dhabi

Abu Dhabi has made pet registration mandatory under its animal ownership rules. Registration is free and can be completed at any licensed veterinary clinic through the TAMM platform.

Pet owners whose microchipped animals are not registered after the deadline face a fine of 1,000 dirhams. Failing to renew an existing registration carries a Dh500 fine.

If your pet is already microchipped, the registration process is straightforward. A visit to the nearest licensed clinic and a TAMM account are all you need. The TAMM platform lists licensed clinics by area.

Dubai's AI-powered feeding stations

Dubai takes a different approach to stray animal welfare. Dubai Municipality has launched what it calls Ehsan Stations — AI-powered devices that identify stray animals, collect data, and dispense food automatically.

The first phase covers 12 stations across the city: 10 in public parks and two inside facilities operated by Dubai Holding. Dubai Municipality says the project is designed to make feeding strays more organised and sustainable, replacing ad hoc feeding by individual residents with a managed, data-driven system.

The stations are described as a first of their kind in the region.

Practical takeaway

If you feed community cats in your neighbourhood, check for a clipped ear before reporting an animal. A notch on the left ear means the cat is already registered in the TNVR system and does not need to be trapped again.

If you see a cat that looks unwell, injured, or has no ear clip and appears to be a new arrival in the area, that is worth reporting. In Abu Dhabi, the 800-555 contact centre handles those calls.

For pet owners in Abu Dhabi, the mandatory registration rule is worth acting on. The fine for missing the deadline is 1,000 dirhams, and the registration itself costs nothing. One clinic visit is all it takes.

Across both emirates, the approach has shifted from removal toward longer-term, humane management, according to Khaleej Times. The strategy keeps animals in their communities while controlling numbers over time. The National has reported on the TNVR model that underpins this shift.

💬 Do you look after community cats in your neighbourhood, or have you spotted one of Dubai's Ehsan Stations in a local park?