On April 20th, 2024, the CAF will sponsor a Tag/Neuter/Release event to help control the population of outdoor cats in our area. You can be a part of the effort to help cats live longer, healthier lives! You can help a cat by sponsoring a cat for $50! Donate directly on our website.

The number of feral, abandoned cats in the United States is estimated to be between 30 and 80 million. As the number of feral cats continues to increase, land managers, public health officials, and private citizens are voicing concerns about how to address the nuisance and public health impacts, as well as animal welfare concerns, that feral cats create. Trap-Neuter-Release, or “TNR,” is a humane method of managing feral and stray cats and reducing their numbers. Feral cats, who typically live together in a group called a colony, are trapped and brought to a veterinary clinic where they can be spayed or neutered, vaccinated for rabies where appropriate, and eartipped. After they’ve recovered from their surgeries, the cats are returned back to their original territory where a caretaker provides regular food and shelter. When foster or permanent homes are available, young kittens and friendly adults are removed and placed for adoption.

Because the cats can no longer reproduce, the colony has the potential to decline in size over time. Spaying and neutering also greatly reduce nuisance behaviors that put cats in harm’s way. Altered cats are less likely to fight or yowl in association with mating behaviors. The foul odor caused by unaltered males spraying to mark territory is eliminated and the cats, no longer driven to mate, roam much less and become less visible. The cats themselves are healthier and less likely to spread feline diseases. While the most effective solution to the current cat epidemic is to place or euthanize feral and stray cats, TNR programs allow us to make a dent in the problem without killing cats.

The Companion Animal Fund was able to fund the spaying of the 10,000th cat for the Voices For Animals organization on April 15th, 2013 at Old Dominion Animal Hospital. Since that time, the CAF has raised thousands of dollars to help shelters and rescue organizations keep animals in our community healthy and find permanent homes. Through events, donations, and community outreach, the CAF continues to serve the animals in our area and improve their lives.