
09/28/2025
The Community Cat Initiative (CCI) is a program that works with individuals to spay and neuter community cats in Columbus on a regular basis in an effort to help our feral friends and slow the overpopulation. This program is only for cats you are intending to return to the community, not for pet cats. If you are looking for services for adoptable pet cats, please contact our Animal Support Center.
If you or someone you know is caring for community cats, spread the word! If you do not see any appointments available, please check back next week when additional appointments become available.
“Community cat” is an umbrella term that refers to any member of the feline species who is unowned and lives outdoors. Both feral and stray cats are community cats. Feral, stray, and pet cats are all members of the same species; they are all domestic cats. But stray cats and feral cats are also different from each other in a very important way—in their relationship to and interactions with people. Community cats are unsocialized and tend to be fearful of people. Community cats are most often found living outdoors in colonies. The cats in a colony share a common food source and territory and may include not only feral, but also stray cats. Most feral colonies originate from unneutered stray cats.
What is Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR)
Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) is the humane approach to addressing community cat populations. It saves cats’ lives and is effective in reducing overpopulation. TNR improves the lives of cats, addresses community concerns, reduces complaints about cats, and stops the breeding cycle. TNR improves the co-existence between outdoor cats and humans in our shared environment. TNR programming is crucial to improving the lives of cats and people in our community.
More info and scheduling: columbushumane.org/cci