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Grove Community Cat Coalition

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TNR for the community cats of Mountain Grove, MO.

11/01/2026

🎃🐈‍⬛ **STORY TIME: Why Are Black Cats Associated With Halloween?** 🖤👻

Have you ever wondered how black cats became one of the most recognizable symbols of Halloween? The story goes back hundreds of years!

🕯️ **It started with superstition.** In medieval Europe, black cats became associated with witchcraft and dark magic. Their nighttime habits, glowing eyes, and ability to move silently in the dark made them mysterious to people who already feared the unknown.

🧙‍♀️ **Then came the witches!** By the Middle Ages, some people believed witches could transform into black cats or that black cats were their supernatural companions. These beliefs became especially widespread during the witchcraft persecutions of the 1500s and 1600s. Of course, these were superstitions, not facts!

🍂 **How did Halloween get involved?** Halloween has roots in the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, celebrated at the end of the harvest season as winter approached. People believed this was a time when the boundary between the living and the spirit world grew thinner. Over centuries, Halloween traditions blended with folklore about witches, spirits, and mysterious creatures. Black cats eventually became a familiar part of the spooky imagery associated with the holiday.

🎃 By the 19th and 20th centuries, black cats were appearing more and more in Halloween illustrations, decorations, greeting cards, and stories about witches. Their dark coats made them the perfect symbol for a holiday built around all things mysterious!

🖤 **BUT LET'S LOOK AT THIS LITTLE FACE!** 🖤

Seriously, if this is what spooky looks like, I think we can handle it! 😂 Look at those big eyes, those tiny whiskers, and that sweet little face!

This little kitten is a reminder that black cats aren't mysterious little creatures of bad luck. They're just cats who deserve the same love, safety, and care as every other kitty. 🐾

Sadly, old superstitions have sometimes followed black cats into modern times. So this Halloween, let's leave the myths in the past and celebrate these beautiful little souls for what they really are!

🖤 **No curses. No bad luck. Just a whole lot of purr-sonality!** 🖤

🎃 Wishing everyone a safe, happy, and SPOOKTACULAR Halloween! 👻

And remember… the scariest thing about this little black kitten is how quickly they'll steal your heart! 🐈‍⬛❤️

10/15/2026

🐾 13 cats TNR’d today! ❤️

Nine of those 13 cats were kittens from just ONE litter, including 3 females!

Just imagine how quickly the population could grow if those girls weren’t spayed. 😿 This is why TNR (Trap-Neuter-Return) is SO important! Every cat we fix helps prevent unwanted litters, reduces suffering, and gives our community cats a better chance at a healthier life, not to mention the benefits it has for the people in our community as well.

Every spay matters. Every neuter matters. Every single cat counts! 🐱💕

Help us break the cycle. Support TNR! 🐾

10/14/2026

As it turns out, all we needed to do to get some rain was schedule a TNR day!
Despite battling the weather, the cats are still coming to eat during the breaks in the rain. So far we have 13 kitties going to be fixed tomorrow!

10/06/2026

When practicing Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR), trapping a feral cat a second time solely to give a vaccine booster is often unrealistic. Because community cats are typically unhandled or semi-feral, their spay or neuter surgery day is frequently the first and last time they will ever be safely secured in a clinic.
Fortunately, giving even a single dose of core vaccines during a TNR procedure yields vital protection, making the effort worthwhile.

Significant Initial Protection

While standard veterinary protocols for pet cats rely on a series of boosters to build lifelong immunity, studies show that a single dose of modified-live vaccines (like the FVRCP shot for feline distemper and upper respiratory viruses) can provide a strong and surprisingly long-lasting immune response. For a cat facing constant outdoor exposure, one shot is vastly better than none, offering a substantial shield against severe illness.

Lifesaving Defense Against Core Diseases

A single-administration protocol typically covers two crucial fronts:
Rabies Vaccination: Even a single dose of the rabies vaccine can stimulate immunity that protects the animal for multiple years, serving as an essential firewall for both wildlife and human public health.
FVRCP (Feline Distemper and Upper Respiratory Complex): This protects against feline panleukopenia—a highly contagious, frequently fatal parvovirus—as well as viruses that cause debilitating respiratory infections. An adult cat with a single dose in its system has a much higher survival rate if exposed than an entirely naive cat.

Herd Immunity for the Colony

Vaccinating individual feral cats does more than protect just that single animal; it fortifies the entire colony. In community cat management, reaching a critical threshold of vaccinated members creates a protective barrier. When most cats carry baseline immunity, the rapid transmission cycle of dangerous pathogens is broken, significantly lowering the overall disease burden within the group.
Ultimately, missing boosters does not negate the value of a initial TNR shot. Seizing that single window of opportunity during spay-neuter surgery gives outdoor cats a fighting chance at a healthier, safer life.

09/26/2026

Cute little member of the Ear Tip Club out and about, enjoying a cool morning. This guy was neutered as a kitten. He's doing great.

09/20/2026

We are incredibly grateful to announce that at our monthly meeting, we received a wonderfully generous donation from Sew It’s Wednesday, who raised funds by raffling off a beautiful handmade quilt to support our Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) initiatives.
We are deeply fortunate to have such steadfast community partners who champion the well-being of our community cats and understand the lasting positive impact of TNR.

A sincere thank you goes out to everyone at Sew It’s Wednesday whose hard work and dedication made this fundraiser possible. These funds will be directly allocated toward purchasing some new humane traps and essential supplies, enabling us to continue moving forward and work toward our goals.

09/13/2026

Ever wonder why some community cats have a straight cut off the top of their ear? 🤔 We still get lots of questions and pushback on this topic.

That little "ear tip" isn't for nothing—it's actually a badge of honor! It's the universal, internationally recognized symbol that an outdoor cat has been spayed or neutered, usually through a Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) program, but it is getting more common for barn cats and pets that are allowed outdoors as well.

Here is why it is so important:
🐈Prevents Double Trapping: It lets caretakers, individuals and animal control instantly spot a fixed cat from a distance, saving them from the stress of being trapped a second time, and protecting the resources and valuable time of those doing their best to ensure these cats are sterilized.
💉No Unnecessary Surgeries: It completely eliminates the risk of a cat going through a duplicate surgery if they are ever caught again.
🫟Better Than Tattoos: Unlike ink tattoos that can fade or get hidden by thick fur, an ear tip is a permanent, weatherproof marker that can be seen from yards away. No needing to stress the cat out trapping again either.

Done safely by a vet while the cat is already under anesthesia, that tiny snip heals fast, doesn't hurt their hearing, and protects outdoor cats so they can live safe, stable lives in their colonies. 🐾❤️

09/03/2026

🧡 Why Neutering Male Cats Matters: Protecting Our Neighborhood Tomcats 🧡

When most people think of Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR), the main focus is often on preventing litters of kittens. While spaying females is crucial to controlling the population, neutering intact male feral cats is just as essential for their personal health, safety, and overall welfare.

The orange tomcat pictured here shows the heavy toll of living life as an unneutered feral male—covered in battle scars, exhausted, and dealing with a severe, painful case of ear mites. His story is far too common, but TNR changes everything for cats like him.

🐱The Hidden Toll on Intact Males:

Life as an unneutered tomcat is constant, high-stress survival. Driven by testosterone, these males endure a demanding lifestyle:

🥊Severe Fighting & Injuries: Intact males fight fiercely over territory and females. These battles lead to deep bite wounds, painful abscesses, torn ears, and permanent scarring.

🦠Disease Transmission: Deep bite wounds are the primary path for spreading feline viruses like FIV (Feline Immunodeficiency Virus). Fighting dramatically increases their risk of contracting incurable infections.

🪱Untreated Parasites & Health Decline: High stress levels and constant roaming weaken their immune systems, leaving them susceptible to severe infestations like ear mites, mange, and internal parasites. Left untreated, ear mites cause intense itching, ear flap swelling from scratching, and secondary infections.

🛣️Roaming Hazards: Unneutered males travel miles outside their territory searching for mates, exposing them to traffic accidents, predator attacks, and getting lost or trapped.

🐈How TNR Changes Their Lives:

When we trap, neuter, and return a male cat through The Grove Community Cat Coalition, his entire quality of life transforms:

💥Drastic Reduction in Aggression: Once testosterone levels drop, the urge to fight decreases by up to 80-90%. Instead of battling other neighborhood cats, neutered males live peacefully alongside colony mates.

💥Smaller Territory & Safer Living: Neutered tomcats stop roaming dangerous distances. They stay closer to established food sources, shelter, and caretaker setups, drastically reducing their risk of vehicle strikes.

💥Better Overall Health & Lifespan: Without the bodily strain of constant fighting, roaming, and stress, neutered males put on healthy weight, maintain full coats, and live significantly longer, comfortable lives outdoors.

💥Nuisance Behavior Stops: Neutering eliminates or greatly reduces territorial spraying, loud nocturnal caterwauling, and aggressive behavior, making them much quieter, cleaner community members.

Help Us Help the Tough Guys ❤️

It takes a community to give these hard-working tomcats a second chance at a peaceful life. Every male cat trapped and neutered means one less fighter in the alleys, one less carrier of parasites, and a happier, healthier neighborhood animal.

🐾 Have feral or stray cats in your area? Reach out to The Grove Community Cat Coalition to learn more about how we can help YOU.

[email protected]

grovecats.org

08/31/2026

TNR. The humane approach to cat overpopulation.

08/29/2026

Meet Callie!

Callie's TNR was sponsored by Lori Proe.

This gorgeous 5-6 month old dilute calico who just got a fresh start thanks to TNR!

Mostly white with soft pastel patches, she is absolute perfection—inside and out. Unlike many feral neighborhood cats, this sweet girl is completely trusting. She loves being handled and soaking in all the love and pets from the neighborhood kids who adore her.

Her sweet nature with humans doesn't mean she's a push-over, though! She made it very clear to the rest of the cats that her meals were off-limits, letting out fierce little growls while eating to keep everyone else away from her dish, even if they were in their own traps, she was NOT taking any chances.

We trapped her just in the nick of time. She was actively in heat and would have been having her very first litter of kittens in just a few short weeks. Thanks to TNR, her kitten-making days are officially over before they could even start! She can now enjoy a healthy, stress-free life without the burden of raising endless litters.

Thank you Lori, from Callie and all of us at GCCC!

Address

Mountain Grove, MO
65711

Opening Hours

Monday	9am - 5pm
Tuesday	9am - 5pm
Wednesday	9am - 5pm
Thursday	9am - 5pm
Friday	9am - 5pm

Telephone

+14172599180

Website

https://grovecats.org/

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