Los Angeles Put Forward a New Program to Help Spay, and Neuter Stray Cats in the City

Free-roaming cats in Los Angeles will be spayed and neutered with the help of the city’s Department of Animal Services. Humane trapping, sterilization, and subsequent feral cats’ release into the wild will be made possible through the new Citywide Cat Program. The population of stray cats in Los Angeles is expected to decrease if the city’s intact breeding cats have fewer offspring.

In a recent interview, Annette Ramirez, interim general manager of LA Animal Services, noted that caring for free-roaming cats while striving to stabilize and reduce their numbers is one of the most challenging concerns facing animal shelters today. Studies have proven that TNR initiatives save lives and improve public health by reducing the population of free-roaming cats.

“Community cats” are not adoptable- Animal Services says

Shelters across the country take in millions of cats each year, many of which were born outside. Furthermore, stray cats are a detriment to the surrounding ecosystem, killing millions of birds, reptiles, and rodents annually. As a result of their upbringing on the streets, feral cats (also known as “community cats”) are not adoptable, according to Animal Services.

The new Citywide Cat Program will pay to have 20,000 outdoor cats spayed or neutered annually. That’s on top of the money the city’s already set aside for homeowners who meet certain requirements and wish to get their dogs spayed or neutered. The felines are captured humanely, taken to a vet for sterilization and vaccinations, and then released back into their natural habitat.

Anyone interested in joining the program must first apply and register online through the official website. You can also schedule an appointment at one of the partnering spay/neuter clinics to have the cat you catch sterilized, and relevant paperwork and instructions for properly trapping strays are available for download.

To aid with the program’s goal of decreasing the number of homeless cats in the area, you can donate.