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IMPROVING THE LIVES OF COMMUNITY CATS IN MADISON, CULPEPER, and GREENE COUNTIES SINCE 2018
Our Story:
5,227 and counting....
Since 2018, MAD Cats has been operating a successful, comprehensive program to reduce feline overpopulation, surrender to shelters, and euthanization of healthy cats.
Our first years were focused on Trap/Neuter/Return. We saw this humane approach to be the most effective program we could operate to achieve our goals. From 219 cats SN our first full year to more than 1200 in 2024, our program continued to grow. Almost immediately we started taking kittens from our TNR sites - creating a home-based foster program. Focusing on kittens under 8 weeks, we were able to provide care, vaccinations and routine treatment, socializing and lots of love until they reached 2# and could be spayed/neutered. We had a small but successful adoption program.
In 2022, we started a new program offering SN for domestic cats. While we had always included domestic cats in our TNR program, we hadn't really understood the critical role they played in the numbers of free-roaming cats in our communities. We scheduled 20 domestic cats/kittens per month. We created a coordinator position to pull it all together, 20 cats/kittens and multiple owners. What could go wrong? We learned to leave nothing to interpretation after having cats arrive in home-made chicken coops, dog crates, laundry baskets- boxes with holes poked in them. Currently we have owners send our coordinator a photo of the carrier - no, a photo of a carrier on Amazon, will not do. You have no idea...
In July 2024, we suddenly had a huge up tick in requests for domestic SN - more than 30 requests in one month. It coincided with a campaign on social media and community outreach. By December 2024, our waiting list was into May. To alleviate the long wait time - we SN 60 community cats in January 2025.
Further study of the effects of TNR and Domestic SN on shelter intake and euthanasia and the Cat Pyramid published by Community cats, Stacy LeBaron - MAD Cats has a new focus on SN of Domestic Cats as our primary program, with TNR as a secondary program. We will be sorting that out this Spring - January thru March are critical months to prevent spring litters of kittens. We focus on female cats - before they become pregnant - whether domestic or free-roaming.
A Symbol of Care:
Community cats with clipped ears have been spayed/neuter.
Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) saves lives.
Individuals who are feeding and sheltering cats on limited incomes contact MAD Cats for assistance. These "Colony Caretakers" typically have between 5 – 25 cats. Often they will buy food for the cats, before food for themselves. While we are happy to accept donations, we do provide the program for free. In addition, cat owners, who cannot afford to pay the cost of S/N through their local vet, may also apply to our program.
Almost every weekend, our volunteer trappers set multiple traps at a scheduled location. They attend those traps for however long it takes; traps need to be monitored and are never left unattended overnight. The cats are held overnight in the traps and then transported to the veterinarian the next day. Volunteers retrieve the “fixed” cats in the afternoon and they are again held overnight for recovery. After a light breakfast, they are returned to their owners/caretakers.
In 2023, we spayed/neutered and vaccinated 1,265 cats and have made big strides from 2019 –our first full year–when our total was 232. After several years of rapid expansion, we are fast approaching the physical limits of clinical appointment availability, transport capacity, and available volunteer trappers.
We are always looking for new volunteers! Contact us to be part of our MAD Cats family.
