Feral Cat Friends

10/14/2026

A great upcoming workshop by one of founders of the TNR community.

Next month, on November 14, join the experts at Neighborhood Cats for “Colony Caretaking Tips & Tricks.” We’ll cover feeding, winter shelter, health hacks, using trail cameras, ways to keep cats out of neighbors’ yards, fighting off fleas, dealing with wildlife and other caretaking challenges.

Whether you’re new to community cat caretaking or a grizzled veteran, we guarantee you’ll walk away with some new ideas.

And the best part? This advanced webinar is free!

Register now to save your spot: https://communitycatscentral.thinkific.com/courses/colony-caretaking-tips-tricks-November-2026

10/12/2026

Our organization name was chosen over twenty years ago. The thinking on the word “feral” has evolved. And yes, we agree with, “The term “community” also implies we, as a society, have a collective responsibility for their management and care.”

When it comes to TNR, a common term used these days to describe the cats is “community cats.” What exactly does that mean?

In the past, cats living outdoors were commonly called “ferals.” But now we understand many outdoor cats are sociable, not feral. These friendly cats may be lost or abandoned former pets, or simply have a gregarious nature. Plus some cats may act friendly sometimes (especially right before a meal!) and more fearful at others.

The label “community cats” evolved to avoid drawing distinctions between different types of unowned, free-roaming cats. They may be feral, friendly or anything in between. The term “community” also implies we, as a society, have a collective responsibility for their management and care.

Sign up for our email list to learn more: https://www.neighborhoodcats.org/newsletter

10/09/2026

We were sad to learn this week Kari has left Pets Alive. She was so helpful to FCF and the cats, including more than once staying out past midnight to help trap cats that had escaped from clients traps, etc. Thank you, Kari, you will be missed.

10/05/2026

Important news 🎉 This is an important step in securing the health and safety of pets and humans. And a great bargain!

09/30/2026

🐾 Bloomingfoods Co-op members, we need your vote! 🐾

Feral Cat Friends is on the ballot to be a 2027 Bloomingfoods Positive Change recipient, and we'd be so grateful for your support.

💛 What is Positive Change?
When you check out at Bloomingfoods, you can round up your purchase to the nearest dollar. Each month, all of that spare change goes to one local nonprofit.

• Running since 2016
• Over $1.18 million raised for local nonprofits
• 12 organizations supported each year, one per month
• Recipients are chosen by owner-member vote

🐱 Why Feral Cat Friends?
Since 2003, we've been helping Bloomington's community cats through Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR). Our work helped bring feral cat euthanasia at the local shelter from about 600 cats a year down to zero. A month of round-ups would help us keep trapping, fixing and caring for cats who have no one else.

🗳️ How to vote
✔ Must be an active Bloomingfoods owner-member
✔ Voting is open now through Friday, October 16 at 11:59pm
✔ Vote online here: https://bloomingfoods.coop/2026-election

It only takes a minute, and every vote helps. Please share with your fellow co-op members! 💛

09/29/2026

Are you a member of Bloomingfoods Co-op? If so, please vote for FCF to be this year’s Positive Change recipient. (Scroll down one in the website.)

Owner-Members, Bloomingfoods' Annual Election is underway & we need your vote! Let your voice be heard and cast your vote for three new board members and 2026 Positive Change recipients!

09/25/2026

Return to Field is a critical part of successfully reducing the feral/stray cat populations. Animal Control departments are key to the success, but anyone interested in helping cats is encouraged to join this workshop and learn more.

Led by the team at Neighborhood Cats, this workshop explores how Return-to-Field (RTF) programs are transforming outcomes for community cats in shelters. Once considered unadoptable, healthy free-roaming cats are now increasingly being sterilized, vaccinated, eartipped, and returned to their origina...

09/21/2026

Just a feel good for your Monday evening, because we all likely need some heart warming news.

09/20/2026

This also applies to those involved with TNR groups, who likely can’t drop everything and “take a cat,” or fit in a cat to an already full surgery schedule, or whatever the immediate request might be.

PLEASE, Trap With A PLAN!!

You heard about a sad situation, a pregnant community cat, an injured kitty…….so, you ran right out and trapped it. Now what???? You call the clinic and no appointments are available for at least two weeks. And you don’t have any place to hold it.

Unfortunately this happens almost every day, sometimes more than once, at every clinic and to everyone scheduling spay/neuter appointments for the clinics. Sadly, there just aren’t enough resources to meet the need and often clinics are scheduled two or more weeks out. And the cats already scheduled are pregnant, injured, from sad situations, or have been waiting for up to a month for an appointment.

You really push the scheduler…..you are desperate to get an appointment for your cat. You have nowhere to hold it and you’ll just need to take it back if you can’t get in. But often there is nothing the person scheduling appointments can do – the clinic is full and there just isn’t an option. But now he/she has a picture of your cat, your sad situation, in his/her head. Nothing can be done, but knowing about this situation has added even more stress to an already difficult job.

Please understand that people working with spay/neuter clinics, whether they are paid staff or volunteers, are doing this because they love the cats and want to make their lives better. When the answer has to be no it’s not personal, it’s the reality of not having enough resources to meet all of the needs.

When dealing with these situations PLEASE, identify your resources before you trap the cat, or have a plan to hold the cat for several days or even a couple of weeks. Be kind to the people working with the clinics…..they are doing everything they can and sadly they are dealing with situations like yours many times during any given week. Compassion fatigue is real.