Community Cat Coalition

06/01/2026

A really good outcome for Jill, her kittens, and Margie

Some rescue situations just stick with you in a good way.

Margie had a mama cat show up one day that she named Jill. Jill had kittens, and as those kittens grew, Margie started getting worried they’d soon be having kittens of their own. In the middle of all of that, Jill ended up having another litter.

She reached out for help and was connected with three CCC volunteers.

When we first met Margie, the connection was immediate. She was welcoming and kind, and it was clear right away how deeply she cares about her cats. She had litter boxes set up on her back porch, heated beds, cat trees, toys, good food, and even salmon oil. These community cats were very loved and very well cared for.

We trapped over the span of a week- holding everybody while we continued to trap to make sure we didn’t leave anyone behind. We trapped mama Jill and her husband, their newest litter, and their now-grown kittens. Every single female of age was in heat- so timing couldn’t have been better.

During the time we were holding the kitties as we continued to trap the 4mos old kittens began accepting pets. Pretty soon they were purring. They tamed so quickly!! A big part of that was how well they had already been cared for by Margie; their comfort with people made that transition happen quickly and easily. They all got amazing homes!

In the end, Jill, her husband, and their adult kittens were spayed/neutered, vaccinated, treated for parasites, and safely returned to Margie, where they’ll continue to be cared for.

It could have easily turned into a much bigger cycle, but instead it became a really solid outcome all around.

And honestly, we left this one feeling really grateful- not just because the cats are taken care of, but because we also got to meet Margie- we absolutely adore her. It’s one of those situations where everyone just showed up for the cats, and it all worked out.

05/27/2026

Taming Feral Kittens - Should You Let Kittens Socialize at their Own Pace?

Ben Franklin left something out here. "Nothing in this world is certain except death and taxes and KITTENS! " It is true. If you get involved in TNR, there WILL be kittens. And what do you do with them? If they are TNR'd with the adults, you have already greatly improved their quality of life. But most trappers end up socializing and adopting out the kittens. Altered cats can enjoy a good quality of life in a colony, but it is hard to beat life as a loved family cat in warm home.

Niko was one of these kittens. Born in a neighborhood over-run with feral cats and free roaming dogs, Niko walked in a trap baited with KFC chicken. Yum. At 8 weeks, he was young enough to be socialized but possibly old enough to harbor a lifetime suspicion of strangers. Kittens like Niko bond closely to their family, but some may not extend that love to strangers. Happily, Niko made fast progress. He played with interactive toys, allowed handling with little fuss and took food from his foster mom's hand, but he clearly preferred cats to humans.

How can foster homes improve the adoptability of kittens like Niko? Some influencers on social media promote letting them come around on their own. They don't recommend touching the kitten at all until the kitten comes to you to be handled. They recommend plenty of hiding spots so the kitten can feel safe and invisible. And some disagree with separating from littermates to hasten the process. Do we agree?

I would agree if the kitten was going to live with me forever. But this passive socialization mind set results in fewer kittens getting into homes. It takes longer and, in some cases, it can be many months longer. This results in fewer kittens being helped. Why?

1- Mixing kittens isn't recommended due to the risk of spreading illness. So, while a foster home is waiting for a kitten to move at his own pace, kittens trapped in later TNR projects will likely have to be returned to site.

2- If kittens aren't actively socialized, they could be in foster for many months. A scared kitten will always choose a dark hiding spot to being handled. Kittens who can avoid human contact indefinitely may not learn to bond with humans during those early critical weeks of life. And hiding can become a hard-to-break habit. Few people want to adopt a cat who chooses to live their life under a bed. Is it humane to allow a cat to live a life of hiding in fear?

3- Kittens with a wilder temperament may not be identified until it is too late to return them to their colonies. It is difficult to predict how quickly an individual kitten will socialize. We have all been surprised by half grown kittens that completely socialized and tiny one pound babies that remained fearful for life. It is important to return kittens to their colonies before the weather turns cold and before their colony mates forget who they are. We know of one "rescuer" who trapped a kitten in August and then returned it to his colony in December. He was immediately chased off by the resident cats who considered him an intruder. For me, the cut off is a maximum of 2 to 3 weeks.

While we don't believe in forcing kittens to socialize, we do think they need a little push. Socializing kittens is an act of kindness that gives the kittens a chance at an indoor home. And if it is done expediently, it will leave a vacancy for other kittens needing a foster home.

The 4 main steps to socialization are C.A.T.S.

-Containment: House the kittens in a small space like a cage or bathroom. If they are scared, its okay to let them chill for the first day or so to get used to their new environment. But after their terror has subsided, remove hiding spots so they get used to your presence. If you have a tall cat tree or can put a cage up high near eye level, they will feel less threatened.

-Acclimatization: Start off with quiet voices and slow movements. As they become less fearful, introduce normal movements and sounds. Keeping a radio or TV on can help. Introduce them to people and cat-friendly animals. Use toys and treats so they develop a positive association with humans. With older ferals, consider feeding canned food or treats ONLY while you are in their presence so they associate you with good stuff.

-Touch: Begin touch with toys or soft bedding and then progress to your hands. Short sessions spread throughout the day are best. Start with brief pettings while feeding wet food, chicken or squeeze treats. As they relax, you can briefly pick up. My first "pick ups" are usually just to place them in front of food. With small kittens, you can watch TV with them in a hoody sweatshirt pocket or inside a covered cat bed. They feel safe while they get used to your presence.

-Socialization: Introduce the kittens to new people. If they are accepting touch, encourage visitors to hold them while feeding treats or hand them a wand-style toy to engage the kitten in play.

Did Niko tame down and find a home? Yes! He learned to approach people for food and toys and to accept handling without complaint. He was adopted with a very social kitten who will help him to continue to gain confidence around humans.

More information on socialization can be found here: https://communitycatcoalitionwa.org/socialization/

05/26/2026

Temporary catios

Catios are fantastic for our indoor cats- probably the best innovation in the pet world in many years. But what about your foster cats?

When you rescue a cat and work to find her a home, it's always wonderful when it happens quickly. A week or two, the cat is neutered, vaccinated and lands in the perfect home. And kittens, even if they stay a little longer, are easy because you can confine them to a relatively small space and have them be very happy. But what about those long-term fosters? Even if you have them in a room with plenty of space to move around, are you providing enough stimulation for them? Few of us have hours to spend in a room with one cat, not when we are working to rescue more and take care of our own as well. How is that affecting the cat?

I know for me, it drives me crazy! I cannot stand to think of any creature stuck in a room with minimal stimulation, staring at the walls… and remember I'm talking about long-term fostering at this point. Because while it's not ideal, many of us end up with cats for weeks or months as we work to find them a home.

My answer has become creating some outdoor space for them, even if it's just a cage outside of a window where they can get out, sit outside of a room and smell the breeze watch the birds and bugs, maybe find a little patch of sun to enjoy. And right now, at the beginning of "kitten season", our adult fosters will probably have a little longer wait for that home.

Emma has been with me for a month, and we've progressed from a brief time in a cage -to time in a large bath/laundry room - to an attached cage on the outside of her window- and now to an 8 foot enclosure replacing that cage. A 5 foot baby gate initially separated her room from the main house, giving her time to see the resident cats (she hates cats) and now to an open baby gate so she can choose to explore the house if you choose. But 90% of her time is spent going in and out of her enclosure.

It's really not hard to put up a temporary enclosure – and the psychological benefit to that cat is huge. It probably can't work for people in apartments or in multi story homes – although there are premade window boxes that might work for many. But whenever possible I would encourage everyone to work to create a space like this for your fosters, it doesn't just make them happy – it will make you happy too😊 (and remember it doesn't really have to be pretty, it's just temporary😊)

05/25/2026

Please remember this when asking for help. Most groups and individuals who do TNR want to help but you need to be part of the process - we can mentor you, loan traps, help secure appointment for spay/neuter and sometimes help with trapping, transport or holding but we can't do it all.

“𝙄 𝙟𝙪𝙨𝙩 𝙙𝙤𝙣’𝙩 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙩𝙞𝙢𝙚.”
Honestly?
𝙉𝙚𝙞𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙙𝙤 𝙬𝙚.

Nobody doing TNR has extra time laying around.

😪The people trapping after work?
Tired.

😪The people setting alarms every 45 minutes to check traps?
Tired.

😪The people driving before sunrise to clinics?
Tired.

😪The people answering messages while cooking dinner, raising kids, working jobs, and barely holding their own life together?
Tired.

𝗡𝗼𝗯𝗼𝗱𝘆 𝗵𝗮𝘀 𝗺𝗮𝗴𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗳𝗿𝗲𝗲 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲.
People just decide something matters enough to make room for it anyway.

That’s the part we wish more people understood.
𝗘𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝘁𝗶𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗱 𝗰𝗮𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘀𝗲𝗲?
𝗦𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗯𝗼𝗱𝘆 𝗺𝗮𝗱𝗲 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲.

❗️Somebody rearranged their schedule.
❗️Lost sleep.
❗️Spent money.
❗️Sweated their ass off in the heat.
❗️Learned how to trap.
❗️Drove across counties.
❗️Was frustrated.
❗️Overwhelmed.
❗️Burnt out.
…𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗱𝗶𝗱𝗻’𝘁 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗲𝘅𝗰𝘂𝘀𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗱 𝘂𝗽.

Because once you truly SEE the problem, it becomes really hard to ignore it.

This work is not built on people with unlimited time, money, or energy.

It’s built on ordinary people deciding:
“Someone needs to do something… so I guess it’s gonna be me.”

And honestly?
That mindset is the only reason any of this works at all.

The people making a difference in this community are not super human.

They’re exhausted, ordinary people who decided these “unowned” cats still mattered anyway.

05/22/2026

Friday’s Cats

Gregg spent his life caring for homeless cats in Monroe, Washington. And when he wasn’t feeding or getting vet care for community cats, he was helping his senior neighbors. Living on limited funds, his apartment had just a bed, a TV and a few free items picked up by the road. But he took good care of his cats and helped his friends when they needed money for the laundry or help with the rent. Sadly, his last months were spent battling heart issues and lung cancer and a recent stroke took his life.

His friend Mary is helping to care for the cats, but she has to move them out of the apartment by June. Mary is a lifelong rescuer and has her own cats and several fosters at home, so she can’t take them. We are hoping someone on here can foster or adopt the 3 cats left. She believes they are between 5 and 8 years old and they all loved sleeping with Gregg and hanging out while he watched TV.

Here is what we know about them.

Picture 1: Rambo is a handsome classic tabby who is very cross eyed as you can see when you enlarge the picture. According to Gregg he has difficulty seeing. Up close is okay but distance is harder.

Picture 2 - Billy, red tabby, very vocal and loud. He is getting used to Mary and talks to her when she comes to feed him. He has the loudest meow she has ever heard. He will sit and look at he and follow her around when she comes.

Picture 3 - Ollie, gray tabby and white. Mary will take to the vet for checkup. She had him for a month when Gregg moved to this apt. He was very loving and would sleep with her. He likes chin, cheek and head scratches and be rubbed to the shoulders but not the back. Sadly he had some bad mats and has hair loss where they were removed. He is shy but with patience would be sweet again. I put a big carrier in the closet and he is now sleeping in it. He would be good as an only cat, however, he and Rambo are buddies since Rambo stays upstairs a lot with him. A BIG boy, Mary thinks is he is 18 - 20 lbs and she is worried about him finding a home.

If you are interested in fostering or adopting any of these cats or one of the fosters that Mary currently has at her house, please email her at [email protected]. The cats are in Snohomish County in Washington state.

05/20/2026

There is nothing new under the sun…

Last week I had an ancient fence torn down and hauled away. When the started the new fence, I had one request—it need to be cat-proof so my cats couldn’t squeeze under it. The bottom of the fence needed to be hugging the dirt.

This isn‘t a complaint about the fence building crew. They just don’t have cats! They proudly showed me their work and exclaimed that it was cat proof. As I looked at some gaps of 3 to 4 inches, I knew it was not. So I started to brainstorm solutions and made a list of materials to buy. And then I remembered what happened last time I “invented“ a solution. It already existed!

I‘m sharing this here because after I ordered them, they reminded me of trap forks. So, if you need a cheap trap divider for transferring feral cats or providing a barrier for when you change bedding or add food, this may be an inexpensive alternative. Just make sure the forks are longer than your trap’s width.

As you can see, they work perfectly securing the area next to the fence and it will help prevent cats and other critters from digging under. Of course most cats can easily get over the top of a fence, so most will also need a cat baffle or cover to keep them from climbing over. But for my senior cats who are only out there supervised, this will do.

Look up “animal barrier fence” to order online.

05/19/2026

From Spicy to Snuggly

Who would’ve guessed these babies were once hissy, spitty, tiny little jerks? 😅

When they first came in, they were not impressed with humans. We’re talking full routine:
hiss ✔️
spit ✔️
slap ✔️
tiny baby bites ✔️

They meant business.

These kittens weren’t raised with people- they didn’t know hands could be gentle, or that pets could feel good. All they knew was “you’re scary, stay back.”

But then… something really special starts to happen.

You can literally feel it.

They go from stiff and puffed up… to a little less tense.
Then they tolerate a touch.
Then they lean into it.

And suddenly- wait… was that a purr?!

Next thing you know, they’re rubbing all over you like they invented affection… and then climbing your legs like tiny chaos gremlins who forgot they ever had a problem with you in the first place.

This is why we do what we do.

Socializing feral kittens doesn’t just make them “nicer”- it completely changes their future. Instead of growing up outside facing hunger, illness, fighting, and continuing the cycle…

They get to be safe.
They get to be loved.
They get to just be kittens.

Mom and dad? Already fixed. ✔️
Babies? On track for indoor-only homes where they’ll never have to survive out there. ✔️

That’s the goal.

At the Community Cat Coalition, it’s not just about helping one cat- it’s about changing the outcome for entire families and preventing the next wave before it starts.

And honestly… there’s nothing better than watching a “spicy” kitten decide you’re their person.

Even if they still try to climb your leg like a tree 🌱😆

05/18/2026

What Role Do You Want To Play????

Are you interested in volunteering? Helping with the TNR process? But don’t want to do the actual trapping. There are lots of important pieces to the whole process of helping our community cats and there is a role for you.

Transporter – Trappers often need help transporting cats to the spay/neuter clinics. When you are doing a large site it often takes two or more vehicles to get the cats to the clinic. If you have an SUV or a pickup with a covered bed that might be a role for you.

Hold cats pre and post surgery – Caregivers often don’t have a safe place to hold cats in traps the night before surgery and for recovery the night after the surgery. A garage or secure outbuilding can be set up for this purpose. The cats are transported to your location the day of the trapping, picked up the next morning for transport to the clinic, and then returned after surgery for recovery.

Laundry – Something as simple as doing the laundry after a large site is TNR’d is extremely appreciated and is a huge help to the trappers

Foster – Holding a feral mom with her babies and socializing the kittens is huge! They’re set up in a large cage or in a small room in your house with a carrier, litter box and food. Once the kittens are weaned mom is spayed and returned to her home site and the kittens can be adopted in safe, comfortable indoor homes. Or, you can foster older feral kittens and socialize them for adoption. Seeing those scared feral babies turn around into loving playful kittens is so satistying!

Mentor – Are you an experienced trapper but no longer able or willing to do the hands on trapping? Mentors are needed for people new to trapping – to walk them through the process. Whether it’s a community cat caregiver wanting only to TNR their colony or someone new to trapping who wants to get involved in their community they need someone who can guide them. Seeing people successfully get a colony or a single stray trapped and altered is very rewarding.

Administrative – Are you an experienced grant writer? Knowledgeable about fund raising? Or want to learn those skills? Without funds rescue organizations cannot exist. What a great way to contribute to an organization.

There are many ways that you can contribute. If you’d like to learn more about any of those rolls please reach out. Organizations everywhere could use your support!

05/15/2026

Friday's Cat

Nanette is ready for a home! About 2 ½ years old, Nanette is very friendly and likes people. She is a confident, curious kitty. She is eartipped showing she was spayed, but she was never feral. Nanette is happy to rub against your leg when she meets you and doesn’t mind being picked up.

Nanette can be bossy around other cats, so she might prefer to be the only cat, so she can have all the attention for herself. She might be okay around a mellow male cat with a slow introduction process.

Nanette has never been around dogs but would do fine in a house with older children. She has lived indoors all her life and doesn’t know the dangers of being outside. She might be a door dasher and would need to be monitored so as not to escape outside.

Nanette has been spayed, up to date on vaccines, wormed, flea meds, tested negative for FIV and microchipped. If you are interested in adopting, email Kelly at [email protected]

05/14/2026

Saving Cats through neighborhood TNR

Facing the issues in TNR is like anything in life – if you look at the big picture it can be overwhelming. Looking at that big picture can stop people from taking action. And so the obvious solution is break it down – take it one step at a time, and in TNR that means one neighborhood at a time.

The goal when the Community Cat Coalition was formed was to teach people how to do TNR. In the beginning we held classes and taught people of the community how to do this, supporting them along the way. While we will still make classes available upon request, our focus has shifted to mentoring people individually as they come to us with their situations – "there are cats/kittens in my backyard, what do I do?"

The pictures in this post are of one neighborhood situation. This started with one person reaching out to help her neighbors with one mom cat and kittens at a site that turned out to have an additional six cats. 3 years later, the adoptable kittens are in homes and the spayed/neutered cats are in a well managed colony. The neighbor just up the road had 10 cats that were reproducing – they got done. And in a little different section of this neighborhood, in 1 early summer project, an entire cul-de-sac had a big TNR project where 50 cats and kittens were altered! Several of those were owned cats, but the majority were free roaming cats. And in the process of all these cats throughout this local neighborhood getting done, not only did the cats get altered and vaccinated, the humans learned these cats belong to all of us. They learned not to wait until there were 20 or 30 cats before they took action. They learned how to do TNR, they learned about the resources available to them, and they saw the benefits immediately as the nuisance behaviors decreased and no more kittens were popping out.

Every person you teach about TNR as you work to help them with their own particular situation now becomes a resource to help other people understand what to do if they find stray cats. And when a community gains control of a population like this, they become a model for the next community.

Change doesn't happen overnight, but every success leads to another. Remember no matter if you are someone out in the field actively doing TNR or you are someone mentoring someone through the process, you are part of that success. Because of you, lives are being saved, neighborhoods are being improved, people are happier.

No matter what part you play in all of this, we say thank you for caring, thank you for doing!