(See Rapid Response to Rescue Cats After Texas Flooding on page 2) ALLEY CAT ACTION® Alley Cat Allies Newsletter | alleycat.org | Fall 2025 For Alley Cat Allies’ More Than 1.7 Million Supporters and Activists Across the Nation and Around the World In what seemed like the blink of an eye, Wink’s world changed. Like it did thousands of people and animals, the flooding that swept through Central Texas over the 4th of July weekend uprooted the tiny kitten and left her in a precarious position. Imagine going through the chaos of an emergency evacuation while suffering from a case of ringworm and a nasty upper respiratory infection. That’s what Wink had to endure at a very young age. But, because of our supporters like you, Alley Cat Allies ensured Wink and many more cats and kittens affected by the flooding found safety, recovery, and a new beginning. The moment we heard news of the disaster, our Rapid Response Team mobilized. After coordinating with advocates, veterinarians, and organizations to understand the most urgent needs, we had a plan in place. Then, we got to work. We save more lives by working together In collaboration with Texas-based Operation Kindness, Alley Cat Allies began providing rescue, supplies, and emergency medical care for cats and kittens in floodaffected areas. The cats were evacuated from shelters in the flood zone and brought to safe harbor in the Dallas area to be evaluated, treated, and cared for. And to a shelter in Williamson County, also swept by flooding, Alley Cat Allies supported the deployment of a response team staffed with veterinary technicians. The team provided vaccinations, scanned for microchips to determine if reunion was possible, and brought essential care to cats and other animals. WINK RAPID RESPONSE to Rescue Cats After TEXAS FLOODING Follow us on social media! /AlleyCatAllies WATCH: Rapid Response to Texas Floods to Save Cats
www.alleycat.org 2 | ALLEY CAT ACTION, FALL 2025 Many of the cats who came to us were nursing mothers with litters or young kittens suffering from medical conditions—like Wink. In a bright spot amid the darkness of those days, we can confidently say we provided these cats and kittens with treatment they would never have otherwise received. These are their stories Cammy, found alone outdoors in the aftermath of the flooding, immediately relaxed in the hands of rescuers after all he’d been through. Your generosity made his care possible. We don’t let cats’ lives slip through the cracks Since our founding, during the days of Hurricane Katrina’s aftermath, and up until today, our Rapid Response Team has saved lives through some of our country’s largest and most complex disasters. Your support puts our expert responders on the ground, rushes in vital supplies like generators and vaccinations, provides lifesaving medical care, and so much more. Alley Cat Allies refuses to allow cats to slip through the cracks of disaster response. We were ready to save kittens like Wink when floodwaters rose in Texas and, because of you, we’ll be ready when the next emergency comes. Learn how you can ensure your family—including cats—is ready to weather a disaster. See our disaster kit checklist, tips to disaster-proof a community cat colony, and more at alleycat.org/Disaster. RAPID RESPONSE to Rescue Cats After TEXAS FLOODING (continued from page 1) Tecna and Ravyn had discharge from their upper respiratory infections gently washed from their eyes, and medication administered. They could move forward after the disaster, healthier than ever, thanks to your support. Verano, who arrived with difficulty even taking a breath due to infection, received the treatment he needed to finally breathe easy. He could rest and recover safely in a foster home because of you. CAMMY TECNA VERANO RAVYN WATCH: Saving Cammy After Texas Floods Each of these cats is a survivor, and each of their stories of rescue and healing is the impact of our action, together.
ALLEY CAT ACTION, FALL 2025 | 3 www.alleycat.org The formula that makes spay and neuter and medical care for 169 cats in a single day possible: expertise plus careful coordination plus the dedication of caregivers across a community. Alley Cat Allies collaborated with AlterClinic Animal Care to provide the first two parts of the equation. The people of the Akron-Canton area brought the third in spades! 160+ Cats, 1 day of in Ohio “Feline Frenzy is powered by your generosity, and we need your support more than ever to strengthen this lifesaving campaign and reach more cats across the nation.” Alley Cat Allies headed to Ohio in early September to kick off our Feline Frenzy with a humane trapping session alongside local advocates. Tiffany, Kyle, and Cindy would be just some of the cats who were spayed or neutered, vaccinated, eartipped, and microchipped the next day at the Feline Frenzy Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) clinic. Alley Cat Allies’ Feline Frenzy brings together animal protection groups, veterinarians, caregivers, and community members to make a long-term positive impact for cats. It’s about critical veterinary care for cats in the here and now, but also about investing in the humane education of the community to help even more cats into the future. So, as caregivers arrived to drop off cats at AlterClinic, we had bags full of our educational materials waiting for them. Each caregiver got to bring a case of wet food back for their colonies, too! These advocates dedicate themselves to caring for community cats, so we were happy to surprise them: They wouldn’t have to pay a cent for their cats’ spay or neuter, or any other care they may need. The following day, as community cats darted one by one out of their humane traps and back into their outdoor homes, they had no way of knowing their lives had improved. But we know when spring arrives in 2026, kitten season won’t come for them! They’re free from the stresses of mating or pregnancy for good. We’ve only just begun our work in the Akron-Canton area— and with Feline Frenzy. Your support is bringing no-cost resources for cats across the nation and beyond, at a time when that lifeline is needed most. Helping 169 cats in one day is just one small slice of our impact together, but what an impact it is for the cats and people who rely on it! Take a look at what Feline Frenzy is all about at alleycat.org/FelineFrenzy. TIFFANY awaiting her spay at the Akron-Canton Feline Frenzy Veterinarians hard at work spaying or neutering 169 cats at Feline Frenzy Alley Cat Allies team members lead the Akron-Canton Feline Frenzy event WATCH: 169 Cats Helped at Feline Frenzy® in Canton, Ohio
www.alleycat.org 4 | ALLEY CAT ACTION, FALL 2025 in Legislation and Beyond IMPACT Our Staying Strong in the Fight to Save Puerto Rico’s Community Cats When we’re not on the ground in Puerto Rico to care for the community cats of the famous Paseo del Morro, Alley Cat Allies is fighting in court to save their lives. Since we launched our federal lawsuit against the U.S. National Park Service (NPS) in March 2024 to stop the NPS’s plan to remove and kill these cats, a lot has happened. We prevented the NPS from beginning lethal removal of the cats in October 2024. We brought the cruel scheme to the world’s attention. And, we exposed the NPS’s questionable legal authority for developing the plan in the first place. Thank you to our supporters who have stood firmly with us in this fight. Cats like Kiko, Simba, Nochelina, and Gizmo are counting on us, and we won’t back down. Learn more at alleycat.org/PuertoRico. Saving Shadow—and Seeking Justice Shadow is strong and a survivor, through and through. When he was finally trapped in August, he’d survived having a dart lodged into his cheek for weeks. Then, he made it through extensive surgery to remove the dart— and, unfortunately, his irreparably injured eye. Shadow is a survivor, but he shouldn’t have to be. When Alley Cat Allies learned about the horrifying cruelty this kitten endured, we connected with responders to provide expert guidance on how best to help. And, once he was safe, we issued a $10,000 reward to identify and convict the person responsible for shooting him. Shortly after our announcement, a man was arrested and charged with animal cruelty in relation to the case. Alley Cat Allies is offering our support to the prosecution to ensure justice is served for Shadow, and to protect all other animals and people in the community. As for Shadow, he made an incredible recovery and has since been adopted! Alley Cat Allies helped cover the cost of his extensive medical care. We do it all to see cruelty victims like Shadow move forward despite all they’ve been through, and in honor of the cats and kittens who did not live through the abuse the suffered. We do it because cruelty to cats cannot stand, and we stand for them. You make it all possible. SIMBA AND KIKO SHADOW when he was discovered SHADOW Recovering from surgery to save his life
ALLEY CAT ACTION, FALL 2025 | 5 www.alleycat.org 7920 Norfolk Ave., Suite 600 • Bethesda, MD 20814-2525 Tel: 240-482-1980 www.alleycat.org OUR MISSION: To transform and develop communities to protect and improve the lives of cats. ALLEY CAT ACTION, Volume 36, Issue 1, FALL 2025 © 2025 Alley Cat Allies. All rights reserved. We may make this material available for use by other groups, but none of it may be reproduced in any format without specific written permission from Alley Cat Allies. Alley Cat Allies is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and tax-exempt organization. Alley Cat Allies’ federal employer ID number is 52-1742079, and our CFC number is 10964. All contributions, donations, and gifts are tax deductible, as allowed by law. You SAVED Their LIVES Alley Cat Allies goes to any heights to save cats’ lives! When members of our team in New Jersey learned about small kittens trapped on the roof of a police station, they swiftly set a rescue in motion with first responders. The kittens—Ash, Shay, Hal, Chase, and Charm—were a little overheated and a lot nervous as a firefighter carried them down one by one. But our team ensured they were rushed to veterinary care at an organization with which we work closely. And, one by one, the kittens have since found their forever homes. The first to be adopted was Shay…by Mike, the very same firefighter who carried her down! Muffin Made It Talk about an incredible before and after! Muffin, who we believe was abandoned, was almost at the point of no return when she was first rescued. But thanks to Alley Cat Allies’ close work with veterinary allies, she received the immediate care she needed to survive, including lifesaving fluids and antibiotics. Not even a few weeks later, Muffin went from nearly immobile with anemia and pneumonia to pouncing, jumping, running, and playing with that signature kitten enthusiasm. Even better: She found her forever home! A Daring Rooftop Rescue A New Dawn for Soleil Alley Cat Allies’ work on behalf of cats is truly global! Earlier this year, members of our team were on the ground in the North African country of Morocco to protect cats in the cities of Casablanca and Rabat. While setting down bowls of wet cat food for cats in a Casablanca park, our team spotted a small, skinny orange kitten. It was immediately clear that she had been separated from her mother—and that she needed medical attention. They quickly wrapped her in a towel and headed to the closest veterinary clinic. Soleil, named for her fiery fur, was calm and brave as she was examined and treated for dehydration, fleas, and anemia. Alley Cat Allies is exploring action that will save more cats’ lives, provide important education, and improve critical resources for cats in Moroccan cities like Casablanca. SOLEIL MUFFIN Now MUFFIN Then SHAY adopted by the firefighter who saved her! ASH being rescued by responders WATCH: Muffin’s Incredible Transformation Thanks to YOU! WATCH: Meet Cats Whose Lives YOU Transformed
6 | ALLEY CAT ACTION, FALL 2025 www.alleycat.org TAKE ACTION Receive our action alerts and other emails. alleycat.org/SignUp With just a few clicks, you can make a difference in cats’ lives and help transform communities. Here are online resources to help: SAVE A CAT WITH A MOUSE DONATE Support our work with cats and kittens. alleycat.org/Donate FIND LOCAL RESOURCES FOR CATS Alley Cat Allies’ Community Resource Tool™ is here to help you find support in your community. GetHelp.alleycat.org. LEARN Advocate for cats in your community. alleycat.org/CommunityChange Our long-term donors are the most dedicated advocates for cats, and Violet truly exemplifies that passion and compassion! An Alley Cat Allies supporter since 1999, she believes strongly in our mission because she lives it every day. Violet is the caregiver of a community cat colony, and takes joy in ensuring they’re fed, spayed or neutered, and vaccinated through Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR). From the hottest days of summer to the coldest days of winter, she has outdoor shelters and a meal ready for the cats who mean so much to her. More than anything, Violet loves to see community cats live their lives in peace in their outdoor home. She aspires Cats Are Community™ and deserve to be protected like community. On Global Cat Day and National Feral Cat Day® 2025, voices from all around the world joined us in that rallying call! Though October 16 has passed, what Global Cat Day stands for spans far beyond just 24 hours. It’s not too late to take action to help community cats, or to share the stories of communities like the Cleveland area of Ohio, and Córdoba, Spain, that show the world what it means to treat cats as community members. Visit GlobalCatDay.org to join the movement! About Global Cat Day and National Feral Cat Day Global Cat Day is a day to embrace the global truth that Cats Are CommunityTM. This powerful statement is recognition that cats have lived alongside us for thousands of years, have a rightful place in our communities, and are beings with inherent value who deserve to be protected. National Feral Cat Day is the action component of Global Cat Day—a day for people worldwide to roll up their sleeves and go out into their communities to create lifesaving change for cats. Both were created by Alley Cat Allies and are observed by millions of people every year! October 16 was an incredible day of advocacy and action Thank You for an Amazing Global Cat Day® 2025! COMMUNITY CATS Spain PROFILE IN GENEROSITY: VIOLET CLEVELAND to share her respect and understanding of cats with the world. That’s Alley Cat Allies’ goal, too, and dedicated donors like Violet are the reason we can do so every day. Learn how you can give at alleycat.org/Donate. To make the greatest lifesaving impact for cats, consider a bequest or other planned gift at alleycat.org/ PlannedGiving. (CFC#10964) (EIN #52-1742079). For more information, call 866-309-6207. MARBLES WATCH: Cats Are Community™ in Spain WATCH: Cats Are Community™ in Northeast Ohio
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