(See Your Compassion in Action: Stories of Saving Cats’ Lives on page 2) ALLEY CAT ACTION® Alley Cat Allies Newsletter | alleycat.org | Spring 2026 For Alley Cat Allies’ More Than 1.7 Million Supporters and Activists Across the Nation and Around the World Follow us on social media! /AlleyCatAllies Alley Cat Allies works to change the world for cats. And for every cat we save, we’re changing their whole world! No matter how large the scope of our action or how broad its impact, it is the faces and stories of each individual cat we protect that touch our hearts most and guide our mission. We hope they move you as deeply as they move us! Just in Time: Saving Cashew and Nutmeg Before the Arctic Blast Before a historic Arctic blast surged through large swathes of the country this winter, Alley Cat Allies took to the ground in multiple states to protect cats and kittens. Stories of Saving Cats’ Lives Your Compassion in Action: INDIA Bangalore, India NUTMEG Before NUTMEG Adopted WATCH: Saving Cashew and Nutmeg from the Arctic Blast To prepare community cats, we equipped advocates with insulated outdoor shelters and nutritious wet food. But for Cashew and Nutmeg, two cats we have strong
www.alleycat.org 2 | ALLEY CAT ACTION, SPRING 2026 reason to believe were abandoned while ill, the recordlow temperatures posed a deadly risk. Our Rapid Response Team rushed both to emergency veterinary treatment for severe upper respiratory infections. And after weeks of expert care, they were back on their paws. Knowing that Cashew and Nutmeg are onto bigger and better things, and that their lives would have been lost without our action, is why we take on the challenge of disaster response—and why your support matters! Keeping Families TogetherTM to Protect Cleo and Spooky In just two days of action this February, Alley Cat Allies’ Cats Are Family, TooTM—Keeping Families TogetherTM events in Iowa provided no-cost cat food and TrapNeuter-Return (TNR) services that reached more than 600 cats and kittens. For community cat caregivers, at a time when so many face challenges affording food and veterinary care, this support means they can continue to care for the cats they love. And for community cats like Cleo and Spooky, the impact is permanent. Their lives have been changed for the better—even if they may not realize it! With kitten season now in full swing, neither cat has to worry about the stresses of mating, pregnancy, or birth. And, they can stay with the only family they’ve ever known, their colony members, in the only home they’ve ever known, the outdoors. Romeo Finds New Love Romeo is one of more than 6,000 cats reached through Alley Cat Allies’ most recent TNR initiative in Atlantic County, New Jersey. But even within that bigger picture of impact, his story stands out as a heartwarming example of the lives we change together. (continued from page 1) Stories of Saving Cats’ Lives Your Compassion in Action: When Romeo and his five siblings were discovered outdoors as young kittens, their mother cat nowhere to be found, they needed swift support to survive. With severe cold weather fast approaching, the stakes were even higher. But caregivers knew they had a lifesaving resource in our TNR collaboration, and brought in the little family for care just in time. Under our protection, each was treated, monitored, and loved until they were ready to be adopted. To no one’s surprise, Romeo, adorable and bold, was among the first of his siblings to head home! Unique Surgery Gives Sparkle and Twinkle a New Outlook on Life When cats are impounded in a shelter without humane policies, serious health issues are often overlooked and untreated. That was the case for Sparkle and Twinkle until Alley Cat Allies facilitated their rescue and expert veterinary care. The kittens’ crusted, squinting eyes at first appeared to be symptoms of their upper respiratory infections. But upon closer look, it became clear that they had SPOOKY CLEO ROMEO Before ROMEO After (Continued on next page)
ALLEY CAT ACTION, SPRING 2026 | 3 www.alleycat.org Spring is the season of new life and of birth—and cats are no exception. But without the right knowledge, this time of year can quickly become deadly for the most fragile of kittens. So, what DO you do if you find a kitten outdoors? Kitten Season Is HereHow you can help save the tiniest lives eyelid agenesis, a congenital condition that causes eyelids to only partially form. Their eyelashes and fur were constantly and painfully rubbing into their eyes, risking lasting damage. To find a permanent solution, we funded cryosurgery for the brothers to remove the hair follicles around their eyes. Now, Sparkle and Twinkle can finally enjoy a pain-free kittenhood— together. They were adopted as a bonded pair! Unique Surgery Gives Sparkle and Twinkle a New Outlook on Life (continued from previous page) SPARKLE TWINKLE Sparkle and Twinkle adopted together. ARE THE KITTENS WITH MOM? DID MOM COME BACK A FEW HOURS LATER? NO YES NO NO YES YES YES NO Visit alleycat.org/ KittenProgression to help determine how old the kittens are. ARE THE KITTENS 8 WEEKS OR OLDER? KEEP WITH MOM FIND NEW HOME KITTEN CARE TRAP- NEUTERRETURN ARE THE KITTENS FRIENDLY? Found Kittens Outdoors? Here’s How to Help DARLING Learn more at alleycat.org/FoundAKitten WATCH: Tiny Kitten Feeding Time This handy flow chart will help. Find full information in our NEW Kitten Protection Guide at alleycat.org/KittenGuide.
www.alleycat.org 4 | ALLEY CAT ACTION, SPRING 2026 Protecting Puerto Rico’s Community Cats Alley Cat Allies’ fight to protect community cats in Puerto Rico from a lethal U.S. National Park Service (NPS) plan is still going strong. To date, our historic lawsuit has successfully prevented the NPS from removing and killing the cats of the famous Paseo del Morro in San Juan. project. Alley Cat Allies is exploring all legal avenues to stop this cruel and unlawful action. At the same time, our team has been on the ground to guide and support local advocates in caring for community cats. We’re working to provide the Paseo cats with food, water, and any needed medical care. For the sake of cats like Flash and Bella, we won’t back down. With your support, we’re showing the world that a government cannot treat cats’ lives as disposable and go unchallenged. Learn more at alleycat.org/ PuertoRico. Suspect in Case of Cruelty to Kitten Indicted Ryan Berlanga has been formally indicted on thirddegree felony animal cruelty charges after he was caught on video strangling a kitten to death in a San Antonio, Texas, apartment complex. Berlanga was arrested because Alley Cat Allies issued a reward that led to a tip about his identity. Now, we’re going to fight for justice in the form of the highest possible penalty for his heinous actions. If convicted, Berlanga could face 2 to 10 years in prison and up to a $10,000 fine, as well as other potential penalties, including a ban on owning animals. Alley Cat Allies stands ready to provide support to the prosecution. We’ll keep you updated through the process. in Legislation and Beyond IMPACT Our BELLA Puerto Rico FLASH Puerto Rico Photo courtesy of Bexar County Sheriff’s Office. WATCH: UPDATE: Alley Cat Allies’ Fight to Protect Puerto Rico Cats is Going Strong However, the NPS has pivoted to a new scheme to cut the cats off from critical resources, like food and water, under the guise of a “public safety” construction
ALLEY CAT ACTION, SPRING 2026 | 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 3, SPRING 2026 © 2026 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. When we say community cats thrive nearly anywhere people do, we mean it! Even in unexpected places, like a local prison, you’ll find cats who feel at home. Effective humane programs meet these cats where they live and adapt to their unique circumstances. Alley Cat Allies has two model programs that are prime examples. Our Prison Cats Program Is Going Strong When Alley Cat Allies first approached a New Jersey prison to develop a TNR program for the many cats living on its grounds, we created a blueprint for correctional facilities across the country! Every aspect of prison life is regimented, and security protocols present unique challenges to providing regular food and medical care to cats. By working closely with the prison administration and keeping an open dialogue, we created a system that kept all involved safe. In an effective Prison Cats Program, advocates, prison From the Beach to the Prison Yard: TNR Works staff, and the inmates themselves all have a role in the cats’ daily care. But the true heart of these programs is in the bonds built between prison staff, inmates, and the cats! Today, the original “prison cats” we helped, like Bandit and Vinny, are well into their teen years. Their presence continues to brighten the prison environment— which, against all odds, is truly their home. BANDIT VINNY (Continued on next page) WATCH: 205 Community Cats, One Day of Spay and Neuter! Celebrating 26 Years of the Boardwalk Cats Project® 2026 marks an incredible 26 years of this groundbreaking, world-famous TNR program in Atlantic County, New Jersey. Since 2000, Alley Cat Allies has cared for and protected the community cats who call the famous boardwalk home.
6 | ALLEY CAT ACTION, SPRING 2026 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 Dr. Joyce Wolburg has been a supporter of Alley Cat Allies since the early 2000s. As a professor, she and her class of advertising students worked with a local animal shelter to promote their new TNR program, gain support in the community, and fight misinformation about community cats. As the project unfolded, Joyce and her students discovered Alley Cat Allies and began drawing from our rich educational resources. Around this same time, Joyce was able to put what she learned into practice when a mother cat with a PROFILE IN GENEROSITY: DR. JOYCE WOLBURG litter of kittens suddenly appeared in her yard. She cared for Bella and her kittens, including her curious son, Gavin, who occasionally came into Joyce’s house for a few minutes at a time. Joyce plans to include Alley Cat Allies in her will because she deeply values the legal action Alley Cat Allies has taken against cruelty to cats. “There are many organizations that are committed to helping others, but the welfare of cats is often an afterthought in people’s minds. I want the resources that I have to make a difference to the animals I love the most. I don’t know of any other organization that has accomplished so much to protect [community] cats,” Joyce shared. 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 or scan the QR code. (CFC#10964) (EIN #52-1742079) For more information, call 866-309-6207. GAVIN Our action those decades ago not only saved an entire colony from being killed, but also created a model for communities around the world to follow. And, it has proven that TNR is truly effective and beneficial for cats and their communities. The Boardwalk Cats are local celebrities, beloved by locals and tourists! They continue to live long, healthy lives in their outdoor home with regular care from Alley Cat Allies team members. Here’s to many more years of TNR success to come! Boardwalk Cats Project® PRINCESS SNICKERS (Continued from previous page)
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