When I first stumbled upon a colony of cats in DC’s Adam’s Morgan neighborhood 25 years ago, I didn’t know how much my life was about to change. I just knew there was something more I could do for those cats. I learned exactly what I could do thanks to information that had just made its way across the pond from England. A new, radical approach to community cats: Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR). I’ve been looking back on those early days of Alley Cat Allies a lot lately as I work on our 25th anniversary book (due out this Fall!) with English animal advocate and author Kim Stallwood. On July 30, I flew to London to meet with Kim, and we spent a week traveling around London and South East England to catch up with some of the most influential members of the UK’s TNR movement.

LN-Roger-300x290I was particularly excited to reunite with one of Alley Cat Allies’ very first friends–biologist and cat expert Roger Tabor. Roger and I met for dinner in London’s Piccadilly Circus, and we talked about all the latest developments in the TNR movement, and the latest theories on the history of the cat. From the beginning, TNR was driven by science and an understanding of the species, Felis catus. We have Roger to thank for that. He’s been researching cats and TNR since the “˜70s, and his many published books were a huge help to me as Alley Cat Allies worked to make TNR mainstream in America. In fact, we considered Roger’s book “The Wild Life of the Domestic Cat” required reading for anyone interested in helping cats. He spoke at Alley Cat Allies’ very first conference in 1994, and as our movement for TNR evolved, he continued to be a vital resource.

After dinner came the real treat: a trip to the famous Fitzroy Square. The Square was the site of Roger’s groundbreaking study of community cats in the 1970s–the first study of its kind. Roger carried out TNR for these cats, and as a result, the colony population stabilized and eventually started declining–there are no more cats there today! This colony site was famous not just for being the subject of the first large TNR study–it’s also the colony that inspired T.S. Eliot’s beloved work “Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats,” which was later made into the musical Cats. I’d never seen Fitzroy Square before, and it felt like looking at the roots of our movement.

It’s easy to see why a cat biologist would be a huge supporter of TNR, but how about a repeat Vogue covergirl? The link between modeling to cat activism might not jump out at you immediately, but for Celia Hammond, it was unavoidable. After learning what cruelty went into the fur coats she once happily modeled, Celia devoted herself to animal issues–speaking out against the use of fur, and eventually taking up the cause of TNR to save community cats from cruel and unnecessary deaths.

LN-Celia-300x249I’d never met Celia before, so I was glad to join her at the Canning Town London branch of the Celia Hammond Animal Trust (CHAT), which she founded in 1986 to provide low-cost spay/neuter services. The Canning Town branch opened the veterinary clinic and adoption center, or “homing centre” as they say in London, in 1999. This high-volume clinic one of five CHAT locations conducts plenty of spay and neuter for dogs and cats. But it does much more for animals– almost every kind of surgery and veterinary treatment. The CHAT Canning Town clinic recently expanded and now has five operating theatres and two x-ray machines. Every surgical suite is in use all day and every day.

The waiting room was full when we arrived. Celia says it’s always like that. Veterinary care can be expensive in London, and the Animal Trust provides high quality care at prices that are accessible to everyone. The clients I saw in the waiting room loved their animal companions and were so thankful to be able to afford care for them. I met Celia’s dedicated staff, who all told me how often they visit our website for information and resources about community cats and TNR, as CHAT prioritizes services for community cats. Celia has been not only carrying out TNR for four decades, but also leading her Animal Trust to provide veterinary services for feral cats in the greater London area as well as South England where their sanctuary is located.

Talking with Celia over tea was a true delight. I couldn’t help but think what a wonderful example she is of Alley Cat Allies’ National Feral Cat Day theme for this year: The Evolution of the Cat Revolution. Celia evolved her own activism from a truly Do-It-Yourself style of TNR in the 60s to being a leading provider of services for England’s cats. She saw a need and she worked to fill it. Her devotion to supporting her staff and training the next generation is invaluable to the TNR movement in England.

I had to ask Celia; why would she leave an incredibly successful and exciting modeling career? “That wasn’t important,” she said. “This is.” Her answer rang true for me, as I know it does for all animal advocates. That’s what drives us to spend as much time as we can working to help cats.

Roger and Celia came to cat advocacy in such different ways, but both have had an incredible impact on our movement. This year, I’ve been reflecting on the first 25 years of Alley Cat Allies’ work, and meeting with the people who were also there at the very beginning. It’s a perfect way to remember our early days and stay connected with the state of the movement in England.

Check back soon for more notes on my visits with cat lovers across the pond!

Visit Roger Tabor at www.rogertabor.com

Visit Celia Hammond Animal Trust at www.celiahammond.org