LifeLine’s Community Cat Program is metro Atlanta’s first and largest Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) assistance program. And, it is dedicated to humanely managing community cat colonies using TNR.
Community cats are free-roaming cats who are often feral from lack of human interaction. Before LifeLine brought TNR to Atlanta, community cats were routinely picked up, taken to county shelters and euthanized. Now, thanks to TNR, cats are trapped, neutered, vaccinated, ear-tipped (to identify them as neutered) and returned back to their neighborhoods.
TNR is the only effective method to humanely and dramatically decrease the number of cats. Trapping and removing the cats doesn’t work because new cats will move into the area and breed up to capacity. This is well-documented and called the “vacuum effect.”
Additionally, relocating cats to a different area is animal abandonment, which falls under animal cruelty crimes in the state of Georgia. Less than 50% of relocated cats survive because they don’t know the dangers in the area and succumb to predators, car tires, starvation, etc.
POPULATION CONTROL
Community cats help control the rat and snake population.
SAFETY
Because cats are spayed or neutered and vaccinated, there is less fighting over mates, howling, marking and disease spread.
SAVES MONEY
TNR saves taxpayers over $3.5 million by keeping cats out of greater Atlanta shelters.
TRAPPING COMMUNITY
Join the LifeLine Community Cat Program Facebook group to connect with 1,500+ people trapping stray kitties throughout greater metro Atlanta. It’s a great resource!
Low Cost Spay/Neuter Clinics in Atlanta
The Community Cat Program assists neighborhoods by:
- Loaning humane traps and providing easy trapping instructions for TNR
- Providing education to caretakers and the public about proper cat colony management
- Offering affordable spay/neuter services at the LifeLine Spay & Neuter Clinics
- Referring clients to other low-cost and free clinic services
- Maintaining data on more than 1,000 cat colonies in greater Atlanta
Our Community Cat Program is a resource, not a rescue. We will not remove cats from your property, but we provide the tools to help you humanely manage the cats. For more information on pricing and policy, please refer to our pet care page.
Cat Trapping instructions
Do you see community cats in need of trapping? Learn how to trap community cats, and we can provide low-cost and free spay/neuter services and resources.
request assistance
We can provide tools and support to effectively and humanely manage community cats. Start by submitting our help request form, and we will provide you with more information.
