There are so many ways to help cats—on National Feral Cat Day^® and year-round. These actions are at the core of what makes National Feral Cat Day so effective. Need inspiration on what action you can take this year? We’re here to help!

Whether you decide to host a spay/neuter clinic or write a blog post about community cats, be sure to register your action online to show the world how you’re getting active for National Feral Cat Day. Don’t forget: when you register you’ll receive a kit full of goodies in the mail!

Adopt a Cat

Save a life! Visit your local shelter or rescue and adopt a cat waiting for her forever home.

Build Outdoor Shelters

Outdoor cats appreciate shade in the summer and warmth in the winter, so making an insulated house for them is a great, hands-on project. Build a couple of shelters yourself, or partner with a hardware store and host a workshop to teach a group of people how to build shelters to help even more cats! You can invite local community cat caregivers, charge a materials fee, and hold demonstrations. Have instructors walk around and help, and give caregivers copies of building instructions that they can use year-round.

Use our shelter building instructions and find more shelter options.

Celebrate a National Feral Cat Day Proclamation

Get your local government involved to officially announce October 16 as National Feral Cat Day in your city or county. See our proclamation sample, and be sure to let us know about your proclamation by sending us a copy via fax: 240-482-1990; email: [email protected]; or postal mail: Alley Cat Allies, 7920 Norfolk Ave, Suite 600, Bethesda, MD 20814-1515.

Conduct a Trap-Neuter-Return Project

Trap-Neuter-Return improves cats’ lives! You can bring Trap-Neuter-Return to your community whether you’re an individual, animal welfare group, or shelter.

Individuals: See our step-by-step guide on how to do Trap-Neuter-Return at alleycat.org/TNR

Groups and Shelters: If you’ve ever thought of doing TNR, now is the time to start! If you already have a TNR program, why not expand it to help even more community cats? We have the information to get you started! Learn how to conduct TNR and get more information on how to implement an organizational TNR program.

Donate to Alley Cat Allies

Our mission is to protect all cats in all communities. Your donation will help us save even more cats and transform more communities around the nation. Donate online at alleycat.org/donate.

Engage and Educate Neighbors

Use our materials to start a conversation about cats in your community. You can bring our educational materials to upcoming public events—like fairs or festivals—or set up a booth in public places like libraries, grocery stores, or malls.

Get our brochures and truth cards.

Wear your National Feral Cat Day gear.

Hang posters or place advertisements.

Engage and Educate Veterinarians

Veterinarians are experts on pet cats, but they may need some education about community cats and Trap-Neuter-Return. Talk to your veterinarian and share ourVeterinary Resource Center information.

Are you a veterinarian? We have resources just for you! Check out alleycat.org/Veterinarian for the latest information and research about cats. If you’re the resident community cat expert, consider joining our Feral Friends Network. When you join, you can get connected with potential clients looking for spay/neuter and community cat care services.

Foster

If you can’t take in a new cat permanently, why not take one in until she finds a forever home? Fostering is one of the most rewarding experiences you can have. Connect with your local shelter or rescue group to volunteer as a foster.

Fundraise

Raise money to help cats by offering items or hosting an event. Whether you organize a bake sale or a gala, every dollar helps. Connect with local sponsors and hold a fundraising event for your local Trap-Neuter-Return program, for Alley Cat Allies, or both! Have a National Feral Cat Day themed party! If you own a business, dedicate a portion of the day’s proceeds to helping cats. Challenge coworkers and friends to a friendly competition to raise the most money for TNR and other cat-saving programs.

Get more fundraising ideas.

Host a Vigil

Honor the memory of cats who have died and call attention to the issues cats face. Gather your family, friends, and community members together with white roses or candles, print photos of the cats you’re memorializing, and prepare to say a few words. You might even consider inviting the media.

Host an Adoption Event

There are so many friendly cats who need loving homes. Rescue groups, shelters, and individuals can find these adoptable pets forever families.

Groups and Shelters: Use National Feral Cat Day to promote your adoptable cats. Get creative!

Individuals: If you’re fostering, check out our tips for finding adoptive homes for friendly cats. Also consider volunteering for your local rescue group or shelter to help promote cats for adoption. Spreading the word, writing creative descriptions for cats, and taking great photos all help find forever homes!

Host a Community Workshop/Other Humane Education

Help educate your community, friends, and neighbors about cats by holding an informative workshop about community cats and Trap-Neuter-Return. Learn how to run a Helping Community Cats workshop or invite community members to a viewing of one of our recorded webinars.

Host a Microchip Clinic

Microchipping helps reunite lost animals with their caregivers. Veterinarians, rescue groups, and shelters: host a microchipping clinic to help community members get their cats (and dogs!) chipped and registered.

Host a Spay/Neuter Clinic

Make a huge difference in the lives of cats by providing low-cost or free spay/neuter services to your community. Veterinarians, rescue groups, and shelters:learn how to run a high-volume, high-quality spay/neuter clinic.

Host a Vaccination Clinic

Vaccination is key! Veterinarians, rescue groups, and shelters: protect cats and the community with low-cost or free vaccinations in honor of National Feral Cat Day.

Meet with Government Officials

Talk to your elected officials about community cats, their caregivers, and the benefits of Trap-Neuter-Return.

Meet with Shelter Officials

Start a conversation with your local shelter officials about ways to save more cats. Find information at alleycat.org/HelpShelters.

Organize a Cat Food/Supply Drive

Rescue groups, community caregivers, and pet owners can always use more food and supplies for their cats. This is one of the simplest and most effective ways to offer assistance! Grab some friends and volunteers and set up drives for cat food and other supplies. Ask your local pet or grocery stores if you can host your drive there.

Organize a Marathon or Walk-a-thon

Make a visible difference and raise funds by setting up a marathon or walk-a-thon in your city or county. Choose a course, wear your National Feral Cat Day gear, and enlist your friends, family, and community members to run or walk for cats. You can even get sponsors to help raise funds for your local TNR group.

Organize a Neighborhood Cleanup

Spread the love in your community by beautifying the spaces that cats and people share with a neighborhood cleanup. Pick a location and invite your friends, family, and community members to come. Supply or ask people to bring trash or recycling bags, work gloves, tools like shovels or rakes, and seasonally appropriate attire. Cleaning up your community will make both cats and people happy!

Organize a Rally

Many voices are louder than one. Show the world how many people are standing up for community cats. Wear your National Feral Cat Day gear, print signs, and consider inviting the media to raise awareness for local or national cat issues.

See pledges, petitions, and national actions you can use as rallying points.

Other

Do you have a unique idea? Be original and host a one-of-a-kind event!

Participate in Community Cat Care

Give some extra TLC to the cats in your community by providing food, water, shelter, and care. You can find our tips and best practices for community cat colony care at alleycat.org/ColonyCare.

Set Up an Information Booth or Table

Hand out our educational materials and use our talking points to start a conversation in your community.

Get our brochures and truth cards.

Wear your National Feral Cat Day gear.

Hang posters or place advertisements.

Share or Write a Post on Social Media

Get the word out online! You can quickly spread the word about community cats and Trap-Neuter-Return on social media with a blog, tweet, or other post. See our Social Media Toolkit for ideas and inspiration!

Submit a Letter to the Editor

Get cats in the news by raising awareness for community cats and TNR in your local paper. Write a letter to the editor of your local paper to educate readers about National Feral Cat Day, community cats, Trap-Neuter-Return, and the lifes-saving work being done by Alley Cat Allies or your local group(s).

See examples of letters to the editor.

Visit Your Local Shelter or Animal Control Office

Get to know your local animal shelter and animal control. It’s the first step in learning about what happens to cats and how you can all work together to save more. Knowing where your local shelter is, what resources they offer, and familiarizing yourself with their policies and protocols (ex, what to do if your cat is lost or impounded) is helpful. If you discover your local shelter or animal control could use help embracing humane, lifesaving policies we have information to help:www.alleycat.org/Shelters.

Volunteer

Help cats by volunteering with a local rescue group or shelter. This is especially fun if you’re socializing kittens! Connect with your local rescue groups or shelter to see if they need help or join our Feral Friends Network.

Write a Letter to an Elected Official

Whether it’s about pending legislation or just touching base, let your elected official know that cats matter when it comes to your vote, and that you support humane policies for cats.