NUECES COUNTY, Texas — A Corpus Christi cat sanctuary is empowering residents to help manage the city's stray cat population through a free community education event this weekend.
Edgar and Ivy's Cat Sanctuary will host a trap-neuter-return class Sunday, Aug. 24 at 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the Corpus Christi Museum of Science and History. The event aims to teach residents how to humanely trap, sterilize, and return stray cats to their communities. They will also answer any questions the community might have about cats.
"So, they can take care of their little corner of the world, and if we all do that, we can all make a change. We can't do it by ourselves," Anissa Beal, executive director of Edgar and Ivy's Cat Sanctuary, said.
Beal and her team recently trapped an entire colony of cats near the museum. As a thank you, the museum officials are allowing the organization to use their lecture hall for the educational class.
The trap-neuter-return method, commonly known as TNR, helps manage outdoor cat populations while improving cats' quality of life.
"They were vaccinated, ear tipped, so the community knows they're sterilized and they're healthy and home," Beal said.
The sanctuary's small staff faces an overwhelming challenge with thousands of cats in Nueces County. According to Friends of Feral Felines, a cat can have up to 30 kittens per year, making population control crucial.
"Getting them in, getting them sterilized, taking them back to the property and seeing them like run to their cat friends that are on the property… I'm like I made a difference," Beal said.
Without proper management, stray cat populations can lead to serious welfare concerns.
"We have seen a lot of neglect, a lot of abuse. People become frustrated because once you have this huge population, they become a nuisance, and people start shooting them, they start drowning them, we've seen them set on fire," Beal said.
The free workshop welcomes anyone from the South Texas community who wants to learn TNR techniques. Organizers hope to empower residents with the knowledge and tools needed to help cats in their neighborhoods live healthier lives.
For more information from the organization, click here.
For more resources about TNR, click here.
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