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Autumn O'Neal joined Alley Cat Advocates in 2018 as the Community Cat Outreach Coordinator. Through the Operation Target Kentucky grant, Autumn worked closely with many surrounding counties' animal control officers and shelter staff to help them build return to field and trap neuter return programs in their communities. Autumn is also responsible for social media and website communications and the Education and Community Outreach Team (ECOT). She acts as the assistant to the executive director and also fills in during surgery in the recovery area. Autumn has always felt a connection to animals and co-founded [...]

Thank you to the wonderful donors who made Nigel's Catio even more beautiful than before. The landscaping, design and install were all donated by generous donors who were thrilled to see the cats enjoying the new surroundings. The added interest has given the cats and the humans even more to enjoy. As the weather continues to warm, everyone has been slipping outside for some catio time.

Jimmy was in a fight for his life. Severe dental disease, emaciated, kidney disease, anemia - any of these are tough to deal with. Jimmy has faced them all. We didn't know exactly what happened to Jimmy, but we knew he needed our help. He desperately needed dental work to ease the pain in his mouth, but afterward he became very anemic. He was rushed to an emergency veterinarian for a life-saving blood transfusion. Things have been touch and go for Jimmy, but at this point he is doing well. He has moved into the [...]

Fifteen years ago, Terri Hoge read an article in the Courier Journal about the work that Alley Cat Advocates does. Shortly after, she attended a volunteer orientation. She started volunteering at Big Fixes, eventually moving in to a team leader role in the post-surgery area. She has also helped with discharge and feeding of cats the morning after surgery. At one time, Terri oversaw all of Alley Cat Advocates donation boxes around the community. Currently, she collects donations monthly from 3 boxes. She is also always available to spread the word about Alley Cat Advocates [...]

Karla Spencer is an advocate for cats. With a long history volunteering for animal groups and a love of cats, Karla found Alley Cat Advocates to be a great fit when she was looking for a new volunteer job in 2015. Karla started volunteering at the Big Fix with her friend and moved into other opportunities as they developed. Karla really enjoys making new friends that love cats and connecting with caretakers at trap distribution and check-in. Karla has raised 2 animal loving daughters and lives with just one kitty at home. She always has [...]

Chelsea Anderson has been a volunteer with Alley Cat Advocates since November 2019. In that time she has found her niche in transcription, but we can count on her wherever she is needed – creating holiday vet baskets, trap distribution and tabling. Of course, the cats are what drew Chelsea’s attention to Alley Cat Advocates. She says she knew she wanted to be involved with a feline related organization and “after seeing and hearing everything that they’ve done in the community, I knew it was a great organization to be involved with.” Chelsea loves knowing [...]

During this unprecedented time, the Alley Cat Advocates board has a special message for our supporters, donors and volunteers. Please consider donating to Alley Cat Advocates by visiting us here or participating in #givingtuesdaynow on May 5. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FwmitXnuNRY

Alley Cat Advocates has continued to provide Trap-Neuter-Return services to your community cats throughout the tumult of the last six weeks. We are happy to be on the list of essential businesses allowed to operate and would not want it any other way. Here is how we have adjusted to the new, restricted normal and what we see the future bringing. And, just as importantly, here is how you can help. CDC Recommendations We have been able to implement social distancing measures in all our processes involving the public. We care deeply about our caretakers, [...]

Jan Scarbrough has been volunteering with Alley Cat Advocates for about 5 years. She mostly volunteers during trap distribution, where she enjoys meeting all of the caretakers that use our services. Jan loves the caring people that she has met through Alley Cat Advocates. Jan enjoys her retirement with her husband, 2 corgis and 1 calico cat, Folly. Jan also enjoys horseback riding and writes romance novels. You can read her blog post about volunteering with Alley Cat Advocates here:  http://janscarbrough.com//blog/good-people-find-their-way-to-alley-cat-advocates Folly Scarbrough

Snow White suffered a terrible wound to her eye that left it non-visual and likely painful. Dr. Gagnon was able to remove the affected eye at the same time as her spay surgery, so she only had to be sedated for surgery once. We don't think having just one eye will affect her beauty at all. Do you? This darling will be heading home soon, healthy and happy. Your donation today will ensure that we are able to continue to provide care like this for the next little princess (or the next 7 dwarves) that [...]

The Community Cat Complex features a lovely memorial garden that has plenty of room for expansion! With a gift of $1000, you can reserve a commemorative brick. Bricks are 4" x 8" with up to 3 lines of text, and are incorporated into the landscaping at the entrance to the complex. You can honor a loved one (two or four-legged!) and make a lasting difference for animals in our community.  Contact us to purchase.

Dental problems cause more than just bad breath in cats. When the mouth and teeth are painful cats can stop eating and grooming. Cats can become malnourished and dehydrated, as well as being very dirty with matted fur. Howie came in a couple of weeks ago for a neuter and was found to be in exactly this situation. Now, we are so happy to share photos of Howie, the very first recipient of dental cleaning, extractions and x-rays at the community cat complex. Your donations keep the dental cart stocked and help us continue to [...]

 Thanks to our quick acting team, Callie is doing great. During the sedation process, the veterinary assistant found that there was a problem and reacted quickly. X-rays revealed a diaphragmatic hernia, which is basically a tear that allows the abdominal organs to move into the chest, causing a life threatening situation. In this emergency situation, she was rushed to an emergency hospital for surgery. We expect her to recover to 100% and be able to return to her caretakers soon. Her life is priceless to us AND her caretaker and saving her life was not [...]

Alley Cat Advocates wants our caretakers and supports to know that we are following or exceeding all government recommendations to keep our staff, volunteers, and caretakers safe in the current environment of uncertainty and concern. Check-in and discharge of cats is being done in the parking lot with no need for caretakers to enter the building. The return of traps on Saturdays is also being done in the parking lot with no need for caretakers to enter the building. For Trap Distribution on Saturdays, caretakers are to remain in their cars to complete paperwork and [...]

As a retiree from the Louisville Zoo, Sharon Rickert had little problem finding plenty to fill her spare time after Alley Cat Advocates helped a family member. It has been four and a half years and Sharon has become an important part of the team. She started volunteering with the Big Fix. She now does transcription and returns hotline calls with great care and professionalism. In addition, she helps caretakers at trap distribution, cat check in and discharge. She is also a member of the Education and Outreach Team. Sharon’s favorite job is kitten day [...]

Marcia Baker is an active retiree who LOVES cats.  So it only makes sense that she would find herself volunteering with Alley Cat Advocates.  After trying out a couple of volunteer positions in other organizations, Marcia did her research and decided that she would give Alley Cat Advocates a try.  She says it is the best decision she has ever made.  She loves the cats and has a real soft spot for Frank (seriously, who doesn’t love Frank?).  Marcia was born almost 80 years ago in San Diego, CA.  She was just 18 years old [...]

Tierney is still new at Alley Cat Advocates. She has only been volunteering since November 2019, but she has quickly become a familiar face around the Community Cat Complex. She started doing phone call transcription from home, but since new opportunities have opened she has jumped in to learn and help as much as possible. In addition to transcription, she is on the Education and Outreach Team and does tabling at events.  She also does laundry, helps monitor cats after surgery and recently she has been learning to return calls. Tierney says that Alley Cat [...]

Louisville Business First recently recognized Alley Cat Advocates for the organization's contributions to the community.  The recent article highlights the new Community Cat Complex and the important work that goes on under that roof.  Read more here.

Barbara Ray has been volunteering is Alley Cat Advocates since 2012, when she brought cats in that she took over feeding when a neighbor moved. She started helping at the Big Fix. More recently, she volunteers most Saturdays during trap distribution as a trapping trainer. She gives caretakers instructions to properly trap with safety for the cats as her top priority. She also comes in to return calls every week. Caretakers enjoy talking with her about their cats when scheduling for TNR. She lives with 8 house cats and is a caretaker to 6 community [...]

2019 was an amazing year for Alley Cat Advocates. Our amazing team of staff and volunteers returned 7,766 calls in 2019. A total of 4,088 cats were helped by Alley Cat Advocates last year. Thank you to all of the caretakers, supporters and concerned community members that have made Louisville truly the safest place to be a community cat! See the breakdown of the data here.

The most common extra care procedure we perform on cats is dental care. Cats with dental problems usually require at least one if not more extractions of broken, painful teeth. This puts the costs of dental care from as much as $500 to over $1,000 depending on how extensive the procedure. Fortunately, most cats do very well after a dental, even if they loose multiple teeth. Your donation today means that cats like this one will continue to receive this care. This big male had just one broken tooth and is already back home with [...]

Alley Cat Advocates is excited to announce that the Bernice Barbour Foundation has awarded the organization a grant of $15,000.  These funds will go to support the spaying and neutering of cats in Jefferson County with a focus on those cats who make their home in the West End of the community. "Recognizing the need to humanely reduce the community cat population through spay and neuter efforts and by supporting our efforts where the need is greatest, the Bernice Barbour Foundation once again demonstrates their ability, as their mission statement makes clear, to make the [...]

Alley Cat Advocates, a Louisville-based, nationally recognized non-profit organization, held a ceremony today to celebrate its move to a new state-of-the-art facility. The new location will allow the group to expand and improve services as they help stabilize and lower Louisville’s stray cat population. The 21-year-old organization utilizes the accepted and proven method of Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR). Alley Cat Advocates joins numerous animal welfare organizations in taking a humane and efficient approach to managing the challenging number of outdoor cats living in Louisville. The new facility will be named The Karen and Hoyt Little Community Cat [...]

The winter 2020 edition of the Humane News, news for the friends and supporters of Alley Cat Advocates, is now available.  Click below to read up on all the exciting news! Humane News - Winter 2020

This cat came in with some dental issues and pillow pads on all four feet. Feline plasma cell pododermatitis, commonly called pillow pad or pillow foot, is a fairly uncommon disease that affects the foot pads. The cause is unknown and the disease is non-painful unless the pad is actually ulcerated or opened. The pads swell and are doughy or spongy in texture. Unfortunately, this cat has one paw that is ulcerated and will need treatment. Meanwhile, he is resting on soft, clean bedding and will be able to recover comfortably. Your continued donations make [...]