What is a Community Cat?

A community free-roaming cat is a cat that lives outdoors and has no single owner but is cared for by the community. These cats may be feral (unsocialized to humans), semi-feral, or friendly strays that rely on food, shelter, and care provided by residents, businesses, or dedicated caregivers.

Community free-roaming cats are often part of established colonies and may have been abandoned, lost, or born outside. Many of these cats are managed through Trap-Neuter-Vaccinate-Return (TNVR) programs, where they are humanely trapped, spayed or neutered, vaccinated, and returned to their outdoor homes. A fixed community cat will have an ear tip—a small, painless removal of the tip of one ear—which serves as a universal sign that the cat has been sterilized and does not need to be trapped again.

TNVR helps stabilize the population, improves the health of the cats, and reduces behaviors associated with mating, such as fighting and yowling. By supporting community free-roaming cats through TNVR, ongoing care, and responsible colony management, we can create a more humane and sustainable solution for outdoor cats while preventing overpopulation and protecting local wildlife.

KPP practices targeted TNVR — a program in which cats living outside in the community are humanely trapped, sterilized, vaccinated, and released back to their outdoor homes. In an effort to make the biggest impact for cats and kittens in need, we focus our TNVR efforts on areas which have data showing the greatest need of sterilization services.

LLF pulls data from local shelters to determine which neighborhoods have the highest number of cat/kitten intakes or deceased cats picked up by animal control.  Targeting these “Hot Spot” areas allows us to directly reduce shelter intake and, in turn, reduce needless euthanasia at the shelter. Targeted TNVR also allows us to reduce the spread of deadly feline disease and allows us to measure the impact of our TNVR work in the community. And that, is how our Community Cat Project was formed —

Program Purpose and Goal:

The goal of the Community Cat Program is to reduce the number of kittens being born on the streets, limit the spread of disease, and decrease the number of kittens entering the shelter system through TNVR (Trap-Neuter-Vaccinate-Return). We empower and equip the community to play an active role in the process. By doing so, we hope to create an environment where community cats thrive. This approach not only benefits the cats but also fosters greater community engagement and support for animal welfare in our community. Through education and collaboration, we can ensure that community cats receive the care they need while promoting a healthier ecosystem for cats in Long Beach

Service Area:

At this time, our program is only available for community cats (free roaming, outdoor cats) located in the following cities:

• Long Beach

• Signal Hill

• Los Alamitos

• Cerritos

Services Offered:

• All cats will receive spay/neuter, vaccinations, flea treatment, and ear tip

• Trap rental

• Training and guidance

TNVR is the ONLY humane solution to the problem of community cat overpopulation.

How do you get help with TNVR?

We understand there is a huge need for spay and neuter of outdoor cats in the communities we serve and limited resources available to get it done.  However, due to limited funds, surgery appointments and volunteer availability, we unfortunately cannot help everyone requesting TNVR services and priority will be given to our service “Hot Spot” areas. We know TNVR may seem intimidating, but YOU can play an important role in reducing the community cat population yourself. Keep reading for more TNVR resources which may be available to you.