Community Cats
FOUND A CAT?
The Community Cat program is for free-roaming, outdoor cats that do not have owners. We only accept cats Sunday – Thursday; holidays may affect these dates. Cats must be in a secure trap or carrier when brought to the shelter. Please fill out the form completely and a photo ID is required for check-in at the shelter. Kittens less than 8 weeks old should be left alone as mom is more than likely caring for them. For more information on found kittens, visit our page www.SaveTheKittensEP.com.
Schedule your appointment below:
Make an appointment for EACH trapped cat by repeating the appointment process for additional cats. LIMIT: 5 cats per person/per day.
WHAT IS A COMMUNITY CAT?
Since 2016, the City of El Paso passed an ordinance allowing cats to be considered “free roaming.” El Paso Animal Services promotes and follows the Community Cat Program as a humane and non-lethal approach to long term free-roaming cat population control. Community Cats are often semi-friendly or unfriendly cats that wouldn’t be suitable for adoption into homes, and are already considered free-roaming. Don’t worry, Community Cats are already used to living outside and are happier this way!
Cats that go through the Community Cat program are spayed/neutered, have their ear tip clipped to symbolize they have been through the program, vaccinated and returned to the community they were brought from.
HOW CAN I GET INVOLVED?
If you are noticing that you have unaltered/unvaccinated community cats in your area, or if you continue to see litters of kittens in your area, we encourage you to participate in our lifesaving Community Cat Program. Contact us today to find out more information:
Email: communitycats@elpasotexas.gov
Office: (915) 212-8719
Work Cell: (915) 549-1502
Community Cat Drop Off: Sunday through Thursday, 11 am to 6 pm
(hours subject to change on holidays)
*CATS MUST BE BROUGHT IN A TRAP OR CARRIER
If contact cannot be made or is being attempted during non-working hours, please leave a voicemail or email and a response will be returned as soon as possible.
FOUND KITTENS?
Visit Save the Kittens EP for more information on how to help kittens. Kittens from birth to eight weeks: Kittens do best when raised by their mothers. If you find a litter of healthy, young kittens in a safe place, such as a yard, the best thing you can do is to leave them alone. If they’re healthy, it means mom is nearby and will soon return to care for them.
If the kittens are dirty, ill, lethargic, thin or cold to the touch, and you’ve noticed mom hasn’t been back to check on them, that is the time to intervene. If you are able to foster them, but need assistance, contact us at epasfoundpets@elpasotexas.gov. If you’re unable to foster them, please bring them to the shelter.
Kittens eight weeks to adult: If you find a stray cat or kitten that is friendly, you can bring it into the center where it will be spayed/neutered, vaccinated, and either placed for adoption or returned to the community through our Community Cat Program. If it’s an unfriendly cat, please contact our Community Cat Coordinator or Sun City Cats for information and resources.
Want to learn more about what a Community Cat is and why the program works?
Learn More Here.
Humane Trapping Instructions
- Have a plan in place in order to limit the cat’s time spent in the trap.
- Limit trapping to cooler weather hours, such as nighttime and early morning.
- Do not leave trap unattended for more than two hours.
- Supply trapped cats with food.
- Cover trap during transport to reduce stress.
- Release cats at the same location they were trapped from.
- Release any trapped cats that are already ear-tipped, as they have already been sterilized and vaccinated.
Warehouse/Barn Cat Program
Thanks to their natural instincts, cats can provide a free and natural form of pest control for warehouses, stables, barns, farms and ranches. El Paso Animal Services often has less-socialized kitties come into the center year-round looking for a different kind of “forever home,” in terms of warehouses and barns, where they can live out their lives while also helping keep the rodent and insect population under control. Similar programs across the country have found success with this practice, and local barn owners praise the results of this program.
If you’re looking to “hire” a working warehouse or barn cat, adoption fees are free and warehouse cats come spayed/neutered, vaccinated and microchipped. Contact Karen Burden at (915) 212-8719 for more information.
Sun City Cats
The Department of Animal Services partners with Sun City Cats, the largest Trap-Neuter-Return advocacy group in the El Paso area. Sun City Cats is not a cat rescue but instead promotes humane cat population control, educates the community on peacefully co-existing with free-roaming cats, and aids individuals as well as other rescue organizations to organize and handle community cat programs in their own neighborhoods. Sun City Cats is the liaison between veterinarians, individuals, community groups, cat fosters, and the City’s Department of Animal Services. To learn how you can volunteer, become a colony manager , or become a foster, please contact Sun City Cats at help@suncitycats.org or (915) 472-4926.
