The Animal Rescue League of Boston’s (ARL) Community Cats Program provides care for hundreds of community cats from throughout the Commonwealth of Massachusetts on an annual basis, but as we get into the warmer months, ARL is seeing more and more of the most vulnerable – kittens born in the wild.

Dedicated to Making a Difference

ARL is the only large animal welfare organization in Massachusetts with a dedicated agent working with community cats.

Working throughout the state, ARL’s Community Cat Agent will identify and assess a colony of cats, and formulate a trap-neuter-return (TNR) plan for each situation.

Once the cats are humanely trapped, they are transported to an ARL Animal Care and Adoption Center where they receive medical treatment, including vaccines and spay/neuter surgery, and are also assessed behaviorally to determine adoption potential.

Since its inception in 2017, the program has assisted well over 3,000 community cats, and the need to help these animals has increased every year of the program – and as we get into the warmer months of the year, kittens are being born in great numbers and are extremely vulnerable to the elements, predators, illness and injury, among other threats.

Tansy and Posie

Tansy and Posie are a sibling pair of female kittens, and former community cats, recently taken in by ARL.

Former community cats Tansy and Posie.

A family in Rochester, MA, began noticing a group of cats on their property, and over time began to care for the animals by providing food and also outdoor cat shelters – but they also began to notice an abundance of kittens being born.

Doing some online research, the family discovered ARL’s Community Cat Program.

“When I called ARL’s Dedham branch, I cannot tell you the relief I had when they offered their assistance!” said Sarah Aanensen. “I wanted so badly to help these cats but knew there was no way to afford to get all these feral cats vet care that they so badly needed.”

Sarah began to humanely trap the cats, and Tansy and Posie were brought to ARL’s Dedham Animal care and Adoption Center.

While too young to be made available for adoption, the kittens have spent several weeks in foster care and are getting stronger by the day!

In a few weeks the kittens will be spayed, vaccinated, and will then find their perfect homes!

How You Can Help Community Cats (and Kittens)

Join us for this year’s Kitten Shower, as we bring awareness of the reality of kitten season and rally support to help fragile babies like Tansy and Posie.

This is your chance to help kittens get the chance they deserve at a safe and healthy life in a home.

Here’s how:

    1. Make a gift today to provide kittens and cats with the care they need – Gifts of $100 or more will be recognized on the Kitten Kuddler Wall of Honor
    2. Send critically-needed supplies from our Kitten Shower Registry directly to those in need
    1. Help spread the word by voting and sharing our Cutest Kitten (or Cat) Photo Contest

Your support can mean the difference between a challenging life outdoors and a happy, secure home for these vulnerable animals.