Community Cats is a partnership between the Austin Animal Center and the Austin Humane Society to assist residents of Austin and unincorporated Travis County with free-roaming cats. The Community Cat program uses a method called Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) in which free-roaming cats are trapped by volunteers, spayed or neutered, and returned to the area in which they were found. Cats entering the program receive free Rabies vaccination, flea treatment, antibiotics and a place to rest and recover after spay/neuter surgery.
To request assistance with a free roaming cat or cat colony in your area, please email communitycats@austintexas.gov.
*We are currently experiencing a backlog of requests. Please anticipate a wait while we work to accommodate your needs.
Austin is home to thousands of community cats, otherwise known as free-roaming cats without identifiable owners. Community cats can be feral, semi-friendly, or even friendly. Here in Texas, kitten season is typically at its height between April and October. During these months, you’re more likely to come across kittens and notice an increased activity in free-roaming adult cats.
Use the visual guides on this page to help us save lives while we navigate City of Austin’s COVID-19 emergency protocol:
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Sick and injured cats and kittens of any age or cats in immediate danger: If you see a cat that is sick or injured (lethargic, limping badly, appears dehydrated or emaciated, has been hit by a car or has open wounds or sores), call 311 for Animal Protection. Animal Protection will continue to respond to high-priority calls which includes sick and injured animals.
Community Cat Medical Voucher program: we are proud to offer medical vouchers for community cats with a medical condition or injury which is not life threatening but is negatively impacting the cat’s quality of life. Email the Community Cats program at communitycats@austintexas.gov for more information about our medical voucher program. Vouchers are for unowned cats residing in the City of Austin or parts of Travis County which we serve. If you believe that the cat cannot wait for medical care, call 311.
Resources
- If mama cat hasn’t come back in 6-8 hours and you’ve determined that the kittens are orphaned, Kitten Lady has everything you need to get you up to speed. Fostering saves lives!
- Humane deterrents: FAQs and tips to reduce unwanted behaviors
- Best practices if you care for community cats in your neighborhood, including colony care
- Adopting an outdoor cat
- Indoor/outdoor pet cats
- Community cat shelters
For more information, email communitycats@austintexas.gov.