OPERATION CATNIP is a nonprofit organization that operates a high- volume, no-charge clinic at which feral and stray cats are spayed/neutered and vaccinated. Founded in 1994 in Raleigh, North Carolina, Operation Catnip has subsequently expanded to Gainesville, Florida in 1998 and Richmond, Virginia in 2001. Our Raleigh and Gainesville chapters also operate outreach programs where feral and stray cats are sterilized at local veterinary clinics with a small co-pay from the caretaker (click here for more details on the Outreach program.) Our clinics are run entirely by volunteers (veterinarians, vet technicians and other trained volunteers) and are capable of sterilizing over 200 cats in a matter of hours. All cats have the tip of their left ear cropped which identifies the cat as sterilized.

OPERATION CATNIP WILL:

• Sterilize feral and unfriendly stray cats from Alachua County
• Provide routine vaccinations at the time of surgery
• Permanently crop the left ears of sterilized cats
• Lend out humane traps for capturing and transporting cats to the clinic

OPERATION CATNIP WILL NOT:

• Sterilize owned pets or strays adopted by the finder
• Sterilize cats that will be placed in sanctuaries or shelters
• Accept cats for adoption
• Relocate cats
• Participate in cat trapping for euthanasia
• Participate in cat trapping for release to animal shelters

WHAT ARE FERAL CATS? Feral cats are the offspring of stray or abandoned household pets. Raised without human contact, they quickly revert to a wild nature and form colonies where food and shelter are available. Feral cats make up a large portion of the cats euthanized at animal shelters.

TRAP-NEUTER-RETURN The plight of feral cats has captured the hearts of animal lovers for many years, but only recently has a non-lethal option for their control become available. Called a Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) program, this humane alternative involves spaying or neutering feral cats, then returning them to their colonies were they are looked after and fed by caretakers. This solution successfully decreases the population, reduces birth rates and improves the overall health of the colony. Performed on a large scale, the success of such programs is felt at animal shelters where fewer cats are admitted for euthanasia.

SPAY AND NEUTER CLINIC Operation Catnip holds monthly spay-neuter clinics, where a team of over seventy-five volunteers, comprised of veterinarians, veterinary students, veterinary technicians, and others sterilize up to two hundred and fifty cats in a few hours. All cats also receive a vaccination against rabies, feline leukemia, feline distemper, and two other viruses (Rabies & FVRCP-FeLV). Operation Catnip permanently crops the left ear of all cats altered in the no-cost clinic. The cropped left ear identifies each cat as stray and sterile. Click here for photos of our clinics