Mid-Cities volunteers trap, treat and return feral cats to their colonies

Irma Griffith cares for a colony of about 30 cats in her Haltom City backyard. The cats began arriving after her dog died a few years ago. Rather than manage the colony alone, she connected with Mid-Cities Community Cats, a nonprofit that traps feral cats, provides medical care and returns them to the places they came from. After the group helped with her colony, Griffith became one of its volunteers.

The approach can seem backward at first. If a group wants to protect feral cats, why not take them to a shelter? Co-founder Connie Stout, who started the group in 2014, says the goal of trap-neuter-vaccinate-return is to control feral populations and reduce suffering. Spaying and neutering also cuts down on nuisance behavior such as yowling and spraying, according to the group's own description of the method.

Here is how it works in practice. A cat is lured into a humane trap, usually with food. Next it goes to a partner clinic, where staff check for a microchip in case the animal belongs to someone, then neuter it and vaccinate it. The cat receives a tipped ear, a clear signal to caregivers that it has already been fixed. Then it goes back to its home turf.

The group typically serves 800 to 1,000 cats a year. It is an all-volunteer organization that works across seven suburban cities between Dallas and Fort Worth, including Hurst, Euless, Bedford and North Richland Hills. Its greatest need is funding for spay-neuter surgeries and medical care, along with traps, supplies and food for cats recovering after surgery.

This story is based on original reporting by Andy Lusk of KERA, republished by the Fort Worth Report.