Read on for the story of five encampment cats rescued just in time, how you can help as a volunteer clinic driver, and all the details on our upcoming Cuddles & Crafts event!

Encampments don’t just provide shelter for people—they also become home to cats. These cats arrive on their own, drawn by food sources and the security of human presence. In return, they help control rodent populations and, for many folks, offer much-needed companionship. Over time, an unspoken relationship forms: the people provide food and shelter, and the cats provide comfort and protection in their own way.

At Alley Cat Project, we recognize and support this bond. When we work in encampments, our goal is to help both the cats and the people who care for them. We provide food to support colony caretakers, assist folks who want to bring a bonded cat with them when they move to housing, and perform TNR (trap-neuter-return) to ensure feral cats remain healthy while keeping the population under control. When we come across friendly, unclaimed cats, we place them in foster care and adopt them out.

Many of the encampments we have helped now have fully managed cat colonies, with every cat remaining on site spayed or neutered. Recently, the people living at one such encampment were able to secure housing—and even better, they were able to bring their cats with them! With the people and their cats gone, five unowned cats remained: three orange tabbies and two black cats. Thanks to the care they had received from their human caretakers, they were semi-socialized and comfortable around people.

 

With only three days’ notice, we learned that a government agency planned to bulldoze the site, putting these cats in immediate danger.We knew we needed a plan to get these cats indoors, but we didn’t realize just how fast we would have to act. 

Volunteers Morgan and Emersen were able to get to the site quickly and begin the difficult work of trapping. It took hours over two days, as these cats had been trapped before and were understandably wary. But despite the challenge, all five made it to safety just in time!

 

Now in foster care, they are adjusting well. Thanks to the care they received from the people at the encampment, they aren’t afraid of humans—just new to things like litter boxes! They’re settling in quickly and learning the comforts of indoor life.

This emergency rescue is just one part of our ongoing commitment to encampment cats. We believe in keeping people and their pets together whenever possible, and we make sure that no cat—whether feral, friendly, or somewhere in between—is left behind.

 

 

Want to make a direct impact on cat rescue? We’re looking for volunteer drivers to help transport cats to and from their spay/neuter appointments!

 

Here’s how you can help:
🐾 Monday Morning Drivers: Every Monday, we need drivers to pick up cats  at 2-3 locations in Seattle and drop them off at the Feral Cat Spay/Neuter Project in Lynnwood.
🐾 Monday Afternoon Drivers: Pick up cats after their spay/neuter surgeries and return them to their  pickup points.
🐾 Long-Distance Drivers (primarily during kitten season or high-volume times): When we have 20+ cats, we need drivers to transport them to and from The NOAH Center in Stanwood. These trips happen in the early morning, with pick-up times in the mid-to-late afternoon. You can help the cats either in the morning or afternoon or both if you're up for it! 
 

We rotate drivers based on availability, so you don’t need to commit every week. All cats travel in secure carriers, so messes are contained – and the meowing chorus is complimentary!

Are you an early riser or have afternoon availability? 

Life feeling a little hectic? Take a paws and unwind with an afternoon of kitten cuddles and cat toy crafting at family-friendly Ravenna Brewing

 

Whether you're a craft enthusiast or just here for the cuddles, our Cuddles & Crafts event is the perfect way to spend the day. For a $25 donation, enjoy a guided cat toy craft while snuggling some of our sweetest foster kittens. The craft is so simple, even kids can do it—though little paws may need adult supervision. Take your creation home for your own cat or donate it to a foster kitten in need—all while supporting our life-saving work!

 

No advance tickets necessary – just show up, and we'll get you crafting and cuddling!

 

Thanks to our generous hosts, Ravenna Brewing will donate $1 per pint sold to Alley Cat Project—every sip helps save lives!

 

Thank you for helping us save Seattle cats and kittens.