Alley Cat Allies: Care and Protection for Stray and Feral Cats

The only national advocacy organization in the US dedicated to the protection and humane treatment of cats, Alley Cat Allies was founded in 1990 by two women who saw that the needs of stray and feral cats were not being met by the animal control pound and shelter system. To end the killing of cats by pounds and shelters, they created educational materials and wrote step-by-step instructions on the care and protection of these felines. Alley Cat Allies was the first organization to introduce humane methods of feral cat care in America, particularly the practice of spaying and neutering entire colonies with Trap-Neuter-Return. The organization has since led the movement for the protection of outdoor cats and continues to fight against unnecessary killing, promote humane care, and educate the public about the lives of cats.

Headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland, Alley Cat Allies empowers veterinarians, activists, caregivers, non-profits, and policymakers nationwide with the tools and knowledge they need to practice and advocate for stray and feral cat care in their own communities. The organization has helped tens of thousands of people save and improve the lives of millions of felines, as well as inspired and assisted grassroots activists to start feral cat groups in their neighborhoods. Alley Cat Allies is solely responsible for bringing the humane treatment of cats into the national spotlight and has prompted America to better understand and respect them.

Today, Alley Cat Allies is the recognized authority on feral cats and has more than 500,000 supporters around the world. The organization is currently headed by president and co-founder Becky Robinson, who possesses years of experience in hands-on investigation and managing large-scale feral cat programs. She has advised veterinarians, organizations, and communities on the domestic cat species and has helped several neighborhoods launch or improve cat protection programs.