Outdoor cats are not a new phenomenon—they have existed alongside people for at least 10,000 years—around the time of the pyramids. “Community Cats” is a term used to describe outdoor, unowned, free-roaming cats. These cats could be friendly, feral, adults, or kittens. They may or may not have a caregiver who provides food and medical care.

Community cats are members of the same species as pet cats—and are protected under state animal anti-cruelty laws. Community cats have a home—outdoors in the community. They live and thrive in every landscape, from the inner city to rural farmland. 

Are there stray and feral cats in your neighborhood? Do you want to help them? Be part of the solution. Santa Rosa County approaches population management of outdoor community cats in a proven humane manner known as Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR). Under the TNR program, community cats are spayed or neutered, vaccinated and returned to their original habitat. TNR prevents the birth of unwanted kittens in the community, reduces the hormone caused nuisance behaviors associated with cats not spayed or neutered, vaccinates the cats for public health and reduces the number of cats euthanized in animal shelters. 

SRCAS Community Cat Program

SRCAS offers the Community Cat program, which allows Santa Rosa County residents to assist in managing the community cat population at low to no costs. Participants of the program must be Santa Rosa County residents and can register up to three community cats per appointment. 

Cats must be at least three months of age, outdoor, unowned, free-roaming cats to be eligible for the program. In addition to neuter/spay, cats will receive a rabies vaccination and ear tip. A tipped ear indicates that a community cat has been altered.

Santa Rosa County residents can register community cats by making an appointment with the shelter at (850) 983-4680. Appointments are available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Residents are responsible for trapping and transporting cats to and from the Santa Rosa County Animal Shelter, 4451 Pine Forest Road in Milton. Cats must be secured in a humane trap. Traps are available to rent from SRCAS, renters will be charged $65 to take a trap and will be refunded once the trap is returned.

FREE neuter/spay appointments are only available based on funding availability, appointments may be scheduled months out.