Stanislaus County launches large-scale spay-and-neuter effort to curb stray cat population

A new partnership in Stanislaus County aims to curb a growing stray cat population through a large-scale spay-and-neuter effort.

The Stanislaus Animal Services Agency (SASA) has teamed up with the Cat Network of Stanislaus County, using a $4,000 state grant to target one of the county's most overpopulated areas. The effort focuses on trapping, sterilizing and returning community cats - a strategy known as TNR.

"We need a village," said Lily Yap, SASA's director. " We just realized for these large-scale cases, we needed something more."

Officials say some areas in the county are home to hundreds of cats, with populations continuing to grow due to limited access to low-cost veterinary services.

The grant-funded effort runs through April 20, with the goal of fixing as many cats as possible before kitten season peaks.

Yap said the collaboration is already expanding what the agency can do.

"It has really allowed us to do so much more than either of us would have been able to do individually," Yap said. "I think the numbers I have here will actually have done 170 cats is planned by the end of April, which is just kind of the tip of the iceberg of what we ultimately want to do in collaboration with our community."

The partnership combines SASA's clinic space and staff with the Cat Network's trained trappers, allowing for more efficient scheduling and higher-volume surgeries.

Despite the progress, officials say the need remains significant, especially as kitten season approaches.

SASA is also working to expand services long-term, including efforts to fill a vacant veterinarian position that has limited the number of low-cost appointments available.