Nonprofit To Spay/Neuter A Thousand Cats In Norristown

NORRISTOWN, PA — A local animal rescue organization will trap, sterilize, and vaccinate a thousand feral and stray cats around Norristown for free, they announced this week.

Forgotten Cats, a nonprofit that operates around the Delaware Valley, received a grant for the program through PetSmart Charities. The goal of the operation is to reduce pet homelessness and the births of homeless kittens, while keeping the existing stray population as healthy as possible.

It's estimate that there are some 2,200 homeless cats in Norristown.

"A program like this one is much-needed in Norristown,” Felicia Cross, Executive Director of Forgotten Cats, said in a statement. "We routinely hear from residents who are concerned about cat overpopulation, and the Montgomery County SPCA reports that their highest area of intake for homeless cats in the county is Norristown. We’re grateful for PetSmart Charities’ support and excited to get started."

An unspayed female cat can multiple up to 20 cats within a year, creating a "ripple effect" of suffering, Cross added.

The organization said they will "humanely trap" the cats, transport them to their clinic, spay or neuter them, vaccinate them, and then transport them back to the exact spot where they were caught to be released.

They added that cats and kittens that seem friendly will be put up for adoption. The organization has 11 adoption centers.

Forgotten Cats provided this same service for 300 outdoor cats in Norristown, Upper Moreland, and Abington in 2018, thanks to a Petco grant.

Residents who notice or care for outdoor cats are encouraged to call Forgotten Cats at 215-219-8148 or fill out a TNVR request form online.

Image of Jekyllene via Justin Heinze