Humane Fort Wayne operates entirely on the generosity of animal lovers in our community. Humane Fort Wayne is a no-kill shelter! Humane Fort Wayne is 100% donor-funded.
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Community Cats

Community Cat Package

We offer a $45 Community Cat Package which includes a spay/neuter surgery, Rabies vaccine, microchip, pain medication, and mandatory ear tip. This package is intended for free-roaming, unowned cats only.

Community Cat Appointment Scheduling

Please request a community cat appointment by filling out the form below. THIS REQUEST DOES NOT GUARANTEE YOUR APPOINTMENT WILL BE APPROVED. Requests are processed in the order received. Due to space/availability, we may not be able to approve every request. Thank you!

  • Drop off at 7:30 a.m.
  • Pick up same day at 3:45 p.m.
  • Each client may bring up to two (2) cats. A $20 deposit is required for 3 or more cats.
  • It is MANDATORY for each cat to be in its own humane live trap. *Community cats that are not in a trap will be charged an additional $10 transfer fee/equipment fee. We offer FREE trap rentals at our clinic on a limited basis for pending appointments with a signed rental agreement.
  • No food past midnight the night before (keep indoors the night before if possible).
  • Holidays and inclement weather may affect our schedule.
  • This package is intended for free-roaming, unowned cats only. To spay/neuter a pet cat, please schedule an appointment.

Have additional questions? Please email [email protected] or call 260-440-8699 and leave a message. 

Humane Fort Wayne Community Cats logo

Humane Fort Wayne’s Community Cat Program aims to improve the lives of community cats in our region by reducing shelter death; improving health; and reducing overpopulation. We do this by offering low-cost spay/neuter of community cats to the public, engaging in targeted TNR projects throughout our community, and providing education and outreach to our community to increase awareness of community cats, how best to care for them, and the services that are available to help them.

What are Community Cats?

  • Community cats are free-roaming cats with no identifiable owner. They are typically not adoptable.
  • Community cats have a home: they live outdoors, thriving in every landscape, from the inner city to rural farmland.
  • An estimated 80,000 free-roaming felines live in our region and have to fend for themselves.
  • Unaltered community cats reproduce at an alarming rate, driving up overpopulation and shelter intakes.
  • Community cats entering shelters drain already limited resources and take up space.
  • Targeted trapping, spay/neuter, and release (“TNR”) of free-roaming cats is the only effective humane method to address these concerns.

What is an Ear-Tip?

Ear-tipping is a nationally recognized way to identify sterilized and vaccinated cats. It is difficult to get close to some community cats; so the identification must be visible from a distance. Immediate visual identification is necessary to prevent an unnecessary second trapping and surgery. This is done while the cat is under anesthesia. Ear-tipping removes the top 1/3 of the left ear.

The Vacuum Effect

Catching and killing feral cats is the traditional approach for feral cats. Catch and kill attempts may temporarily reduce the number of feral cats in a given area, but two things happen: intact survivors continue to breed, and other cats move in to the now-available territory. This is a phenomenon known as the vacuum effect, and it is documented worldwide.

With TNR, there are no more kittens; the population stabilizes. And the returned neutered cats’ lives are improved. Behaviors and stresses associated with pregnancy and mating, such as yowling or fighting, stop.

Community Cat Resources

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Hours & Locations

SHELTER:
4914 S. Hanna Street
Fort Wayne, Indiana 46806
Phone: 260 744-0454

SHELTER HOURS:
Monday: CLOSED
Tuesday–Friday: 11AM–6PM
Saturday–Sunday: 11AM–4PM

CLINIC:
1333 Maycrest Drive
Fort Wayne, Indiana 46805
Phone: 260 420-7729

CLINIC BUSINESS HOURS:
Monday–Friday: 8AM-5PM
Saturday–Sunday: CLOSED
Click here for Walk-In Wellness Hours!