BELL COUNTY, Texas (KWTX) – According to PETA, there are between 60 million and 100 million feral or stray cats in the United States.
In Killeen, mobile home parks in particular can see large numbers of feral cats as people move in and leave their furry friends.
The large number of feral cats across the country and in central Texas is why Cody Courtain started Snip and Tip, an organization that neuters and neuters feral cat populations.
Neutering helps reduce fighting and breeding of stray cats.
“We don’t want more homeless outdoor cats, so reduce that and continue to have healthier outdoor cats that the community can help care for,” Courtain said.
Snip and Tip serves Bell and Coryell counties. Once the cats are neutered and neutered, they are returned to where they came from. Volunteers like Lisa Lindo help feed feral cats once they’ve been released.
“Tenants call me the cat lady and I have to be really careful because they go in and out of my legs,” Lindo said.
It’s a community-wide effort to ensure homeless cats are captured, taken to surgery appointments, released and fed.
“Without the work we are doing, these cats would enter the shelter system and unfortunately euthanasia would most likely be the result,” Courtain said.
Snip and Tip is asking for cash donations to help cover surgery costs and cat food to feed stray cats. The organization also needs more volunteers, especially someone to feed the cats at Temple.
To donate or volunteer, visit the organization’s Facebook group and contact Courtain.
Copyright 2022 KWTX. All rights reserved.