Colder temperatures are around the corner, OAA knows how difficult it can be to see cats outdoors and wonder what you can do to help. That’s why we are highlighting a book that introduces young readers to community cats and how we can best support them through teamwork and education. Read about Nobody’s Cats: How One Little Black Kitty Came in From the Cold by Valerie Ingram and Alistair Schroff.

Community cats. Some people love them, while others may not understand them or why they’re here. As the seasons change and concerns about outdoor animals grow, OAA wanted to highlight a book for adult readers that takes a closer look at community cats through one person’s journey into TNVR (trap-neuter-vaccinate-return), backed by research and real-world experience.

Apply for funding through the Community Cats Grants program, brought to you by our partners at United Spay Alliance. The Fall/Winter application deadline is August 31st. These matching grants are designed to help grassroots trap-neuter-return (TNR) organizations, rescue groups, and low-cost spay/neuter providers strengthen their fundraising efforts.

Ohio Animal Advocates is excited to introduce Erin Lawson, our Operations Director. After spending nearly a decade working directly with animals and the people who care for them, Erin has brought her experience to the policy side of animal welfare, where she's helping OAA expand its programs and advocacy efforts across Ohio.

Animal shelters across the country are continually seeking effective, humane ways to help cats while making the best use of limited resources. A newly updated Return-to-Field Handbook from Humane World for Animals, Neighborhood Cats, and Alley Cat Advocates provides a comprehensive roadmap for shelters looking to improve outcomes for community cats through return-to-field programs.

What if your old clothes, vintage finds, or unused household items could directly support lifesaving work for cats? That’s exactly what’s happening in Canton, Ohio.

In a recent conversation with Ohio Animal Advocates, Chris Riggi of Riggi Rescue shared how their newly launched resale shop, CLAWS (Cats’ Lives Are Worth Saving), is doing more than just raising funds. It’s building community, creating sustainability, and fueling Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) efforts on the ground.

At Ohio Animal Advocates, our board members bring a powerful mix of lived experience, professional expertise, and passion for animals. We sat down with Chris Riggi to talk about his journey, from grassroots rescue work to legislative advocacy, and how he’s working to create lasting change for animals across Ohio.

Across Ohio and the country, community cats are a visible, and often misunderstood, part of our neighborhoods. These cats didn’t appear overnight. They are the result of unsterilized populations, gaps in access to spay/neuter services, and a lack of coordinated community response.

When people step in to help by feeding outdoor cats, it can spark debate. But the truth is, feeding is only one piece of a much larger picture.

During a recent winter cold snap in Ohio, a man was cited for feeding stray cats. His intention was simple: keep them alive.

But the situation highlights a larger issue—one that communities across the country continue to grapple with: What happens when compassion collides with outdated or ineffective policies?

Elizabeth Finch’s Colony Tails: Lessons From the Alley is a tender, story-driven window into community cat life—told with the kind of quiet honesty that doesn’t sensationalize suffering, but also doesn’t look away from it. Rather than presenting colony management as a checklist or a debate, Finch centers what often gets lost in public conversation: the lived experience of outdoor cats and the complicated, deeply human relationships that form around them.

Cold weather doesn’t mean Trap-Neuter-Return has to stop. With the right preparation, winter can be a safe and effective time to continue helping community cats—often with fewer complications than during warmer months.

If you’re planning TNR during winter, a few thoughtful adjustments can make all the difference for the cats’ comfort and safety.

If your organization is working to humanely manage community cats through Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) and is ready to grow its impact, we have exciting news: the Summerlee Sustainable Solutions Grant Program is now accepting applications!