Partner Profile: The Together Initiative for Community Cats

Partner Profile: The Together Initiative for Community Cats

OAA is very proud to introduce The Together Initiative for Community Cats! OAA and Together Initiative will be conducting Community Cat Summits around the state in 2020.

Mission: The Together Initiative for Ohio’s Community Cats (Together Initiative) was established in 2016 for the purpose of promoting the non-lethal management of Ohio’s community (stray and feral) cats via trap-neuter-return (TNR). Together Initiative acts as a resource for all pertinent stakeholders including animal shelters, humane societies, TNR groups, rescue groups, colony caretakers, spay-neuter clinics, veterinarians, animal control agencies, and public officials. Together Initiative conducts public education and community outreach related to community cats and their management in order to encourage the understanding, acceptance, and use of TNR to reduce community cat populations, as well as to mitigate feline-human conflict. Whenever possible, Together Initiative facilitates collaboration among stakeholders and also advocates for public policy that is consistent with these objectives.

Together Initiative provides a number of services:

  • Maintains a website and a Facebook page that act as clearinghouses of information, training materials, research, and support
  • Manages a community cat stakeholder network for the purpose of facilitating potential partnerships and to demonstrate the strong commitment to TNR among Ohio’s community cat stakeholders
  • Hosts free public events, including:
    • Feral Cat Summits, at which expert speakers offer insights on subjects of interest to community cat stakeholders at all levels of experience
    • Team-Up for TNR Networking Events, at which stakeholders gather in a casual setting to ask questions, share ideas, and build new relationships
    • TNR Best Practice Workshops, at which attendees learn the ins and outs of conducting a successful trap-neuter-return program
  • Recognizes annually, via the Community Cat Champion Award, a network member (individual or organization) who is doing exceptional work on behalf of Ohio’s community cats
  • Provides expert advice and guidance on non-lethal management to Ohio municipalities that are considering enacting or revising ordinances impacting community cats
  • Responds to requests for information from network members and the general public 

Service area: State-wide

Learn more: For further information, see The Together Initiative website, FaceBook page, Twitter, or contact:
Mailing address: 4758 Ridge Road, #409, Cleveland OH 44144
Phone: (440) 212-9885
Email: communitycatsohio@gmail.com