Community Efforts to Tackle Feral Cats in Spring Grove

If you go for a walk along the Short Line Trail near Spring Grove, you’re likely to see some cats. This was my experience back during COVID. My family started going on walks to get out of the house, and we discovered the cats. Each night, we would walk by them. They were generally skittish, with the occasional friendly kitty. We took a particular liking to a litter of kittens that were living under a rock. We watched them grow up and become little nuisances day by day. Eventually, they were taken in and adopted.

A close-up of an orange cat peering through foliage in a wooded area.

To most people, having cats around seems like a good thing. Everybody likes seeing cats by the trails. What’s not to love? In reality, upwards of a hundred strays might not seem like a problem, but having a surplus of feral cats is actually quite harmful to the environment. They are directly responsible for the extinction of numerous species. Spring Grove and the surrounding area have had a cat problem for over 50 years. It is a perfect area for a cat colony: there is ample wildlife, abandoned buildings to hide in, and a lack of regulation. The issue is only made worse whenever people drop off their unwanted cats in the area. Various one-off attempts to neuter or adopt cats happened sporadically, but it was not until 2014 that Spring Grove began addressing the issue.

A calico cat sitting on the ground among fallen leaves, with some feeding kibble visible nearby.

They worked with Baltimore County Animal Patrol and began a program called TNR (Trap, Neuter, Release). To make this successful a group of volunteers, who were majority from the community, set up multiple feedings stations to get the cats on a routine. Once the cats started appearing at the stations every day to feed, the volunteers were able to trap them there. Once trapped, the cats were spayed or neutered and given various shots, like rabies and leukemia. After a few days they were re-released back into the area. Since they are unable to mate, they don’t attract new cats or produce more. This process is crucial in stopping feral cat colonies from growing too large. The shots also protect the colony from spreading rabies.

Two cats resting among foliage and fallen leaves along a trail.

In five years, 76 cats have been caught, neutered, and released, according to a social media group that tracks the population. The colony now has around 90 known strays. On top of this, 66 kittens have been caught and given homes. The volunteers also built many cat shelters for them and regularly look for homes willing to adopt. This process is still ongoing and is run entirely by volunteers. They have raised over 10,000 dollars to keep feeding the cats and finding them homes. They have become beloved in the community and are a source of unity. Since the project, Cats on the Grove, is volunteer-run, everybody who helps truly wants to be there. There is nothing to gain from helping other than the warm feeling of knowing that you helped make a difference for some cats. So next time you are walking by, say hi to the cats and remember all the work that the community put in to giving them better lives.