What we do
The Chattanooga Feral Cat Alliance is a non-profit organization that provides trap, neuter and return (known as TNR) services and education in the city of Chattanooga. TNR is the process of humanely trapping feral cats, bringing them to a clinic and having them spayed/neutered, vaccinated against rabies, and then having their left ear “tipped” to indicate that they’ve been fixed. Once recovered, the cats are returned to their original location.
We primarily serve near-downtown neighborhoods, but depending on availability and resources we’re occasionally able to help those in farther-out areas. We are always happy to provide guidance and how-to information to help you learn how to TNR in your neighborhood, no matter where you live. Please contact us if you’d like to request more information or our help with feral cats in your neighborhood.
Who we are
CHAFCA got its start in 2018 by Megan Morris after she came home one day to find an orange tabby sitting on her porch. He was skittish but looked hungry and cold, so she put food out for him. He continued to show up every day for more food, and one day she realized he was most definitely a boy cat.
While she was contemplating what to do about this guy, another cat showed up to eat on the porch. And then another. And then another. Now, as a person who loves cats, this was thrilling. Free cats! But Megan also knew this meant that soon kittens would be made. And with local shelters almost constantly at capacity and unable to accept kittens, she didn’t want to be responsible for more being born and having nowhere to go. So Megan talked with a neighbor about her porch cat situation, and it turned out the neighbor had been doing TNR for years. She loaned her a humane trap, explained the process, and the work began!
Once Megan’s own feral cat colony was stabilized, she began to offer to do the same for neighbors who also had feral cats around. Soon more neighbors started hearing about her work, and they sought her out for help. In less than a year she’d TNRd dozens of cats in the Highland Park neighborhood, but there were many more. Eventually folks from all over Chattanooga began asking for help, too, and it became clear that this was going to be an ongoing, concerted effort. So with the support of friends and neighbors, the Chattanooga Feral Cat Alliance was formed in January of 2019.
We are still a small organization, but we respond to requests for TNR services across the city of Chattanooga. In August of 2022 we were granted tax-exempt status by the IRS, and we’re now a registered 501(c)(3).
Our mission
To humanely reduce the overpopulation of feral and community cats through trap/neuter/return services and education.