Atlantic City Boardwalk Cats Project is a Model Program for TNR #GlobalCatDay

This past July I was disappointed that I couldn’t attend the Best Friends Animal Society national conference in Atlantic City, New Jersey.  I had found out about it too late and I just wasn’t able to swing it. But when Alley Cat Allies announced they were holding tours of their famed Boardwalk Cat Project in conjunction with the conference I was a happy cat lady! Early on a Sunday morning my boyfriend and I took the 2 ½ hour road trip to Atlantic City to meet the Boardwalk Cats. (Lucky for me he’s a cat man, so it didn’t take much convincing for him to join me.) Since today is Global Cat Day, I thought it was the perfect time to share my experience with you. 

We got to visit three of the 15 colonies on the Boardwalk. The tour started with Alice Burton who is the Associate Director of Animal Shelter and Animal Control Engagement. Alice told us that since Alley Cat Allies started TNR on the Boardwalk in 2000, there has been a 72% natural decrease in the community cat population. (There are currently 89 cats.)  This is proof that TNR is effective in stabilizing a community cat population! This highly successful project is the model of success with cats and TNR. 

We also met Frank Hoopes, one of the volunteers, on our first stop. Frank’s love for the cats is not only genuine, it’s infectious. Hearing Frank speak about each cats’ unique personalities made me want to pick them up and hug them! Three cats live in the first colony we visited; Big Red, Rosie and Mosie. Big Red was abandoned (which is illegal) and two years ago was absolutely petrified. Frank was able to gain his trust and today Big Red will sit in his lap! Aside from becoming very affectionate, Big Red has bonded with Rosie and Mosie and the three are a family. 

I didn’t get to see Mosie, but here is Rosie.

The biggest takeaway for me from Alice’s talk was the fact that she encouraged everyone to use the term “community cats” vs. “feral cats”. Not all cats in a colony are necessarily feral. Some are strays, some could have wandered off from their homes, and sadly, many are abandoned.  Alice also had the group repeat “Trap, Neuter, Return” and reminded us the “R” is not “Release” – cats are “Returned” to their colony - their home, where they belong. 




On our next stop at the second colony we met Daniel Lopez, Outreach and National Help Desk Specialist. Daniel told us “the National Help Desk is the front line for people who want to “do right about cats.” I didn’t know this hotline existed and will have to put this in my toolbox of knowledge. Six cats live in this colony, but they didn’t come out during our visit.

Daniel told us that the 30 volunteers (who work a combined 160 hours a month) are the eyes and ears of the colonies. Volunteers come to the colonies equipped with food, fresh water, and first aid kits. 

But they do more than just feed the cats; they monitor their health and anytime something out of the ordinary is observed, the volunteers contact Alley Cat Allies immediately so the cat can get the required care as soon as possible. But the most important thing the volunteers give the cats is love and kindness. 

It’s policy that the cats are not removed from the community or their colonies because within the colony there is a social structure and the cats rely on each other. Sometimes the populations shift on their own, but the cats are never relocated by staff or volunteers. One of the original colonies was retired because there was only one cat left. Sally, the last cat in that colony, decided to migrate to another colony and then hers was retired. 


 

The last stop on the tour was with Matt Wildman, Senior Programs Manager and Cat Behavior Expert who spoke about the success of the Atlantic City Boardwalk Cats Project. In 2000 there were two colonies that had 50+ cats, and today there are only nine cats in those colonies. This was achieved through TNR and kittens getting adopted. Kittens have not been born in many years, and the remaining cats are all in their teens, with the average age being 12 – 19. (Big Red, eight years old, is the youngest cat.) 

There is a challenge when it comes to feeding the cats. It’s not rats or possums – it’s pigeons, who eat the cats’ food. Alley Cat Allies solved the problem by creating these feeding stations. 

What a great idea! 

A few people in the group had some questions, which included immunizations, flea protection, and medications. All cats receive an initial rabies vaccine which assists in creating herd immunity. The colony is immune as they are not exposed to other animals because there is water on one side of them and a street on the other. The volunteers have bonded with the cats and have gained their trust so they are able to administer flea protection monthly. And regarding medications, a cat named Franklin needed to be pilled every day and a volunteer was able to do this. 

One of the biggest questions on the group’s mind was about the cats’ safety during Hurricane Sandy. We were relieved to hear that during the storm the water didn’t go over the dunes and the cats were safe. I had never heard of the Boardwalk cats until Sandy and I remember being so relieved when I saw a photo on Facebook of the cats approaching one of the volunteers after the storm. The devastation of Sandy was like nothing we had ever seen in this area, and I commend the volunteers for continuing their efforts during that time. 

Then came the fun part! We got to go down on the beach and meet the colony!  I believe nine cats live in this colony, and we got to meet Smokey, Poo, Mr Meow and Groucho. 

Smokey

Mr. Meow

Groucho

Poo

The Boardwalk Cats are very much a part of the community and are listed as one of the Top Ten Reasons to visit Atlantic City on Trip Advisor. They also have fans. One of the participants on the tour had a photo of a cat named Jeannie and was looking forward to seeing her again. Unfortunately, Jeannie passed away in March at approximately 16 from cancer. And Ripley spends his days at a Boardwalk store named Fashion Island. Ripley is affectionately called “Boo Boo” by the store owner and is very much loved and treated like family. 

The Boardwalk Cats Project is a Model Program that proves TNR works! As I mentioned before, the cat population has naturally declined by 72% over the years, which is an impressive number. Thanks to the love and care the cats get from the volunteers and staff, they live happy, very long lives. (The oldest cat is Inky, at 19.) A few things stood out to me on the tour: the cats look well cared for; they look happy, and it’s evident they are loved. Just look at these photos of Frank and Groucho: 

Can you guess what the highlight of the day was for me? No, I didn't hit the jackpot in the casino. I hit a jackpot of a different kind - I got to pet Groucho! He strolled out from under the Boardwalk to greet the crowd and was in his element. 

 
More and more towns and cities are endorsing TNR. Currently, more than 575 municipalities have joined the movement and have developed policies and ordinances supporting TNR. This makes me happy and sad at the same time. I’m overjoyed that cats are being saved from harsh lives on the street and are getting the respect they deserve. It also makes me sad because my neighborhood, and many I work in as well, have a large population of community cats. They do not look as well cared for as the Atlantic City Boardwalk Cats (because they are not), and the majority live their lives in fear. I live in an urban area and I cringe every time I see a community cat cross the street. 

With a turnout of 85 people, Allie Cat Allies first guided tour of the Atlantic City Boardwalk Cats Project was a success! I had a great time and I’m so glad I was able to go. It was definitely worth the four hour (yes, four hour!) drive home in traffic. My dream is for all communities to embrace a TNR project like Atlantic City.

You can read more about the project here and more about the cats here.  Follow Alley Cat Allies on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook to stay up to date on all of their activities. 

What do you think of the project? 

Dawn