Orange County Nonprofits Lead Charge to Curb Feral Cat Overpopulation

Local animal advocacy groups take on trap, neuter and release programs as county-run shelter refuses to address growing stray cat crisis.

Apr. 17, 2026 at 12:55pm

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A softly focused photograph of a stray cat resting on a porch or sidewalk, with a hazy, out-of-focus background that conveys a sense of the everyday presence of community cats in local neighborhoods.Local nonprofits work to provide care and stability for the thousands of stray cats roaming Orange County neighborhoods.Stanton Today

Thousands of stray cats across Orange County are reproducing uncontrollably each year, overwhelming local shelters and rescue groups. While the county-run animal shelter only accepts sick, injured or underaged cats, nonprofits and residents dedicated to animal advocacy are continually fighting for help to address local cat overpopulation issues - often through trap, neuter and release (TNR) programs.

Why it matters

The lack of a comprehensive TNR program in Orange County has led to a growing crisis, with the county shelter euthanizing over 1,600 cats last year. Local nonprofits are stepping up to fill the void, but they face an uphill battle without more support from government agencies.

The details

Nonprofits like The Kitty Connect and Meowtopia are leading the charge on TNR, providing services to spay, neuter and vaccinate 20-80 cats per month. However, the county-run OC Animal Care shelter refuses to offer TNR, citing it as illegal animal abandonment. This has forced the burden onto private organizations, which struggle to keep up with the scale of the problem. Meanwhile, surrounding counties like Los Angeles and San Diego have reinstated successful TNR programs in recent years.

  • In 2025, OC Animal Care brought in over 7,000 cats and kittens, with 128 dying in care and 1,629 euthanized.
  • In December 2020, the City of Los Angeles reinstated its TNR program after over a decade of legal troubles, now funding the neutering and spaying of 20,000 cats per year.
  • In 2024, the San Diego Humane Society's Community Cat Program was allowed to continue after making changes to address legal challenges.

The players

The Kitty Connect

A local nonprofit dedicated to catch and release services and rehabilitation for homeless cats, providing TNR for 30-80 cats per month.

Meowtopia

A nonprofit founded in 2023 that focuses on providing TNR services in the Anaheim, Santa Ana and Stanton areas, TNRing 20-30 cats per week.

Courtney Hatzenbuhler

An Orange County animal advocate who runs The Kitty Connect.

Somer Traylor

The founder of Meowtopia, leading a team focused on TNRing as many homeless cats as possible every week.

OC Animal Care

The county-run animal shelter that only accepts sick, injured or underaged cats, and does not offer TNR services.

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What they’re saying

“There are some people in the general public and some organizations that don't believe in TNR. They don't believe in trapping, neutering and vaccinating a feral cat just for it to return back outdoors.”

— Courtney Hatzenbuhler, Orange County animal advocate

“Me and my little group, we just really focus on TNRing as many cats as we can every single week. I would say every week we get at least 20 to 30 cats TNR.”

— Somer Traylor, Founder of Meowtopia

“The county needs to provide low-cost spay and neuter for owned pets. The majority of these cats that end up on the streets, obviously they have kittens and kittens until they're fixed.”

— Somer Traylor, Founder of Meowtopia

What’s next

Advocates are calling for Orange County to reinstate a comprehensive TNR program, similar to the successful models in neighboring counties, in order to address the growing feral cat overpopulation crisis.

The takeaway

While local nonprofits are working tirelessly to curb feral cat breeding through TNR programs, the lack of support from the county-run animal shelter has left them overwhelmed and underfunded. Addressing this crisis will require a collaborative effort between government agencies and community organizations to provide the necessary resources and services.