IndyHumane, Indy Neighborhood Cats work together to help Community Cats

May 14, 2021 | News

By sharing expertise and resources, this official partnership creates efficiencies and improved care for cats and kittens found in Indianapolis. 

When cats are found outside in Indianapolis, organizations like IndyHumane and Indy Neighborhood Cats (INC) get a call. While the two groups have worked together since INC’s inception in 2019, IndyHumane and Indy Neighborhood Cats are now official partners, providing more efficient processes to care for cats in need around Indianapolis. This will reduce duplication of efforts and overhead expenses while allowing both groups to provide care for cats and kittens found throughout the area.

“We are very excited for this collaboration,” said IndyHumane CEO David Horth. “By using both organizations’ expertise, we will be able to help even more cats. Indy Neighborhood Cats works primarily with outdoor cats or orphaned kittens, and IndyHumane has the medical capabilities and established network of foster families to find homes for those that are adoptable.”

During the spring and summer months, kittens are frequently found outside. These kittens often need constant care, supplemental nutrition, and socialization in an IndyHumane foster home before they can be spayed or neutered, vaccinated, and adopted into forever homes. If you find kittens, you can use this flowchart to help you decide what to do next. 

Many cats found outside are community cats who happily live outdoors and are cared for by a local citizen who provides food, water, shelter, and medical care when necessary. Indy Neighborhood Cat utilizes the trap, neuter, release method to help reduce Indy’s overall cat population while allowing these cats to live happy fulfilling lives. IndyHumane assists INC by providing medical care, such as dental cleanings and extractions, to community cats. 

Dawn Benefiel, Indy Neighborhood Cats Program Director, said of the partnership, “We’re going to continue doing what we do best- community cat services and care. When community cats have everything they need to thrive in their outdoor homes, it reduces shelter intake so IndyHumane can focus on the cats that need indoor homes. We are thankful to have IndyHumane’s support for things like medical and foster care, shelter services and adoption for cats who can be transitioned into indoor homes”.

About Indy Neighborhood Cats

All cats deserve care, compassion, and protection. Indy Neighborhood Cats’ mission is to improve the quality of life for unowned neighborhood cats and the communities of Indianapolis by reducing overpopulation through the trap-neuter-return method.

INC also assists caretakers with cat-trapping, provides spay/neuter surgeries, ear tips, core vaccinations (FVRCP and Rabies), and other necessary medical treatment before returning cats to their communities.