Forgotten Felines of Sonoma County

Forgotten Felines of Sonoma County2024 Program AccomplishmentsWhen you believe, anything is possible.In 2024, Forgotten Felines of Sonoma County continued to advance its mission to alter every unowned cat in Sonoma County through high-volume, high-quality, and data-informed spay/neuter and care programs. We pair innovation with compassion so that Sonoma County can be a place where every cat has the best possible chance at a safe, stable, and healthy life.Our Spay & Neuter Clinics Making a DifferenceEvery single cat that is spayed or neutered makes a big difference. In 2024, 5,085 cats came through our spay/neuter clinics for alterations and medical care. Of those, 4,326 cats were spayed or neutered. Each one of those surgeries prevents future litters, reduces pressure on colonies and caretakers, and lowers the number of kittens entering the system.Forgotten Felines operates 2 or 3 spay & neuter clinics for cats each week. The service provided to our Spay & Neuter Clinics includes:Altering for male or femaleRabies vaccineFVRCP vaccineMicrochippingEar tipping for identificationTreatment for visible parasitesOverall health checkTreatment for visible injuries or illnessPain managementIndividual attention and a dose of loveWe ask for a donation of $50 to help offset the cost of a spay/neuter appointment; the remaining cost is subsidized by our generous donors and community partners.Foster & Adoption ProgramOur Foster & Adoption Program continues to flourish under a foster-to-adopt model that allows cats to move directly from a foster home to a forever home without a shelter stay. This keeps stress low, shortens the path to adoption, and makes room for the next cat in need.In 2024, 435 cats were adopted directly through Forgotten Felines of Sonoma County. These were kittens born in the wild who were tamed and socialized, tame strays with no caretakers, and cats transferred to us for a second chance.In addition, 133 cats were pulled by Forgotten Felines and adopted through our partner shelters. This reflects our strong, ongoing collaborations with local agencies to ensure that every friendly, healthy cat has a path to a home.Cat Relocation Program Barn and Garden CatsWhile our preferred method to humanely curb cat overpopulation is TrapNeuterReturn (TNR), sometimes returning a cat to its original location is not safe or humane. In those cases, we place unsocial or at-risk cats through our Wine Country Barn Cats program.In 2024, 82 unsocial, at-risk, or displaced cats were safely relocated to working and sanctuary-style homes, barns, wineries, ranches, and businesses where they can live protected, be cared for, and provide natural rodent control. These placements are often for cats whose caretaker has moved or passed away, whose habitat is being demolished, or who simply cannot remain where they were living.A modest co-pay helps us cover transport, supplies, and follow-up to make sure placements are successful.Colony Care and Management It Takes a VillageForgotten Felines continues to support managed colonies across Sonoma County. In 2024, we provided food, trapping support, medical care, and education to volunteer caretakers who show up every day rain or shine to feed and monitor their colonies.We supported more than 50 colonies and delivered well over 6,000 pounds of food again this year to stabilize existing colonies, keep cats healthy, and make it possible to trap newcomers for altering and return.Our caretakers keep an eye out for newcomers. If a new cat appears, it is trapped, scanned for a microchip, altered, vaccinated, and either returned to the colony or reunited with an owner when possible. This is how we prevent new kittens from entering well-managed colonies.Innovation: Project BeaconIn 2024 we advanced Project Beacon, our first-of-its-kind, data-driven mapping and predictive modeling platform for humane cat population management. Beacon integrates historical and real-time data - colony size, alteration status, geography, and reproductive trends to help us see where interventions will have the greatest impact.Beacon will allow us to: track altered vs. unaltered cats in real time; identify high-yield trapping zones for mass spay/neuter events; demonstrate impact and return on investment to funders and community partners; and share a model that can be replicated by other TNR organizations.This innovation moves us closer to a measurable, county-wide decline in unowned cats.Forgotten Felines of Sonoma County remains the longest-running TNR organization in the country. With the support of donors, volunteers, veterinarians, partner shelters, and colony caretakers, we are making real, measurable progress toward a Sonoma County where no cat is forgotten.