CAT ACTION TEAM
Supporting cats in central Virginia
Programs and results
What we aim to solve
To improve the quality of life for cats in central Virginia through a trap/neuter/vaccinate/return (TNVR)program, a pet-retention/colony-maintenance program, a foster/adoption program, education and other actions as necessary. Until every cat is spayed/neutered and as long as community cats needs to be fed, our job will continue.
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Trap/Neuter/Vaccinate/Return (TNVR)
To reduce and stabilize the feral-cat population in central Virginia by a minimum of ten percent while concurrently providing needed medical care and rescue of non-feral cats and kittens.
CAT works in 12 counties across Central Virginia.
Pet Retention/Colony-Maintenance Program
To provide resources (primarily veterinary care, cat food and cat litter) to allow low-income, elderly or disabled pet owners the resources to keep and care for their cats in their homes.
CAT works in 12 counties across Central Virginia.
Foster/Adoption Program
To maintain and grow a fostering and adoption network throughout central Virginia where non-feral cats and kittens are cared for and eventually placed in forever homes.
CAT works in 12 counties across Central Virginia.
Education Program
To saturate central Virginia with understanding of the importance of trap/neuter/return programs while instilling additional understanding of cats as sentient beings capable of love and subject to suffering. This knowledge must be coupled with the understanding of human responsibility.
CAT works in 12 counties across Central Virginia.
Where we work
External reviews

Our results
How does this organization measure their results? It's a hard question but an important one.
Number of animals spayed and neutered
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Adults
Related Program
Trap/Neuter/Vaccinate/Return (TNVR)
Type of Metric
Other - describing something else
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
Since August 27, 2018 approximately 2,941 cats have been spayed or neutered.
Number of sheltered animals
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Adults
Related Program
Trap/Neuter/Vaccinate/Return (TNVR)
Type of Metric
Other - describing something else
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
Approximately 2,854 cats have been trapped/neutered/and released since the inception of CAT.
Number of animals rescued
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Adults
Related Program
Trap/Neuter/Vaccinate/Return (TNVR)
Type of Metric
Other - describing something else
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
Approximately 2,941 cats have been trapped/neutered/and released since the inception of CAT.
Number of animal adoptions
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Adults
Related Program
Foster/Adoption Program
Type of Metric
Other - describing something else
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
More than 422 cats have been adopted since the inception of CAT.
Number of animals provided with long term care
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Adults
Related Program
Foster/Adoption Program
Type of Metric
Other - describing something else
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
Since the inception of CAT, Approximately 442 cats have been placed in permanent foster homes where long term care will be provided.
Number of released animals
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Adults
Related Program
Trap/Neuter/Vaccinate/Return (TNVR)
Type of Metric
Other - describing something else
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
Approximately 2,854 cats have been trapped/neutered/and released since the inception of CAT.
Number of people/colony managers assisted
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Adults
Related Program
Pet Retention/Colony-Maintenance Program
Type of Metric
Other - describing something else
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
An estimated 1,890 people have been helped with pet food or medical expenses for their cats.
Number of foster homes
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Adults
Related Program
Foster/Adoption Program
Type of Metric
Other - describing something else
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
Approximately 463 cats have been placed in permanent foster homes since August 27, 2018.
Number of animals rehomed
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Adults
Related Program
Foster/Adoption Program
Type of Metric
Other - describing something else
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
Approximately 442 cats have been rehomed inception of CAT.
Number of volunteers
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Type of Metric
Other - describing something else
Direction of Success
Increasing
Number of briefings or presentations held
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
CAT has held 27 presentations or briefings so far. Numbers have been more limited due to the Covid-19 Pandemic.
Number of shelters built and distributed
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
CAT has built and disturbed 630 shelters so far.
Our Sustainable Development Goals
Learn more about Sustainable Development Goals.
Goals & Strategy
Learn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.
Charting impact
Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.
What is the organization aiming to accomplish?
To improve the quality of life for cats in central Virginia through a program, a pet-retention/colony-maintenance program, a foster/adoption program, an education program and other actions as necessary.
With the Trap/Neuter/Vaccinate/Return (TNVR) Program, CAT plans to reduce and stabilize the feral-cat population in central Virginia by a minimum of ten percent while concurrently providing needed medical care and rescue of non-feral cats and kittens.
2023 Trap/Neuter/Vaccinate/Return (TNVR) Program Goals and Exceptions:
- Continue to increase the number of TNVR's by 10 percent each year.
- TNVR another five to six major colonies, TNVR another 500 cats and rescue 80 kittens each year.
- Continue to focus on Fluvanna, Buckingham and Greene counties.
- Continue to respond to calls for assistance and requests from other counties in CAT service areas (12 counties total).
- Recruit and train 2 or more additional dedicated TNVR volunteers including volunteers for Greene county.
CAT's Foster/Adoption Program will maintain and grow a fostering and adoption network throughout central Virginia where non-feral cats and kittens are cared for and eventually placed in forever homes.
2023 Foster/Adoption Program Goals and Exceptions:
• House, maintain and adopt out 80 kittens and 12 non-feral cats (friendly strays) from feral colonies each year.
• Recruit and monitor ten additional foster homes each year.
• Maintain computerized records for the foster/adopt system.
2023 Education Program Goals and Exceptions:
• Make at least two more presentations to civic organizations.
• Continue building relationships with current and additional partners: veterinarians, shelters, humane societies, rescue groups, clients, general and major donors. Note that CAT already has a large network.
• Recruit a Social Media Coordinator responsible for integrating all outgoing posts and messages on Facebook, Instagram and CAT newsletters.
• Recruit a Volunteer Coordinator to be sole contact point for signing up volunteers for specific events.
The Pet Retention/Colony-Maintenance Program aims to provide resources (primarily veterinary care, cat food and cat litter) to allow low-income, elderly or disabled pet owners the resources to keep and care for their cats in their homes.
2023 Pet Retention/Colony-Maintenance Program Goals and Exceptions:
- Grow program to assist 80 people/colony managers.
- Rent appropriate food-storage shed in central Charlottesville (minimum 12’ x 12’) and obtain protective food bins.
- Continue to develop and maintain a computerized system for recording money and food contributed, food distributed and to whom and for what purpose.
- Build and distribute another 150 additional cat shelters in 2023 (200 distributed in 2022)
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
CAT has particular activities in place to achieve all of its programs goals.
With theTrap/Neuter/Vaccinate/Return (TNVR) program, CAT will:
➢ Educate cat-colony caretakers on TNVR
➢ Provide assistance with cat food for low-income colony caretakers
➢ Find caretakers and assist with TNVR for cat colonies without caretaker
➢ Establish relationships with veterinarians/clinics in central Virginia to facilitate low- cost spay/neuter and other services
➢ Transport cats to and from veterinary care
➢ Provide shelter for 24-48 hours after spay/neuter surgery before release
➢ Bring outdoor kittens into foster care for socialization and eventual adoption
➢ Separate non-feral cats trapped in TNVR and place in foster care for eventual adoption
➢ Provide necessary medical care for cats and kittens
By having the pet-retention/colony-maintenance program, CAT is dedicated to :
➢ Assisting with funds for medical care for cats of low-income, elderly, disabled or other
individuals in need and maintain records of funds expended for each cat owner
➢ Assisting with cat food and litter for low-income, elderly, disabled or other individuals in
need
➢ Assisting with transport to and from vets as necessary
➢ Helping build and distribute feral-cat shelters
The strategies to achieve CAT's foster/adoption program goals are to:
➢ Grow and maintain high quality fostering network
➢ Provide necessary medical care including vaccinations, spay/neuter, parasite control, testing for FIV and FeLV and maintaining records of funds expended per cat
➢ Provide ongoing education for foster-cat care as indicated
➢ Place non-feral cats and kittens in permanent homes with any necessary follow-up
education and assistance
Cat's education program will:
➢ Seek opportunities to make presentations on the importance of trap/neuter/return programs as well as other cat-related subjects to civic groups and educational venues of all types
➢ Saturate central Virginia with information and literature on CAT including our services and activities, how to contact us, and the importance of our mission. Our trifold brochure with prominent CAT logo will be displayed throughout central Virginia to succinctly provide this information and as a reminder of our services
➢ Use fundraising activities throughout central Virginia as an integral part of the education program
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
CAT has a large population of experienced and dedicated volunteers, that work closely with Central Virginia's animal welfare organizations and underfunded caretakers to provide many the area's cats with a pain-free life that includes sufficient food, shelter, and medical care. Where these basic needs are not being met by other organizations in the twelve counties we serve in central Virginia, CAT will step in where a compelling need exists for those felines who currently fall between the cracks of well-meaning but underfunded caretakers.
CAT will advocate for and support felines whose caretakers cannot provide for them, as well as for those cats living in counties with inadequate or non-existent low-cost clinics or shelters. Our work will greatly reduce the numbers of cats brought into shelters who would otherwise be euthanized, by helping them remain in place. All cats deserve to live in peace in their colonies with appropriate care.
We can do this by having a dedicated staff of volunteers, who collectively work around the clock with a diverse background of expertise.
Every effort will be made to coordinate our activities with other cat-rescue groups and shelters to achieve maximum efficiency and effectiveness for cat welfare.
CAT currently serves in 12 Central Virginia counties: Charlottesville, Albemarle county, Augusta county, Buckingham county, Culpeper county, Cumberland county, Fluvanna county, Goochland county, Greene county, Louisa county, Madison county, Nelson county, and Orange county.
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
Of CAT's four programs: The Trap/Neuter/Vaccinate/Return (TNVR) Program, the Pet-Retention/Colony-Maintenance Program, the Foster/Adoption Program, and the Education Program, the organization has made these accomplishments so far since 2018 (any goals that were not reached during 2020 were due to the effects of Covid-19):
The trap/neuter/return (TNR) program:
- Accomplished in 2021 goal by trapping 835 total cats (369 males and 466 females. Accomplished 2020 goal by trapping, neutering, and returning 726 cats in total (410 females and 316 males). In 2019, over 500 cats were trapped, neutered and returned.
- CAT's 2021 total of all cats/kittens spayed and neutered is 835. CAT's 2020 total of all cats/kittens spayed and neutered is 813. This is a major increase over the total of about 500 during 2019.
- Recruited 10 dedicated volunteers for Greene County.
- Accomplished goal of Developing a computerized record system for cats who have been TNR’d, along with any additional medical costs.
- Accomplished 2019 goal of recruiting a qualified and dedicated team leader for Greene county.
- Accomplished 2019 goal of Recruiting and training TNR bookkeeper to maintain this record.
- Accomplished 2021 goal recruiting and training at least 2 TNR volunteers.
The Pet Retention/Colony-Maintenance Program has:
- Over 420 cat shelters build and distributed to date. Accomplished both 2020 and 2019 goal of building and distributing at least 150 cat shelters per year.
- Provided 250 people with pet food or medical expenses in 2020 for their pets. In 2019, approximately 50 people per month were helped with food for over 220 cats. In 2019, the program has helped 41plus people with veterinary medical bills from minor illnesses to broken bones. This includes leg and tail amputations, eye removal and euthanasia.
The Foster/Adoption Program has:
- Accomplished 2019 and 2020 goal or housing, maintaining and adopting out at least 80 kittens and 12 non-feral cats (friendly strays) from feral colonies per year.
- Accomplished 2019 and 2020 goals of recruiting and monitoring ten additional foster homes.
- Accomplished 2019 goal of recruiting or promoting an executive assistant to the Foster/Adopt Program manager to assist as needed and maintain computerized record system.
- Taken in approximately 355 cats and resettled at least 304 cats into new homes.
The Education Program has:
- Accomplished 2019 goal of making at least two presentations to civics organizations. These organizations were Lake Monticello in Fluvanna County and Twin Lakes in Greene County.
- Attended events in Louisa, Charlottesville, Ruckersville, Palmyra and Scottsville to spread the word about what we do.
- Articles about the launch of CAT have appeared in local papers and on CBS19 TV News.
-Accomplished 2021 goal of recruiting an events manager for Albemarle and Green County to hold profitable and educational events.
Financials
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Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
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Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
CAT ACTION TEAM
Board of directorsas of 02/19/2023
Betsy Ballenger
Cat Action Team
Term: 2019 -
Joanne Showalter
Cat Action Team
Jo Ann Freeman
Cat Action Team
Carla Drozdowicz
Cat Action Team
Betsy Ballenger
Cat Action Team
Ashley Morris
Cat Action Team
Board leadership practices
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Board orientation and education
Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Not applicable -
CEO oversight
Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? Not applicable -
Ethics and transparency
Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Not applicable -
Board composition
Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Not applicable -
Board performance
Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? Not applicable
Organizational demographics
Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? Candid partnered with CHANGE Philanthropy on this demographic section.
Leadership
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Race & ethnicity
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Gender identity
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Sexual orientation
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Disability
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