Operation Catnip has sterilized 100,000 cats since its founding in 1998.
“We had our big celebration and our big clinic on July 12, but we officially got to hit that number on July 23,” said Leah Hawes, Operation Catnip’s development director.
The July 12 “celebration clinic” was one of the largest in the organization’s 27-year history. The milestone brought together volunteers, UF College of Veterinary Medicine alumni and caregivers from over 12 Florida counties.
Hawes has been with Operation Catnip for three months. She said the milestone shows how far the organization has progressed since its small beginnings.
“When they started, it was just a room in the Humane Society,” Hawes said. “They had one clinic every few weeks. We have our own building now. We have clinic three or four times a week.”
Operation Catnip operates on a Trap-Neuter-Return model, which sterilizes community cats and returns them to their environment. Before the model was implemented, cats were euthanized to control overpopulation, Hawes said. The TNR model stabilizes cat populations while avoiding euthanasia.
The group runs the Working Cat Program for poorly socialized cats unsuitable for adoption or placement back into their original habitat, placing them in barns, farms or on-site “catios,” or outdoor enclosures where cats can roam safely. Volunteers assist with socializing, cleaning or medical care.
A particularly moving moment for Hawes involved a microchipped cat that was missing for years.
“This cat had been missing for about seven years,” she said. “We were able to find the original owner, who was still available to take him back.”
Operation Catnip also found someone to drive the cat back to its lost owner, where it reunited with its cat sibling.
“It really was amazing to witness,” she said.
Operation Catnip works closely with UF, holding large-scale on-campus clinics four times a year. Many volunteers and interns are pre-veterinary UF students.
Gilberto Rivera-Velázquez, an 18-year-old UF animal science sophomore, said his time at Operation Catnip taught him about teamwork and the process of spaying and neutering.
He started as a non-rabies-vaccinated volunteer, performing basic tasks like laundry and vaccine preparation. After receiving a rabies vaccination, he began post-operative work, administering vaccines and monitoring vitals as the clinic saw about 70 cats a day.
“In those couple of days, I’ve learned so, so much, and I’ve gained so much experience,” he said. “Everyone there is super nice. If you have a question, don’t be scared to ask.”
Shayla Calderon, a 20-year-old UF biology junior, interns with Operation Catnip. She watched as people from across Florida brought their cats to the clinic to get them spayed and neutered.
“There were volunteers in different stations like induction, ear tipping, giving vaccines, shaving them and then helping them in the recovery stage,” Calderon said.
The internship gave her hands-on medical experience, showing her the importance of teamwork and adaptability in a clinical setting, she said.
Looking ahead, Hawes said the organization is aiming for its next milestone: 200,000 sterilizations.
“We’re going to continue doing everything we can to help as many cats as possible,” Hawes said.
For those interested in getting involved with the organization, she encouraged volunteering.
“Whatever you want to do for the cat community, there’s something that we can help you find,” she said.
Contact Swasthi Maharaj at smaharaj@alligator.org. Follow her on X @s_maharaj1611.
