The Cats of Atlantic City

If you have ever been to Atlantic City, I am certain you have seen a proliferation of cats on and under the boardwalk. They have actually been there for more than a hundred years, and in the past would have been trapped to be euthanized. I met a woman who has been feeding the cats for twenty-two years. In the year 2000, "Alley Cat Allies" (ACA) was formed to sterilize and return the cats to the boardwalk, and to organize long-term caregivers.

There are now 16 feral cat colonies, stretching for 44 blocks along the boardwalk. The Humane Society of Atlantic City has a sterilization and vaccination program. Each cat is returned to the correct colony and caregiver, and all the cats have been given names. The caregiver I met takes care of one colony in the northern part of the boardwalk. The cats sleep under the boardwalk, have blankets and shelters, and are fed and watered daily.

The program is dependent upon donations, but since there is never enough, the caregivers spend a lot of their own money on cat food. Over 270 cats have been neutered by the Humane Society, but since cats also wander in from the city, so it is an on-going challenge. Some of the homeless know the cats, and will report if any are ill, or if they suspect a cat is pregnant.

Finding out about this program was an extremely enjoyable diversion from the casino. We had always wondered why the cats looked so well-fed, and who had given them shelters.

The Goddess