Operation Catnip Outreach

Your clever cats won't cooperate with the once-a-month clinic calendar? Sunday clinics don't agree with your schedule? Then Operation Catnip Outreach is for you!

Operation Catnip was established with a simple goal in mind: to reduce the population of feral cats in Alachua County by sterilizing as many as possible. Wise and frugal use of volunteer time and donations has made it possible to provide sterilization for more than 20,000 homeless cats during monthly free clinics held since 1998.

The program has been so successful that the demand for services has exceeded the capacity of the monthly free clinics operated by Operation Catnip volunteers. Several grants have made it possible to expand sterilization services for homeless cats to veterinary clinics throughout the county in a program called Operation Catnip Outreach. In this program, caretakers of unowned stray and feral cats bring them to private veterinary clinics for sterilization, vaccination, and ear-tipping. The caretakers pay a $25 co-payment for the package, and Operation Catnip pays for the rest.

Cats are eligible for free sterilization if:

  • They are unowned and free-roaming stray or feral cats
  • They will be returned to the colony after sterilization
  • Adoption is not planned
  • They are older than three months (so that rabies vaccine can be given)
  • The caretaker allows ear tipping

Cats are not eligible for free sterilization if:

  • They are owned
  • They are going to be adopted
  • They belong to a pet rescue group
  • They are less than three months old
  • They are too debilitated for surgery
  • Anyone intends to euthanatize them or take them to Animal Services

There are many shades of gray between the obviously feral unsocialized cat, the friendly free-roaming stray, and the loosely owned outdoor pet cat. Operation Catnip depends on the judgment of the participating veterinarian to assess eligibility for free sterilization under this program. The purpose of Operation Catnip is to increase the number of cats that are sterilized, not to offer an alternative funding source for sterilization for pet cats. The most important distinction for eligibility is that the cats are unowned and would not be sterilized unless surgery is performed under this program.

The following veterinary clinics offer the Operation Catnip feral cat treatment plan (vaccines, spay or neuter, and ear tipping) for only $25. You must make an appointment before bringing in your cats and always bring them in a wire humane trap. Humane traps can be provided by the veterinary clinic.

  • All Cats Healthcare Clinic 352-376-2287 1034 NW 13th Street, Gainesville, 32601
  • Butler Plaza Animal Hospital 352-372-6603 3558 SW Archer Road, Gainesville, 32608
  • Gainesville Animal Hospital West 352-332-5366 7615 W. Newberry Road, Gainesville, 32606
  • Gainesville Animal Hospital 352-372-5366 2838 NW 6th Street, Gainesville, 32609
  • Haile Plantation Animal Clinic 352-377-6003 5231 SW 91st Drive, Gainesville, 32608
  • Hilltop Animal Hospital 386-462-3822 16402 NW Hwy 441, Alachua, 32616
  • Micanopy Animal Hospital 352-466-0067 306 NE US Hwy 441, Micanopy, 32667
  • Newberry Animal Hospital 352-472-7035 280 SW 250th Street, Newberry, 32669
  • Shores Animal Hospital 352-372-8387 3811 NW 13th Street, Gainesville, 32609
  • Sunset Meadows 352-332-3063 15114 NW 32nd Avenue, Newberry, 32669
  • Tri County Veterinary Service 352-472-4200 22211 W Newberry Road, Newberry, 32669
  • West End Animal Hospital 352-472-7626 15318 W Newberry Road, Gainesville, 32669

Information on low-cost ($14) spay/neuter programs for owned, pet cats can be obtained from Micanopy Animal Hospital at (352) 466-0067.