Alley Cat Rescue

AI version of African Wildcat and Tabby Cat

2025: Kicking Off the Year with a Roar for the African Wildcat!

We’re thrilled to announce that the first conservation project of the year funded by Big Cat Rescue is Alley Cat Rescue’s vital work to save the African wildcat, the majestic ancestor of our beloved domestic cats. Thanks to the generosity of our incredible supporters, we’ve donated $15,000 to their spay/neuter programs for free-roaming domestic cats—programs that are critical to reducing hybridization and safeguarding the wild legacy of the African wildcat.

Alley Cat Rescue is dedicated to protecting these elusive wildcats, whose future is at risk due to interbreeding with domestic cats. This hybridization poses a real danger to the genetic integrity of the wild population. But there’s hope! Through their innovative Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) program, Alley Cat Rescue is addressing this issue head-on. They focus on sterilizing domestic and stray cats near game reserves like Kruger National Park, where the overlap between the two populations is most pronounced.

Since this program began, over 11,000 domestic cats have been sterilized! This not only helps to keep the African wildcat’s bloodline pure but also promotes healthier, happier lives for the domestic cats themselves. Proper veterinary care for free-roaming cats reduces disease, prevents overpopulation, and creates a win-win for both domestic and wild feline populations.

But their work doesn’t stop there. Alley Cat Rescue collaborates with scientists to study the genetics and behavior of the African wildcat, exploring ways to manage and protect these wild cats more effectively. Public awareness is also a key part of their mission. In 2021, they launched the African Wildcat Project Facebook page, where they invite cat lovers and conservation enthusiasts to report sightings of these shy felines in the wild. Every sighting adds to a growing database, helping to map out the species' distribution and shape future conservation strategies.

By supporting Alley Cat Rescue, you’re not just helping to preserve the African wildcat—you’re ensuring a brighter future for domestic cats as well. Together, we can protect the wild heritage of all cats, fostering a world where big cats, small cats, and every cat in between can live and thrive.

Let’s celebrate this important step forward as we continue our mission to protect wild cats in the wild—where they belong.

Visit Alley Cat Rescue at http://www.saveacat.org/awc-conservation-projects.html

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