Cashmere considers program to curb community cats

CASHMERE — Cashmere officials are considering a proposal aimed at reducing the city’s community cat population through spay-and-neuter surgeries.

The idea, presented by Wenatchee Valley Humane Society Executive Director B.J. Anderson, would create a partnership between the city and the nonprofit to fund trap-neuter-return surgeries for unowned cats living in the community.

Under the proposal, the Humane Society would match city funding to pay for surgeries performed at its clinic. Each procedure costs about $50 and includes spaying or neutering, vaccinations and treatment for minor medical issues when needed.

“We charge $50 for surgery that includes the spay and neuter, the vaccines, the rabies vaccines, the ear tip recovery,” Anderson told the council.

The surgeries also include a small ear tip — a flat clip on the ear that identifies cats that have already been sterilized.

The trap-neuter-return approach involves trapping cats living outdoors, transporting them to the clinic for surgery, and returning them to the area where they were found.

Describing the process with humor during the meeting, Anderson compared it to “alien abduction for cats,” explaining that the animals are trapped, taken to the clinic for surgery, and then returned to their home territory afterward.

Advocates say the method prevents reproduction while allowing altered cats to remain in place and prevent new cats from moving into the same territory.

“Community cats are never going to go away,” Anderson said during the presentation. “The good news about this program is it’s the most humane and the only effective way to control community cats.”

The Humane Society says the program also reduces nuisance behaviors often associated with unaltered cats.

“The nuisance behaviors drop to near zero when the cats are altered because they’re not out looking for ‘dates,’” Anderson said.

The organization has already performed surgeries on dozens of cats from Cashmere. Anderson said that between January 2025 and February of this year, the clinic treated 41 cats from the city.

A sample funding model presented to the council suggested a $1,500 contribution from the city matched by the Humane Society, which could fund surgeries for roughly 60 cats.

According to the Humane Society, sterilizing even a modest number of cats can significantly reduce future population growth. Anderson said the organization has expanded its capacity to perform the surgeries and has increased trap-neuter-return operations by 163 percent over the past year.

Councilmembers asked several questions about the program but did not take action during the meeting, saying they wanted time to review the proposal.

Councilmember Jayne Stephenson expressed support for the idea during the discussion.

“Seems like a good way of collaborating dollars here,” Stephenson said. “I like it.”

Stephenson’s comment drew notice from some in the room, as the councilmember has previously taken a critical view of the city’s relationship with the Humane Society.

The Humane Society also plans to host a fundraising event later this month focused on supporting community cat programs in the Cashmere area.

City officials said the proposal could return to the council for consideration at a future meeting after members have had time to review the materials.

Andrew Simpson: 509-433-7626 or andrew@ward.media