A group of Brewton residents concerned about the city’s growing population of stray and feral cats brought a formal proposal to city hall this week, asking Mayor Frank Nalty and other city representatives to support a humane, long-term solution to a problem many say has been building for years. The volunteers, organizing under the name Brewton Community Cats Program, outlined a plan centered on trap-neuter-return practices, kitten rescue, and community education during a presentation to city leaders on Monday.
A New Volunteer Effort Takes Shape
The Brewton Community Cats Program was formed by a small but determined group of local animal advocates, led by volunteer Marianna Grillo Amacker. According to Amacker, the group’s next step is to secure formal 501(c)3 nonprofit status, which would allow it to apply for grants, accept tax-deductible donations, and build the kind of sustained funding base that long-term spay and neuter programs typically require. “We will be moving ahead to get 501(c)3 status,” Amacker told city leaders. “Then we can push to move forward with the program.”
Amacker said the scope of Brewton’s stray cat situation became clear after the group posted a call for information on social media. In just two days, residents responded with reports of numerous cat colonies scattered throughout the city. “That post revealed so many colonies in just two days,” she said. “That’s just the tip of the iceberg.”
What Is Trap-Neuter-Return and Why It Matters
Trap-Neuter-Return, commonly known as TNR, is a widely used approach to managing community cat populations without resorting to euthanasia. Volunteers humanely trap free-roaming cats, have them spayed or neutered and vaccinated by a veterinarian, and then return them to their original outdoor location, where caregivers can continue to monitor their health. Over time, sterilizing enough cats in a colony stabilizes and gradually reduces the population, since the animals can no longer reproduce. Animal welfare organizations across the country have pointed to TNR as a more effective and sustainable alternative to trap-and-remove methods, which tend to create a vacuum effect that new cats quickly fill.
The Brewton Community Cats Program’s stated goals go beyond trapping and sterilizing. The group says it wants to build a network of trained volunteers, rescue and place kittens that can be safely socialized, support the residents who already feed and care for community cat colonies, and educate the public on responsible pet ownership, including the importance of spaying and neutering owned pets to prevent further litters from entering the stray population.
City Leaders Weigh In
Mayor Nalty said the proposal addresses a concern he has heard about directly from residents. “They will be working to solve the overpopulation of cats in the community,” Nalty said following the presentation. “It will be very helpful to the community to cut down on the amount of new cats born into the city. We’ve had a number of calls about certain areas being inundated with feral cats.” City officials did not commit funding at Monday’s meeting, but the mayor’s comments signaled openness to working with the group as it develops its program further.
Firsthand Accounts of a Growing Problem
Volunteers who spoke during the presentation described what they have witnessed while working informally to help Brewton’s stray cats. Amy Dolohite told city leaders she has seen people abandon cats and kittens near a bridge close to a local Popeye’s restaurant, a dumping pattern that has contributed to at least one known colony in that area. Fellow volunteer Edith Kelley said she has regularly encountered stray animals while helping transport cats to early-morning spay and neuter appointments, underscoring how widespread the issue has become across different parts of the city.
How Residents Can Get Involved
The Brewton Community Cats Program has set up a Facebook page, “Brewton Community Cats Program TNR,” where residents can report colony sightings, volunteer their time, or learn more about upcoming efforts. Organizers say they hope to grow their volunteer base as the group works toward nonprofit status and a more structured, citywide TNR campaign. For a community that has fielded a steady stream of complaints about feral cats in recent months, the group’s organizers say patience and volunteer support will be key to seeing real, lasting results.
As the Brewton Community Cats Program continues building its infrastructure, city leaders and residents alike appear to agree that a humane, coordinated approach offers the best path toward bringing the community’s stray cat population under control.