Neighborhood feline friend “Tiger” enjoys complimentary nourishment provided by KC Pet Project, Aug. 28 | Photo by Julia Williams

Julia Williams
Editor-in-Chief 

Strolling down Park Avenue and its neighboring streets, this section of Pendleton Heights offers many sights including Kessler Park, Historic Northeast homes, the community garden and more than likely — a cat, or 10. 

Wednesday evening, Aug. 28, Kansas City Pet Project — a non-profit, local animal shelter — brought cat food, treats and soft blankets in hopes to trap several, non-ear-tipped neighborhood cats for its Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) Community Cat Program. 

A robust feeding station set up near 135 Park Ave. | Photo by Julia Williams

TNR is the process of safely trapping community cats for the purpose of spay/neuter. After these felines are trapped, the next day they undergo spay/neuter surgery, receive vaccinations, an ear tip and microchip. This ear-tip is helpful in allowing neighbors and future trapping specialists to quickly identify which cats have received spay/neuter surgery. 

For those interested in adopting a neighborhood, ear-tipped cat, microchips can be transferred to a new owner through KC Pet Project, according to KC Pet Project Feline Specialist, Aubrey Eilenstine. 

This marked the Community Cat Program’s third trip into Pendleton Heights to perform TNR within the last few weeks.

Empty Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) traps ready for placement by KC Pet Project Feline Specialists along Pendleton Height’s Park Avenue, Wednesday, Aug. 28 | Photo by Julia Williams

Both Eilenstine and fellow Feline Specialist Yaneli Garcia-Sevilla set-up camp Wednesday in hopes to continue helping Pendleton Heights combat this surge.

“The community here is very caring,” Eilenstine said, Wednesday. “It’s really nice to see how well kept these cats are; It’s just really amazing.” 

Many neighbors have set up feeding stations for this community’s furry friends. While some of these kitty corners include dry kibble along streets and alleyways, one neighbor is known to offer rotisserie chickens twice a day, Garcia-Sevilla said. 

Neighborhood cat to undergo TNR, before his release later this week | Photo by Julia Williams

In the trips KC Pet Project has made to this colony, they have previously successfully TNRed over 27 cats. While Eilenstine mentioned this would be their last session of this round, KC Pet Project plans to return in months to follow to continue reducing overpopulation of these neighborhood companions. 

For those wanting additional information on the TNR process or KC Pet Project, visit its website: https://kcpetproject.org/services/found-pets/.