A brand-new student organization focused on helping stray cats on Temple’s campus is making a positive difference in the community. Temple’s Community Cats Club is a student organization in its first year on campus, though it was inspired by Temple Cats, an organization that has been around for some time.
“Temple Cats is a volunteer-based group formed by staff and faculties,” says Cathy Liu, a professor at the Boyer School of Music and Dance. Their mission is to trap, neuter and vaccinate stray cats before returning them to the communities they call home. During the winter, they help cats find shelter to escape the cold.
Anh Nguyen, a senior journalism major, was inspired to start Community Cats Club after adopting two cats who were abandoned by Temple students. She heard about Temple Cat’s mission and loved the organization’s purpose, but Temple does not allow student organizations to trap, neuter, and return cats.
However, this did not stop Nguyen from starting Community Cats to help raise awareness for the work Temple Cats does by doing educational outreach programs such as community events and workshops.
The next big event for Community Cats is the Cat Toys and Winter Shelters Workshop. This event, which will be held on November 28, allows people to make cat toys to be donated to local animal shelters. Volunteers also have an opportunity to make cat shelters out of boxes to be placed in students’ yards to protect the cats from the winter cold.
According to Nguyen, the organization wants to educate pet owners about the responsibilities of having cats so that the pets do not get abandoned when the owners move or when the semester is over.
“Moreover, I feel like there are a lot of people who love animals and cats in general at Temple so it’s a great way to create an atmosphere and environment for students to come together and do good,” Nguyen adds.
Another way for students to help the organization is to let them know of any stray cats that are found, especially in the cold winter months. “The cat won’t be able to survive long in the outside world,” Nguyen says.
Although the organization does not currently have regular meetings, they hold events such as bake sales, cat food drives, and other events. Students who are interested in getting involved are encouraged to follow the organization on Facebook and OwlConnect for event updates.