10/21/2026
Today marks a HUGE milestone for community cats in Cedar Rapids!
After years of conversations, advocacy, education, and determination, Cedar Rapids has officially passed Chapter 23, opening the door for Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) and a more humane approach to managing our community cat population!
This didn't happen overnight, and it certainly didn't happen without a whole lot of people working together.
👏 THANK YOU to the City of Cedar Rapids, City Council, and Cedar Rapids Animal Care and Controlfor listening, engaging in conversations, and helping move this important change forward.
👏 THANK YOU to the advocates, rescue organizations, colony caretakers, volunteers, and community members who spoke up, attended meetings, shared their knowledge, and refused to give up.
And a HUGE THANK YOU to Iowa Humane Alliance
For years, IHA has been working tirelessly to make spay/neuter and essential veterinary care affordable and accessible to community cats and the people who care for them. Long before this ordinance became a reality, they were already providing the services that make TNR possible.
Their commitment to affordable care has helped countless community cats and given rescuers, caretakers, and everyday residents the ability to make a real difference. We simply cannot overstate the importance of the work they do or how grateful we are to have them as a resource in our community!
👏 THANK YOU to everyone who believed there was a better way.
This is more than an ordinance. It's an opportunity to make a meaningful, lasting difference for the cats living in our neighborhoods and the people who care about them.
But here's the thing...
Passing an ordinance is a tremendous first step, but it won't fix the community cat overpopulation problem on its own.
That's where the community comes in.
It will take residents willing to participate, caretakers willing to coordinate, volunteers willing to lend a hand, veterinary partners providing services, and organizations working together to make TNR accessible and effective.
At The Straygency, we're ready to roll up our sleeves and keep doing what we do best: trapping, sterilizing, vaccinating, educating, and helping our community take responsibility for the cats in our neighborhoods.
But we can't do it alone, and we shouldn't have to. Successful TNR takes a community working together. Whether you're feeding a few cats in your backyard, managing a colony, volunteering your time, or simply helping spread the word, YOU have a role to play.
Today we celebrate. Tomorrow we get to work.
Because real change doesn't happen simply by passing legislation. It happens when a community comes together and puts it into action.
CEDAR RAPIDS — LET'S GET TO WORK! 🐈⬛💪
Enforcing population control — humanely.
