SOKS helps a large cat family in Stockton

Not long ago, SOKS received a call from a Stockton resident, Debbie, who needed help with a large colony of feral cats living in her backyard. The cats were not neutered and the colony kept growing uncontrollably.

Eight SOKS volunteers gathered traps, blankets and anything else we might need for such a big operation. In the end, we trapped all cats, 11 total!

But trapping is just the first step. The cats had to be delivered to a veterinary clinic were they were examined, treated, and spayed/neutered. After that, our wonderful volunteers picked them up and took care of them until the animals recovered and could be released (learn more about TNR). It is a great accomplishment to be able to attend to an entire colony from the beginning to the end.

Debbie said, "I am so happy that the cats are not going to have any more babies and will live healthier lives from now on."

As it sometimes happens in the course of our work, especially when so many cats are involved, we lost a couple kitties. Unfortunately two females needed to be put down because of untreated pyometra, an infection of uterus caused by multiple pregnancies.

Pyometra is more common among dogs than cats but, if left untreated, it can be life-threatening. Of course, feral or stray cats are more vulnerable when they are not spayed. A female can get pregnant 2–3 times in a single year! When they get an infection, the bacteria multiplies in the uterus fluid leading to fever, loss of appetite, swelling and pain. They really suffer!

Ewa with rescued kittens

During the TNR in Debbie's backyard, we also captured a kitten born without an eye. The area where the eye should have been, was infected and painful. The vet treated the wound and the kitten is now in a new home with his sibling. It will live a healthier and happier life despite its disability.

Thank you to everyone who contributed to this successful TNR story! We are especially grateful to the City of Stockton's Animal Shelter who provided us with an invaluable support. We made a difference TOGETHER!

Looking ahead to 2025

We have been very fortunate so far trying to make a difference in our communities. The numbers speak for themselves: 713 spayed and neutered cats in Stockton, Lodi, Escalon and even in Modesto...

But when I look at that number, I feel very tired. The amount of planning, trapping, logistics, educating, gathering paperwork, reports ... it's just overwhelming. I ask myself, will I have enough energy and strength to do what SOKS—the volunteers and I—were able to do last year? Have our actions made any difference?

Despite a high number of spayed and neutered cats, we have not yet seen a decrease in the feral population in Stockton. So, do we stop? No. We do not.

And then, we also have to deal with misinformation. Recently I watched a very interesting Youtube video by Jackson Galaxy about misunderstandings surrounding Trap-Neuter-Return (here is the link). I wish everyone would watch it and took it to heart.

SOKS is committed to continuing our Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) efforts—a proven and humane way of reducing feline population.

I believe the problem of homeless cats would be solved in our community if people continued doing TNR and had the support of the City of Stockton for the next eight years. We can see, as it was shown in the video mentioned above, that we can change the statistics. It has already happened in other American cities!

To be proactive, I am creating a list of people and businesses who we can ask for help. Our local animal shelter would love to do more TNR, too.

Our challenge is not money but the lack of veterinarians who could perform spay and neuter procedures all day long.

Meanwhile, I am also spending my time writing emails to a local school district who is concerned that we are in their parking lot trapping cats in the evening. I write and make multiple calls asking them to allow me to help them with the feral cat problem. These are the cats which are procreating on their property. If we do not do something soon, they will have even more cats! We can avoid it if SOKS volunteers are allowed to take action.

So this is how my 2025 has started.

So far this year, we have fixed 80 cats. I look forward to coming together with Stockton communities to help slow the growth of this out-of-control problem. I believe that TNR is the only scientifically proven method to do so. Please watch the video mentioned above and/or contact SOKS with questions.

It takes a village

Thanksgiving and the Holiday Season is upon us. As we are closing this busy year, I‘d like to share some thoughts and thanks.

When we started our work as SOKS in 2022, we spayed and neutered 124 cats. We were very new in the cat spay/neuter world. The very first clinic which supported us was ACT. We are so grateful to Eva Kennedy who helped us spread our wings.

By the end of 2023 we fixed 450 Stockton felines. And this year, as of November 24, our counts have reached 680 spayed and neutered cats!

This wouldn’t have been possible without devoted volunteers. We have a team of 19 ladies and 3 men, who trap the cats, drive them to and from the clinics, take care of them after surgery, return them to their environments, and foster when needed. Thank you, my dearest volunteers! ❤️

We also owe our success to many Stockton residents and University of the Pacific students who stepped in and actively participated to help mitigate the problem of cat overpopulation in Stockton. SOKS teach how to trap animals; we loan traps, help with transport or post-op care; and we assist financially. “It takes a village.”

In 2024, we used nine different clinics for surgeries. Recently however, we have relied mostly on our local resources. ACT, City of Stockton Animal Services, Animal Protection League, and Sacramento SPCA are the clinics we use regularly. We are very thankful for these relationships and appreciate their help and support.

Lastly, a huge thank you to our donors without whom this organization wouldn’t be as successful. I want to thank Dogwood Animal Rescue Project, Fund 54, Nancy, Paula, Kevin & Julia, Chip, Vicky, Robert, Adrianne and every single person who donated to SOKS this year. There is no donation too small! We appreciate cat food, your time, cutting cardboard boxes, and making winter shelters for kitties, and we appreciate those who feed feral cat colonies. All of that makes our mission possible. Thank you to all who by their generous hearts became a part of our local success! ❤️