April 7, 2026 - acr Exceeds 6,000 Domestic Cat Sterilizations Around Kruger National Park to Protect African Wildcats
Mt. Rainier, MD (April 7, 2026) – Alley Cat Rescue’s African wildcat conservation program operates in South Africa to protect the wild cat species Felis lybica from hybridization with domestic cats (Felis catus). Hybridization is tied with habitat loss as the greatest threat to the long-term survival of African wildcats. The program prevents hybridization by sterilizing colonies of domestic cats that exist near African wildcat habitats. The first colony targeted was in the farming town of Hazyview in 2018 and over the years, the program has grown to cover rural towns and farmland in several provinces, including the Limpopo, Gauteng, Mpumalanga, Northern Cape, Western Cape, and Eastern Cape.
Towns bordering Kruger National Park are a strong focus of the program as African wildcats are known to live in relative abundance in the protected Park lands. Incidences of hybridization are startlingly common near the towns and rare farther into the Park. Alley Cat Rescue’s (ACR) Limpopo teams have recently achieved sterilization of just over 6,000 domestic cats. The teams are made up expert trappers, veterinarians, and veterinary assistants. Most of the team members travel considerable distances with trapping and medical equipment to reach small agricultural settlements that are surrounded by wilderness. They set up mobile spay/neuter clinics on site in whatever space is available - barns, classrooms, even outdoors.
Over all South African locations, Alley Cat Rescue has sterilized over 15,750 domestic cats. An up-to-date map of project locations can be found at this link.
ACR Founder and President, Louise Holton, created the African Wildcat Conservation out of love for both Felis lyica and Felis catus. She explains, “African wildcats are the original ancestors of our beloved domestic cats and a truly irreplaceable species. Yet only a tiny fraction of global wild feline funding reaches small wildcats—and even less supports African wildcats. This remarkable animal urgently deserves far greater attention and resources to ensure its survival.”
More information about the program and African wildcats can be found on the Alley Cat Rescue website at saveacat.org/awc-conservation-projects.html.
Alley Cat Rescue is an international nonprofit organization dedicated to the welfare of all cats: domestic, stray, abandoned, feral, and small wildcat species. ACR advocates for humane nonlethal control of feral cats. For more information about ACR, visit their website http://www.saveacat.org.
Towns bordering Kruger National Park are a strong focus of the program as African wildcats are known to live in relative abundance in the protected Park lands. Incidences of hybridization are startlingly common near the towns and rare farther into the Park. Alley Cat Rescue’s (ACR) Limpopo teams have recently achieved sterilization of just over 6,000 domestic cats. The teams are made up expert trappers, veterinarians, and veterinary assistants. Most of the team members travel considerable distances with trapping and medical equipment to reach small agricultural settlements that are surrounded by wilderness. They set up mobile spay/neuter clinics on site in whatever space is available - barns, classrooms, even outdoors.
Over all South African locations, Alley Cat Rescue has sterilized over 15,750 domestic cats. An up-to-date map of project locations can be found at this link.
ACR Founder and President, Louise Holton, created the African Wildcat Conservation out of love for both Felis lyica and Felis catus. She explains, “African wildcats are the original ancestors of our beloved domestic cats and a truly irreplaceable species. Yet only a tiny fraction of global wild feline funding reaches small wildcats—and even less supports African wildcats. This remarkable animal urgently deserves far greater attention and resources to ensure its survival.”
More information about the program and African wildcats can be found on the Alley Cat Rescue website at saveacat.org/awc-conservation-projects.html.
Alley Cat Rescue is an international nonprofit organization dedicated to the welfare of all cats: domestic, stray, abandoned, feral, and small wildcat species. ACR advocates for humane nonlethal control of feral cats. For more information about ACR, visit their website http://www.saveacat.org.
Dec 5, 2025 - acr African Wildcat Conservation Program Achieves Domestic Cat Sterilization Milestone in South Africa
Mt. Rainier, MD (December 5, 2025) – Alley Cat Rescue’s African wildcat conservation program operates in South Africa to protect the unique wild cat species (Felis lybica) from hybridization with domestic cats (Felis catus). The program, which launched in 2018, sterilizes colonies of domestic cats that exist near African wildcat habitats. Target colonies come mainly from rural towns and farmland along the borders of Kruger National Park and other areas in the Cape Province where African wildcats still live.
Alley Cat Rescue (ACR’)s program reached and exceeded a total of 15,000 domestic cats and hybrids spayed and neutered. Small teams consisting of experienced cat trappers and veterinarians have travelled significant distances in the Eastern Cape, Western Cape, Northern Cape, and Limpopo provinces to reach locations where African wildcats and domestic cats live in close proximity with each other.
Cat overpopulation is a problem in South Africa, and many citizens do not have the resources to spay and neuter their cats. ACR is asking the animal welfare community in South Africa to help people sterilize their cats - it will improve life for domestic cats and will help the African wildcat population as well.
ACR Founder and President, Louise Holton, created the African Wildcat Conservation out of love for both Felis lyica and Felis catus. She explains, “African wildcats are the ancestors of our beloved domestic cats and an irreplaceable species. Only one percent of donations for wild felines goes to small wild cats, and of course only a tiny portion of that one percent goes toward saving African wildcats. This beautiful cat deserves and needs more resources dedicated to its survival.”
More information about the program and African wildcats can be found on the Alley Cat Rescue website at saveacat.org/awc-conservation-projects.html.
Alley Cat Rescue is an international nonprofit organization dedicated to the welfare of all cats: domestic, stray, abandoned, feral, and small wildcat species. ACR advocates for humane nonlethal control of feral cats. For more information about ACR, visit their website http://www.saveacat.org.
Alley Cat Rescue (ACR’)s program reached and exceeded a total of 15,000 domestic cats and hybrids spayed and neutered. Small teams consisting of experienced cat trappers and veterinarians have travelled significant distances in the Eastern Cape, Western Cape, Northern Cape, and Limpopo provinces to reach locations where African wildcats and domestic cats live in close proximity with each other.
Cat overpopulation is a problem in South Africa, and many citizens do not have the resources to spay and neuter their cats. ACR is asking the animal welfare community in South Africa to help people sterilize their cats - it will improve life for domestic cats and will help the African wildcat population as well.
ACR Founder and President, Louise Holton, created the African Wildcat Conservation out of love for both Felis lyica and Felis catus. She explains, “African wildcats are the ancestors of our beloved domestic cats and an irreplaceable species. Only one percent of donations for wild felines goes to small wild cats, and of course only a tiny portion of that one percent goes toward saving African wildcats. This beautiful cat deserves and needs more resources dedicated to its survival.”
More information about the program and African wildcats can be found on the Alley Cat Rescue website at saveacat.org/awc-conservation-projects.html.
Alley Cat Rescue is an international nonprofit organization dedicated to the welfare of all cats: domestic, stray, abandoned, feral, and small wildcat species. ACR advocates for humane nonlethal control of feral cats. For more information about ACR, visit their website http://www.saveacat.org.
JAN 12, 2022 - U.S. Group Asks South African Farmers and Veterinarians To Help Preserve the Vulnerable African WildcaT
Mt. Rainier, MD - Alley Cat Rescue, Inc. (ACR) is urging South African farmers and veterinarians to assist in preserving the African wildcat (Felis l. cafra).
The African wildcat, or AWC, has been labeled by the International Union for Conservation of Nature as in decline. This is due in part to habitat loss and hunting, but also to hybridization through breeding with domestic cats. The most effective way to prevent hybridization is to spay/neuter outdoor cats - those that are feral as well as those that work to control rodents on farmland - and then return the cats to their outdoor homes. This is known as trap-neuter-return (TNR).
To help preserve the AWC, Alley Cat Rescue is urging all South African farmers to sterilize their domestic cats, and hopes that the veterinary community there will facilitate this by making the process as convenient and affordable as possible for barn cats.
Alley Cat Rescue has been involved with preserving the wildcat subspecies, Felis l. cafra, for many years. The organization is now expanding its focus geographically from South Africa to any territory Felis lybica inhabits via their new African wildcat Project. The Project has begun collecting data from individuals in these areas on ACR’s Facebook group (facebook.com/ACRAWCProject) . Those reporting sightings are asked to provide the sighting date, location, and notable physical characteristics. The goal of the African Wildcat Project is to create a map of AWC distribution that will aid ACR and other conservation groups in monitoring the species’ population.
Alley Cat Rescue is encouraging anyone in South Africa who has personally seen an AWC to report the sighting via their Facebook page or survey at surveymonkey.com/r/AWCReport.
ACR President, Louise Holton is passionate about this iconic species. “We need to preserve this beautiful small wildcat...Cats make great companions but we do need to control their numbers, using humane nonlethal methods, which work more effectively than killing.”
For more information about African Wildcats and ACR’s conservation projects, visit http://www.saveacat.org/african-wildcats.html.
Alley Cat Rescue is an international nonprofit organization dedicated to the welfare of all cats: domestic, stray, abandoned, feral, and small wildcat species. ACR advocates for humane nonlethal control of feral cats. For more information about ACR, visit their website http://www.saveacat.org.
The African wildcat, or AWC, has been labeled by the International Union for Conservation of Nature as in decline. This is due in part to habitat loss and hunting, but also to hybridization through breeding with domestic cats. The most effective way to prevent hybridization is to spay/neuter outdoor cats - those that are feral as well as those that work to control rodents on farmland - and then return the cats to their outdoor homes. This is known as trap-neuter-return (TNR).
To help preserve the AWC, Alley Cat Rescue is urging all South African farmers to sterilize their domestic cats, and hopes that the veterinary community there will facilitate this by making the process as convenient and affordable as possible for barn cats.
Alley Cat Rescue has been involved with preserving the wildcat subspecies, Felis l. cafra, for many years. The organization is now expanding its focus geographically from South Africa to any territory Felis lybica inhabits via their new African wildcat Project. The Project has begun collecting data from individuals in these areas on ACR’s Facebook group (facebook.com/ACRAWCProject) . Those reporting sightings are asked to provide the sighting date, location, and notable physical characteristics. The goal of the African Wildcat Project is to create a map of AWC distribution that will aid ACR and other conservation groups in monitoring the species’ population.
Alley Cat Rescue is encouraging anyone in South Africa who has personally seen an AWC to report the sighting via their Facebook page or survey at surveymonkey.com/r/AWCReport.
ACR President, Louise Holton is passionate about this iconic species. “We need to preserve this beautiful small wildcat...Cats make great companions but we do need to control their numbers, using humane nonlethal methods, which work more effectively than killing.”
For more information about African Wildcats and ACR’s conservation projects, visit http://www.saveacat.org/african-wildcats.html.
Alley Cat Rescue is an international nonprofit organization dedicated to the welfare of all cats: domestic, stray, abandoned, feral, and small wildcat species. ACR advocates for humane nonlethal control of feral cats. For more information about ACR, visit their website http://www.saveacat.org.
sEPT 20, 2021 - Alley Cat Rescue Announces New African Wildcat Project
Mt. Rainier, MD - Alley Cat Rescue, Inc. (ACR) is commencing a project to map African wildcat (Felis lybica) sightings throughout Africa and surrounding countries. The African Wildcat Project will collect data from individuals visiting and living in these areas via ACR’s Facebook group (facebook.com/ACRAWCProject) and online report form. Those reporting sightings will provide details including the sighting date, location, and notable physical characteristics of the wildcats.
The goal of the African Wildcat Project is to create a visual representation of AWC distribution that will aid ACR and other conservationist groups in monitoring the species’ population, which has been labeled by the International Union for Conservation of Nature as in decline. AWC’s are becoming rarer due in part to habitat loss and hunting, but the most significant threat to the survival of their species is hybridization through breeding with free-roaming domestic cats.
Alley Cat Rescue has been involved with preserving the AWC South African subspecies, Felis l. cafra, for many years. Through their African Wildcat Conservation Action Plan, which was founded and has been funded to date mainly through grants from the Ayers Wild Cat Conservation Trust, ACR works with South African organizations, game rangers, and resorts and lodges to implement focused trap-neuter-return (TNR) efforts for domestic cats living along game preserve borders, thereby maintaining populations of genetically pure African wildcats in the region.
ACR President, Louise Holton is passionate about this iconic species. “We need to preserve this beautiful small wildcat as she has given us our amazing house cats that have given people so much companionship over a long period of time —living with a small tiger in your home!,” says Holton. “Cats make great companions but we do need to control their numbers, using humane nonlethal methods, which work more effectively than killing.”
To date, ACR has TNR’d close to 3,000 domestic cats in towns bordering Kruger National Park.
The African Wildcat Project expands ACR’s focus efforts geographically from South Africa to any territory Felis lybica inhabits. Crowd-sourced data on AWC sightings is a novel venture made possible by the popularity of social media. Alley Cat Rescue encourages anyone who has personally seen an AWC to report the sighting to them via their Facebook page or survey at surveymonkey.com/r/AWCReport.
For more information about African Wildcats and ACR’s conservation projects, visit http://www.saveacat.org/african-wildcats.html.
Alley Cat Rescue is an international nonprofit organization dedicated to the welfare of all cats: domestic, stray, abandoned, feral, and small wildcat species. ACR advocates for humane nonlethal control of feral cats.
For more information about ACR, visit their website http://www.saveacat.org.
The goal of the African Wildcat Project is to create a visual representation of AWC distribution that will aid ACR and other conservationist groups in monitoring the species’ population, which has been labeled by the International Union for Conservation of Nature as in decline. AWC’s are becoming rarer due in part to habitat loss and hunting, but the most significant threat to the survival of their species is hybridization through breeding with free-roaming domestic cats.
Alley Cat Rescue has been involved with preserving the AWC South African subspecies, Felis l. cafra, for many years. Through their African Wildcat Conservation Action Plan, which was founded and has been funded to date mainly through grants from the Ayers Wild Cat Conservation Trust, ACR works with South African organizations, game rangers, and resorts and lodges to implement focused trap-neuter-return (TNR) efforts for domestic cats living along game preserve borders, thereby maintaining populations of genetically pure African wildcats in the region.
ACR President, Louise Holton is passionate about this iconic species. “We need to preserve this beautiful small wildcat as she has given us our amazing house cats that have given people so much companionship over a long period of time —living with a small tiger in your home!,” says Holton. “Cats make great companions but we do need to control their numbers, using humane nonlethal methods, which work more effectively than killing.”
To date, ACR has TNR’d close to 3,000 domestic cats in towns bordering Kruger National Park.
The African Wildcat Project expands ACR’s focus efforts geographically from South Africa to any territory Felis lybica inhabits. Crowd-sourced data on AWC sightings is a novel venture made possible by the popularity of social media. Alley Cat Rescue encourages anyone who has personally seen an AWC to report the sighting to them via their Facebook page or survey at surveymonkey.com/r/AWCReport.
For more information about African Wildcats and ACR’s conservation projects, visit http://www.saveacat.org/african-wildcats.html.
Alley Cat Rescue is an international nonprofit organization dedicated to the welfare of all cats: domestic, stray, abandoned, feral, and small wildcat species. ACR advocates for humane nonlethal control of feral cats.
For more information about ACR, visit their website http://www.saveacat.org.
DEC 13, 2019 - Alley Cat Rescue Protects African wildcats in Kruger National Park through TNR
African wildcats under threat of hybridization by domestic and stray cats
Mount Rainier, MD – Alley Cat Rescue’s team has sterilized and vaccinated over 1700 free-roaming cats as part of an international partnership to protect African wildcats in South Africa. The project aims to protect vulnerable populations of genetically pure African wildcats from hybridization by sterilizing free-roaming domestic and stray cats who live around their habitat in Kruger National Park.
In early October, Alley Cat Rescue hosted a successful workshop at the Kruger Park Lodge in Hazyview that included local South African TNR experts from Sabie, Hoedspruit, Phalaborwa, and Witbank. To gather more information on the elusive and rarely seen African wildcats, ACR is in the process of sending surveys to national parks throughout South Africa. The feedback will be used by ACR to better understand where African wildcats live and the extent of hybridization in the country.
The project has received generous support from the Ayers Wild Cat Conservation Fund, a foundation run by Helaine and Jon Ayers. Jon Ayers is the former CEO of IDEXX Laboratories, a multi-national company that produces products and services for various animal-related applications.
ACR is using the Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) method to capture, treat, then return the free-roaming cats to their territory. TNR is widely practiced in the U.S. and abroad and is known as the safest and most humane way to manage populations of outdoor cats.
The African wildcat (Felis lybica) lives throughout the continent of Africa and in parts of Asia and the Middle East. They are currently listed on Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, an international agreement among countries to protect threatened and endangered species. African wildcats are not immediately threatened with extinction, but do need protection in order to ensure their survival.
Mount Rainier, MD – Alley Cat Rescue’s team has sterilized and vaccinated over 1700 free-roaming cats as part of an international partnership to protect African wildcats in South Africa. The project aims to protect vulnerable populations of genetically pure African wildcats from hybridization by sterilizing free-roaming domestic and stray cats who live around their habitat in Kruger National Park.
In early October, Alley Cat Rescue hosted a successful workshop at the Kruger Park Lodge in Hazyview that included local South African TNR experts from Sabie, Hoedspruit, Phalaborwa, and Witbank. To gather more information on the elusive and rarely seen African wildcats, ACR is in the process of sending surveys to national parks throughout South Africa. The feedback will be used by ACR to better understand where African wildcats live and the extent of hybridization in the country.
The project has received generous support from the Ayers Wild Cat Conservation Fund, a foundation run by Helaine and Jon Ayers. Jon Ayers is the former CEO of IDEXX Laboratories, a multi-national company that produces products and services for various animal-related applications.
ACR is using the Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) method to capture, treat, then return the free-roaming cats to their territory. TNR is widely practiced in the U.S. and abroad and is known as the safest and most humane way to manage populations of outdoor cats.
The African wildcat (Felis lybica) lives throughout the continent of Africa and in parts of Asia and the Middle East. They are currently listed on Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, an international agreement among countries to protect threatened and endangered species. African wildcats are not immediately threatened with extinction, but do need protection in order to ensure their survival.
MAY 7, 2019 - New Spray/Neuter Project will Protect African Wildcats in South Africa
Mt. Rainier, MD - Alley Cat Rescue (ACR) announced a new campaign in South Africa to protect the African Wildcat, the ancestor of the domestic cat, through a targeted education and trap-neuter-return (TNR) program in South Africa. Genetically pure African Wildcats could someday disappear, the group says, if hybridization with domestic cats is allowed to continue unchecked.
The African Wildcat lives throughout the continent of Africa and parts of Asia and the Middle East. Today’s familiar house cat is believed to have been domesticated from AWCs about 10,000 years ago in the Fertile Crescent. This beautiful and iconic species is currently facing population declines from hybridization with domestic cats, as well as habitat loss, hunting and the killing of cats by farmers.
One of the largest threats to pure populations of African Wildcats is inter-breeding with feral and stray cats. Studies have found that Wildcats and domestic cats can mate and create fertile, hybrid offspring.
The African Wildcat, Felis lybica cafra, is currently listed on Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, an international agreement among countries to protect threatened and endangered species. As with other Appendix II species, Wildcats are not immediately threatened with extinction, but do need protection in order to ensure their survival.
Alley Cat Rescue President & Founder Louise Holton says, “It’s important to save the African Wildcat. This cat gave the world our wonderful companion cats, who today play an integral role in the lives of millions of people around the world.”
Alley Cat Rescue is addressing the issue of hybridization by implementing their project where domestic cats and African Wildcats are most likely to interact; the places where their territories overlap. The campaign will focus on the area around Kruger National Park, where hybridization can occur and where it is possible to create a “barrier” of sterilized domestic cats. The park is home to a significant number of African Wildcats, who could come into contact with domestic cats from nearby urban areas.
Alley Cat Rescue is partnering with local scientists, veterinarians and other animal advocacy groups in the area for the project, and welcomes additional participation.
About Alley Cat Rescue: ACR is an International nonprofit organization dedicated to the welfare of all cats: domestic, stray, abandoned, and feral. ACR advocates for humane, nonlethal control of feral cats. ACR has been awarded the Independent Charities of America’s “Best in America” Seal of Approval, and their newsletter has won several awards from the Cat Writers’ Association.
ACR’s Guide to Managing Community Cats was also awarded a Certificate of Excellence by the CWA. For more information, please visit http://www.saveacat.org. ###
The African Wildcat lives throughout the continent of Africa and parts of Asia and the Middle East. Today’s familiar house cat is believed to have been domesticated from AWCs about 10,000 years ago in the Fertile Crescent. This beautiful and iconic species is currently facing population declines from hybridization with domestic cats, as well as habitat loss, hunting and the killing of cats by farmers.
One of the largest threats to pure populations of African Wildcats is inter-breeding with feral and stray cats. Studies have found that Wildcats and domestic cats can mate and create fertile, hybrid offspring.
The African Wildcat, Felis lybica cafra, is currently listed on Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, an international agreement among countries to protect threatened and endangered species. As with other Appendix II species, Wildcats are not immediately threatened with extinction, but do need protection in order to ensure their survival.
Alley Cat Rescue President & Founder Louise Holton says, “It’s important to save the African Wildcat. This cat gave the world our wonderful companion cats, who today play an integral role in the lives of millions of people around the world.”
Alley Cat Rescue is addressing the issue of hybridization by implementing their project where domestic cats and African Wildcats are most likely to interact; the places where their territories overlap. The campaign will focus on the area around Kruger National Park, where hybridization can occur and where it is possible to create a “barrier” of sterilized domestic cats. The park is home to a significant number of African Wildcats, who could come into contact with domestic cats from nearby urban areas.
Alley Cat Rescue is partnering with local scientists, veterinarians and other animal advocacy groups in the area for the project, and welcomes additional participation.
About Alley Cat Rescue: ACR is an International nonprofit organization dedicated to the welfare of all cats: domestic, stray, abandoned, and feral. ACR advocates for humane, nonlethal control of feral cats. ACR has been awarded the Independent Charities of America’s “Best in America” Seal of Approval, and their newsletter has won several awards from the Cat Writers’ Association.
ACR’s Guide to Managing Community Cats was also awarded a Certificate of Excellence by the CWA. For more information, please visit http://www.saveacat.org. ###