Smores’ photos show the same cat on day one and one year later. Every community cat deserves that chance.

I rescue cats in Rhode Island. I have seen the suffering firsthand—and what happens when someone steps in. But rescuers and volunteers cannot carry this responsibility alone.

Cats do not choose abandonment. They do not choose hunger, untreated injuries, or having litter after litter outdoors. This is a community problem that needs a community response.

We call on the Rhode Island General Assembly and Governor to:

• Fund accessible spay/neuter services and humane trap-neuter-return (TNR), with veterinary care and support for community-cat caregivers.

• Expand resources for rescues, shelters, foster homes, and emergency veterinary assistance.

• Strengthen enforcement against animal cruelty, neglect, and abandonment, and establish meaningful breeder accountability.

• Create a legally sound animal-offender registry, based on qualifying convictions and with due-process protections, that shelters and rescues can use to screen adopters.

• Support a Community Cat Steward Program that trains residents to help with humane trapping, care, and responsible reporting under experienced supervision.

Our goal is to prevent suffering and reduce the number of cats struggling to survive outdoors through humane, sustained action.

We ask state leaders to work with rescuers, veterinarians, shelters, and communities to turn these priorities into funded legislation and programs.

Please sign and share. Help us give more cats the chance Smores received.

Voices for Rhode Island Community Cats