Report on the Driftwood TNR Blitz of Oct 2025

December, 2025

At the beginning of October, 2025, it was decided that the Feral Cat Awareness Day would be celebrated this year by a mass trapping and TNR blitz campaign. A location was targeted, volunteers recruited, contact made with colony caretakers in the area, and a leaflet was prepared and distributed by volunteers to thousands of residents in the area. From October 14, 2025 until October, 18, 2025 a total of 31 volunteers took part in a mass trapping in the Jane/Finch

Driftwood area. The blitz was conducted in co-operation between members of the Toronto Feral Cat Coalition’s Trappers’ League, the Toronto Feral Cat Recovery Centre (managed by Toronto Cat Rescue), and Toronto Animal Services. Support was also provided by Animal Alliance Canada. The project was launched at the Jane-Finch Mall on Oct.15th.

On Oct. 14th & Oct. 15 th, Toronto Animal Services set up their SNYP (Spay Neuter Your Pet) truck at the Jane-Finch Mall. A team of trappers descended upon the defined area on Oct. 15th to trap as many feral cats as possible. Trappers were issued with traps, ID tags, trap tags, and assignments to previously-identified colonies.

The trapped cats were collected at the Jane-Finch Mall launch site and transported to the Toronto Feral Cat Recovery Centre in Scarborough. The following day they were transported to the TAS clinic on Progress Avenue where they were neutered and then returned to the Recovery Centre. Males were given one day at the Centre for recovery and females were given two day for recovery. At the end of the recovery period, volunteers returned the cats to their colonies and returned the traps to their owners. Our appreciation goes out to Toronto Cat Rescue for the use of the premises, cat food, and cat “nappies” for the campaign.

Through our collective efforts we:

  • Reached thousands of residents with information about feral cats, the value of TNR, and the opportunity to neuter their pets at no cost to themselves

  • Renewed links with dozens of colony caretakers and discovered new colonies that were previously unknown to us

  • Neutered 26 feral cats - thus limiting the proliferation of cats in the area

  • Filled every appointment at the SNYP for two days of the blitz and for the following week. This resulted in the spay/neuter of 24 males and 21 females over the first two day

  • Surrendered 3 of the trapped cats for adoption and one for fostering

  • Toronto Humane Society neutered 51 cats

  • Brampton Animal Service neutered 11 cats

  • Hamilton/Burlington SPCA neutered 21 cats

  • Found and had treated one sick older cat

  • Learned much and with suggestions for improvement developed a blueprint for future blitz campaigns in other parts of the city.

A video report of the project can be found here.

Photos taken by TAS at the Progress Avenue clinic where the operations took place are.

TNR blitz in the Driftwood neighbourhood of Toornto for Feral Cat Awareness Day 2025

Feral Cat Awareness Day 2025

Thursday, Oct 16, 2025

This week, theToronto Feral Cat Coalition, a partnership of Community Cats Toronto, Annex Cat Rescue, Animal Alliance of Canada, Toronto Street Cats, Toronto Humane Society, Toronto Cat Rescue, and Toronto Animal Services is coming together for a large-scale Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) blitz to help support and manage the city’s feral cat population.

To mark Feral Cat Awareness Day on October 16th, 2025 a dedicated team of skilled volunteers, cat-trappers, and drivers will mobilize in Toronto’s Driftwood area, a neighbourhood known to have a high concentration of feral cats. The effort begins on the evening of October 15th, when volunteers will gather at the Jane/Finch Mall parking lot to begin trapping. The cats will then be transported to spay/neuter clinics run by Toronto Animal Services, where veterinarians will provide health checks, vaccinations, and sterilization surgeries before the cats are returned to their outdoor homes.

Toronto Animal Services will operate two clinics for this initiative, one at the Toronto East shelter (821 Progress Ave) and another through the SNYP (Spay/Neuter Your Pet) mobile clinic, which will be stationed at the rear of the Feral Cat Recovery Centre on Progress Avenue. Cats who undergo surgery will recover for one to two days before being safely released back to their familiar territories.

To further recognize Feral Cat Awareness Day, free spay/neuter services will also be offered to pet owners in the M3N postal code area through the “SNYP” truck on October 14th and 15th at the Jane/Finch Mall. Pet owners can pre-register online at toronto.ca/trap-neuter-return.

Spay/neuter initiatives like this make an incredible difference. One unspayed female cat can produce as many as 30,000 cats over just seven years, leading to immense strain on animal services and shelters. Humane TNR programs are the most effective way to reduce overpopulation while improving the quality of life for feral cats across the city.

By working together, local rescues, volunteers, and community members are making a lasting impact!