Help the Street Cats of Vratsa

In Vratsa, Bulgaria, every week I witness the heartbreaking reality of stray cats living here: dead kittens on the road, adult cats injured or suffering from disease, and dogs preying on vulnerable kittens.

Vratsa is located in northwest Bulgaria, officially recognised as the poorest region in the EU. There is only a single, overwhelmed cat charity in the city and the root of the problem — unchecked reproduction of street cats — continues to remain unaddressed. Without efforts to manage stray cat populations, the cycle of suffering will continue, and each year, more and more cats will be born into harsh conditions, the majority dying young.

I want to change that. Since moving here I have already rescued multiple cats and rehomed three, including one who had been shot—all using my own funds. But I cannot make a bigger, lasting impact without more help.

This season therefore I’m launching a pilot Trap-Neuter-Release (TNR) programme, focusing on sterilizing adult street cats of reproductive age. TNR has proven effective worldwide in reducing the number of stray cats and improving their welfare. By neutering these cats now, we can help prevent more kittens from being born into suffering next year, and prevent fights, injuries, and the spread of diseases in the population. According to TNR Bulgaria, the life expectancy of street cats is 3 times higher after sterilisation.

For now, I’ll be doing this on my own. My goal is simple: to see fewer cats dying and in need of help next year. But I need your support to make it happen.

The cost of sterilization where I am varies between males and females—around 50 leva (£21) for males and 100 leva (£42) for females. In Sofia however, a 2 hour drive away, sterilisations at charity clinics can be free. Therefore, the goal of this project is to sterilize at least 20 female cats, using funds for petrol, equipment, and veterinary costs. However, any cat helped is a step forward. Where needed, funds will also be used to vaccinate cats. Your donations will go directly toward covering the costs of trapping, neutering, and releasing these street cats.

Do not let cats keep dying on the street, donate to reduce animal suffering and contribute to making a lasting impact in this community. Every contribution, no matter the size, helps bring us closer to giving these cats a better life.

A full rundown of the costs of this GoFundMe, and photos of every cat helped, is available here: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/14UOzzkIkgVDo9nw_8RP1ggsjkU-BvxQOnLm5mgP-PI0/edit?usp=sharing

Updates can be seen on my instagram, and any cat I work with is available for adoption: https://www.instagram.com/straysinsquares

For more information about the idea behind TNR, please see the website of TNR Bulgaria: https://rescue.thelastcage.org/en/tnr-bulgaria/