Interview! Sheila Massey, Neighborhood Activist - NYC

"I found that I spent half my time explaining TNR and working with the community so that they would buy in and accept the cats."

Sheila dove into the world of community cats after retiring from work as a forensic accountant and corporate fraud auditor. She became certified in TNR in 2008, now volunteers at the Brooklyn Cat Café, and is a diligent advocate for New York City's feral cat communities. From the city's 600 or so community gardens to various church and prison grounds, cat colonies have the potential to provide a significant solution to the city's overwhelming rat population and subsequent health issues. She discusses her struggles and goals to involve the Department of Health and the ASPCA in community education on the process and benefits of TNR. With this goal in mind, Sheila is highly active in NYC's Neighborhood Relations Workshops.

To learn more, visit morrisjumelcats.tumblr.com and catcafebk.com. You can email Sheila at [email protected].