ColonyKind for Managed Communities

What is ColonyKind?
ColonyKind is a TIPS initiative focused on humane, sustainable solutions for community cats. By partnering with neighbors, caretakers, and property stakeholders, ColonyKind provides Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) resources, basic medical support, food assistance, and guidance for cooperative neighborhood care. This program reduces overpopulation and nuisance behaviors while supporting the people who are committed to caring for cats responsibly—creating lasting, compassionate change for both animals and communities. 

How is ColonyKind different from regular TNR?
ColonyKind goes beyond one-time TNR by focusing on long-term, community-based care. In addition to coordinating spay/neuter, the program provides basic medical support, food assistance, and guidance to help neighbors work together. This approach creates stable colonies and lasting solutions, not just short-term fixes. 

Who runs ColonyKind?

ColonyKind is coordinated by the TIPS team and volunteers, working alongside local caregivers, neighbors, and property stakeholders to provide humane, community-based care for outdoor cats.  

Is this program free?
ColonyKind relies on active participation from neighbors. While TIPS provides services at no cost when funding allows, participants must work together to help fund TNR and to assist with trapping, holding, transportation, and ongoing feeding independent of TIPS funding availability. 

How is ColonyKind funded?
ColonyKind is funded by donations and community support. When TIPS funding is limited, neighbors are expected to help cover TNR costs and provide hands-on support. 

Who can participate in ColonyKind?
ColonyKind is open to neighbors and community members who are willing to work together to care for community cats. Participants may include homeowners, renters, caretakers, and property representatives who are able to collaborate, follow humane care practices, and share responsibility for trapping, funding TNR, and ongoing colony support.   

Do I need to already care for cats to apply?  

No. You do not need to already care for cats to apply. ColonyKind welcomes individuals who are willing to get involved, learn humane community cat care, and work collaboratively with neighbors to support the program.

Does my neighborhood have to be a “colony” to qualify?  
No. Your neighborhood does not need to already be an established colony to qualify. ColonyKind can support areas where community cats are just beginning to appear, as well as neighborhoods with existing colonies, with the goal of preventing growth and creating long-term, humane solutions.

Can renters participate?  
We welcome renters! Renters make up roughly HALF of Springfield OH as of Dec 2025. However, ColonyKind cannot operate on rental properties where cats are being fed or sheltered without landlord or property management involvement and approval. 

What if not everyone in my neighborhood agrees?
ColonyKind does not require unanimous neighborhood agreement. However, the program works best when there is a core group of neighbors willing to participate, communicate respectfully, and follow humane care practices. TIPS can help guide conversations and set clear boundaries to reduce conflict and support a successful, long-term solution. 

How do I get management buy-in?
Management buy-in starts with clear communication and shared goals. ColonyKind encourages caretakers and neighbors to approach property managers or HOAs with information about TNR, how the program reduces nuisance behaviors, and what responsibilities are and are not expected of management. TIPS can provide program details, answer questions, and help explain how ColonyKind supports a cleaner, quieter, and more stable community. 

Do property managers or HOAs have to approve this?  
Yes. Property manager or HOA approval is required for ColonyKind to operate in managed communities. This ensures clear communication, shared expectations, and responsible, humane care for community cats within apartment complexes, mobile home parks, HOAs, and similar settings. 

What responsibilities does property management have?  
Property management’s role is primarily one of approval and cooperation, not hands-on care. Managers or HOAs are asked to allow humane practices such as TNR and designated feeding or shelter areas, communicate with residents as needed, and coordinate with TIPS and colony caretakers to support a stable, well-managed program. 

Does this create liability for property owners?  
ColonyKind is designed to reduce, not increase, liability concerns. By stabilizing cat populations through TNR, maintaining consistent care, and coordinating clear roles and expectations, the program helps prevent common issues such as nuisance complaints, unmanaged feeding, and population growth. TIPS works collaboratively with property owners and managers to ensure humane, organized practices that support responsible community cat management. 

Will feeding stations be visible?  
Feeding stations are placed thoughtfully and with discretion. Whenever possible, stations are located in low-traffic, out-of-sight areas and managed to remain clean and unobtrusive, in coordination with caretakers and property management. 

Can ColonyKind be stopped once it begins?
Participation in ColonyKind is voluntary, and individuals may step away if they choose. However, the program is designed as a long-term, humane approach, and abruptly stopping care can undo progress and lead to new, unsterilized cats moving in. If circumstances change, TIPS encourages participants to communicate so transitions can be handled responsibly and the cats remain stable. 

What medical care do the cats receive?  
ColonyKind focuses on supportive, preventative care rather than full veterinary services. When available, the program may assist with basic care such as deworming, but spay/neuter (TNR) and rabies vaccinations are coordinated and funded separately by participating neighbors. 

Are cats spayed or neutered?
Spay and neuter services are not provided directly through ColonyKind.
Instead, the program encourages and supports neighbors in working together to arrange and help fund TNR through available community resources as part of responsible, long-term care. 

What happens if a cat is sick or injured?  
If a cat appears sick or injured, caretakers are encouraged to act promptly and communicate with TIPS.
ColonyKind does not provide full veterinary treatment, but TIPS can help assess the situation, offer guidance, and suggest next steps or available resources when possible. 

Are kittens removed from colonies?
Kittens may be removed from colonies when it is appropriate and safe to do so. Decisions are made case by case, based on the kittens’ age, health, and the availability of foster or placement options, with the goal of ensuring the best outcome for both the kittens and the colony.   

What happens to friendly cats?
Friendly cats are evaluated individually. When possible, social cats may be directed toward adoption pathways, placement, or other appropriate outcomes, depending on temperament, health, and available resources. 

What is expected of a colony caretaker?  
Colony caretakers play a key role in the success of ColonyKind. Caretakers are expected to provide consistent feeding, monitor the cats’ well-being, help coordinate trapping and transportation for TNR arranged outside of the program, communicate with neighbors and TIPS, and follow humane care guidelines to support a stable, well-managed colony. 

How often do caretakers feed cats?  
Caretakers are expected to follow a consistent feeding schedule and avoid feeding overnight. Daytime feeding helps ensure cats eat promptly, allows caretakers to monitor the colony, and reduces issues such as wildlife attraction, pests, and food being left out after dark. 

Who provides food?
Food is primarily provided by colony caretakers and participating neighbors. When available, TIPS may offer food assistance, but ColonyKind relies on shared community responsibility to ensure cats are fed consistently and responsibly.  

What if a caretaker moves or can’t continue?  
ColonyKind encourages shared responsibility so care doesn’t fall on one person. If a caretaker is no longer able to continue, neighbors work together to transition care and identify next steps, with guidance from TIPS when possible, to ensure the cats continue to be cared for consistently. 

Can multiple people share caretaker duties?
Yes!! ColonyKind encourages shared caretaker responsibilities. Having multiple people involved helps ensure consistent care, reduces burnout, and supports long-term stability for both the cats and the community. 

How do I apply for ColonyKind?
You can apply for ColonyKind by completing the application on the TIPS website. Once submitted, a member of the TIPS team will review the information and follow up to discuss next steps, expectations, and whether the program is a good fit for your neighborhood. 

What happens after I apply?  
After you apply, TIPS reviews your application and may reach out for additional information. If the program appears to be a good fit, TIPS will discuss expectations, next steps, and coordination with neighbors or property management before moving forward. 

How long does the process take?  
Timelines vary based on neighborhood readiness, coordination, and available resources. Some applications move forward quickly, while others may take additional time to organize neighbors, secure approvals, or align expectations before the program begins. 

Is there a limit to how many cats can be helped?  
ColonyKind does not have a fixed limit, but support is based on capacity and community participation. The number of cats that can be helped depends on available resources, neighbor involvement, and the ability to provide consistent, humane care over time. 

What if new cats appear later?
New cats can appear over time, and ColonyKind plans for that reality. Caretakers and neighbors are expected to monitor the area and work together to address newcomers promptly by coordinating humane next steps and adjusting care plans as needed. 

Is TNR legal in my area?  
Yes. TNR is legal and widely supported in our area. Humane Trap-Neuter-Return is recognized as an effective, responsible approach to managing community cats, and ColonyKind works within these accepted practices while encouraging cooperation with neighbors and property stakeholders. 

Is it safe for the cats?  
Yes. Humane community cat care practices are considered safe and effective for cats. Approaches such as TNR, consistent feeding, and responsible monitoring improve cats’ health and reduce fighting, roaming, and stress compared to unmanaged colonies. ColonyKind supports these humane, evidence-based practices while focusing on long-term stability. 

Why not just remove or relocate the cats?
Removing or relocating community cats is rarely effective and often creates new problems. When cats are removed, new unsterilized cats quickly move in to take advantage of available resources, a process known as the “vacuum effect.” Humane management—stabilizing cats in place with consistent care and coordinated TNR—addresses the root cause and leads to long-term improvement for both cats and the community.  

What happens during extreme weather?  
During extreme weather, caretakers focus on safety and basic protection for the cats. This may include providing insulated shelters, adjusting feeding schedules, and monitoring cats more closely. ColonyKind encourages proactive planning so cats have protection during heat, cold, storms, or other severe conditions while minimizing disruption to the surrounding community. 

How do you ensure humane treatment?
ColonyKind emphasizes humane, respectful care at every step. The program promotes best practices for feeding, shelter, handling, and coordination of care, along with clear communication and accountability among caretakers and neighbors. TIPS provides guidance and support to help ensure cats are treated compassionately and responsibly. 

How do you measure success?
Success is measured by stability, consistency, and reduced community concerns. ColonyKind looks for fewer kittens over time, improved health and behavior of the cats, reliable caretaker participation, and decreased complaints or conflicts within the neighborhood—indicators that humane management is working effectively.   

Does ColonyKind actually reduce cat populations?  
Yes—when paired with coordinated spay/neuter, ColonyKind helps reduce cat populations over time. By encouraging neighbors to work together to arrange and fund TNR, maintain consistent care, and respond quickly to new cats, the program prevents new litters and stabilizes colonies, leading to a gradual, long-term population decline.

How long before changes are noticeable?  
Some changes are noticeable quickly, while others take time. Nuisance behaviors such as fighting or roaming often decrease soon after spay/neuter is completed, while overall population stabilization and visible decline typically occur over months to a few years with consistent care and follow-through. 

Can this program end entirely in a neighborhood?
Yes—over time, ColonyKind can successfully wind down in a neighborhood. As cats are humanely managed and no new litters are born, colonies naturally shrink through attrition. With consistent monitoring and coordinated care, some neighborhoods can eventually reach a point where active colony management is no longer needed.