Colony cats, Simone and Bike Path Panther, coming out to eat dinner. Aug. 2, 2026.
It’s not unusual to see a stray cat from time to time. But in the Eugene-Springfield area, there are many large cat colonies that are mostly out of sight. Local rescues put in a lot of work to keep them under control.
Along West 11th Avenue in Eugene, Jackie Atkins whistles out the “dinner bell” for the stray and feral cat colonies she monitors. Atkins is a board member for the nonprofit cat rescue, “Feline Good.” She feeds 12 colonies along a two mile stretch of road. That’s about 157 cats altogether, she estimates…