City Critters is a New York State charitable organization licensed to operate in the City of New York for the rescue and placement of stray and abandoned animals.
City Critters is a member of the Mayor's Alliance for NYC's Animals.
Donations made to City Critters, or paid on our behalf, are tax exempt under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code; financial statements and current IRS Determination Letter are available for review upon request.
Support our rescue work with a donation:
Make a donation using a credit card through Network for Good:
Mail contributions to:
- City Critters Inc.
- P.O. Box 1345
- Canal Street Station
- New York NY 10013
Would you like to be a City Critters volunteer?
Please e-mail us.
CCI Newsletters
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- Special Adoption Event
- City Critters will hold cat and dog adoptions with support from North Shore Animal League on Sunday, May 2nd from 11 AM to 6 PM. This event will take place near Petopia, at 404 Third Avenue between 28th and 29th Streets.
- Low Cost Spay/Neuter Projects
- New York City residents who have a valid Medicaid card can have their dogs and cats spayed or neutered for a special low price… (read more)
- Highrise Syndrome
- Windows without screens pose a real danger to small pets, particularly cats… (read more)
- The New York City Feral Cat Initiative
- Wherever there are people and food sources, there are feral cats… (read more)
- Older News
- 50 cats abandoned in Chelsea apartment
- The Corona collector
- Faye Beckerman
- Bonnie Fitzsimmons
Maddie's® Spay/Neuter Project NYC
Spaying or neutering makes good sense for animals as well as for their owners and guardians. By spaying or neutering your pet, you can:
- eliminate the chance of unwanted pregnancies
- help reduce the number of homeless cats and dogs
- help avoid some serious health problems (and their associated costs) later in your cat's or dog's life.
- help eliminate some problem behaviors.
Now New York City residents who have a valid Medicaid card can have their dogs and cats spayed or neutered for a special low price: $10 for cats and $20 for dogs.
The Mayor's Alliance and the Veterinary Medical Association of NYC have launched Maddie's® Spay/Neuter Project NYC. The project, made possible by a generous grant from Maddie's Fund, helps to reduce the number of homeless cats and dogs in NYC by decreasing the number of unwanted canine and feline pregnancies.
Anyone who lives within the five boroughs of New York City and has a valid Medicaid card can have up to a total of six cats or dogs (or a combination of cats/dogs totaling no more than six) spayed or neutered each year for a special low price at participating veterinarians.
If you are qualified to take advantage of this low-cost offer, all you need to do is:
- locate a participating veterinarian from the list provided on the Mayor's Alliance web site.
- call the veterinarian and make an appointment for the surgery
- bring your valid Medicaid card and photo ID to the appointment (the veterinarian will photocopy the card).
- pay the veterinarian for the surgery: $10 for each cat, $20 for each dog, up to a total of six animals within a 12-month period.
These special low fees apply only to spay or neuter surgeries. If a pet requires additional care, such as pre-surgery testing of an older pet or other procedures, those costs will be in addition to the spay/neuter fees. The veterinarian will inform the owner/guardian prior to the surgery if additional costs will be incurred.
If you qualify or if someone you know qualifies for this important life-saving program, act now to take advantage of this opportunity.
If you have questions, e-mail The Mayor's Alliance.
ASPCA Mobile Spay/Neuter Clinics
Free spay/neuter, rabies and distemper vaccination, nail trim, e-collar, and microchip on a mobile clinic in all five boroughs with proof of public assistance. The cost is $75 per animal if you are not on public assistance. Call 877-SPAY-NYC (877-772-9692) for more information.
The Toby Project
Free or low-cost spay/neuter on a mobile clinic in all five boroughs. For more information, call 212-799-1120 or e-mail The Toby Project.
United Action for Animals Mobile Spay/Neuter Clinic
Free MASH-style mobile spay/neuter clinic in the outer boroughs of NYC. Appointment required as well as a valid photo ID. Call 212-249-9178.
Keep your city kitty safe from High Rise Syndrome
Many people mistakenly believe that "cats are too smart to fall". But windows without screens pose a real danger to small pets, particularly cats. Unfortunately, this type of accident can be fatal, and has become so prevalent in cities that it's been given the name of "high-rise syndrome".
An insect or a bird or other animal viewed from an open window can be distracting enough to cause cats to lose their balance or to leap in pursuit. Cats can easily slip through childproof window guards, so screens are a necessity.
During the warmer months, veterinarians at the ASPCA’s Bergh Memorial Animal Hospital see approximately three to five cases a week. Falls can result in shattered jaws, punctured lungs, broken limbs and pelvises—and even death.
It's a misconception that cats won't be injured if they fall from a one- or two-story building. Cats may actually be at greater risk than when falling from higher altitudes, as the shorter distance will not give a cat enough time to adjust her body to fall correctly.
For more information on high-rise syndrome and other issues affecting animals in New York City, please visit ASPCA online.
New York City Feral Cat Initiative
The New York City Feral Cat Initiative is a joint program of the Mayor's Alliance for NYC's Animals and Neighborhood Cats, two private non-profit organizations. Their mission is to solve the feral cat overpopulation crisis in New York City through the humane, non-lethal method of Trap-Neuter-Return, or TNR for short. In neighborhoods throughout New York City, TNR is proving effective in humanely managing feral cat colonies and reducing their numbers over time.
The NYC Feral Cat Initiative program provides TNR Caretaker Training Workshops in all five boroughs; hands-on assistance at TNR projects in all boroughs; free TNR equipment loans; public advice by phone and e-mail; feline educational events; and information via e-newsletters and printed materials
Visit The NYC Feral Cat Initiative website to learn about resources available to help street cats in New York City, including free and low-cost feral cat spay/neuter services, proper care of a feral cat colony, bottle-feeding orphaned kittens, socializing feral kittens, laws regarding feral cats, and TNR and adoption options for found tame (friendly) cats and socialized kittens. In addition, you can print out a variety of helpful documents or listen to recorded webinars by experienced TNR caretakers on a variety of pertinent topics.
Winter Shelters for Feral Cats
Cats in managed feral colonies (or strays you care for in your own backyard) need warm shelters in winter to keep them healthy and dry. Urban Cat League provides a guide to shelters that you can purchase or build yourself. You'll find shelter info and ideas as well as other winter-caretaking tips.