Published Aug 20, 2026
Haley Saunders / Save the Hardy Cats
A grassroots effort to save a large group of cats living around a vacant home in Roanoke County, Virginia, is slowly making progress thanks to the dedication and hard work of a handful of local cat lovers.
Caitlyn Wright and Haley Saunders, both residents of Vinton, Virginia, first learned about the cats’ plight in June, when Wright noticed some of the cats hanging around a gas station. After inquiring about the cats, a gas station employee pointed her in the direction of a property up the street where the cats seemed to be coming from.
Haley Saunders (left) and Caitlyn Wright have dedicated countless hours to managing the rescue effort. Haley Saunders / Save the Hardy Cats
Wright and her friend found a large colony of cats living on the property of a vacant home off Hardy Road. At the time, they estimated there were about 50 cats—all were hungry and most were in poor health and in need of veterinary attention.
Saunders contacted animal control to report the cats, but according to a report by the Virginia local news outlet WDBJ, Roanoke County Animal Control was not accepting cats because of an illness outbreak and had no available cage space.
The two cat lovers knew they had to help, so they took matters into their own hands. Saunders told WDBJ that she contacted the property owner and received permission for the volunteers to feed and check on the cats, provided they work toward finding them places to go. They began bringing the cats food and water, and observed them, noting various medical issues, including sneezing and other upper-respiratory symptoms, hair loss, eye problems, and cuts on many of the cats’ bodies. All of the cats were visibly underweight.
Haley Saunders / Save the Hardy Cats
Haley Saunders / Save the Hardy Cats
Haley Saunders / Save the Hardy Cats
In July, Saunders created a Facebook group to spread awareness and ask for help. About five or six people are currently feeding the cats. “Thanks to the incredible kindness of several local community members, we’ve been blessed to have extra hands helping make sure these cats have food each day,” Saunders said. “Every act of kindness, no matter how small, is making a real difference in their lives.”
Since June, some of the cats have been removed from the property and adopted by individuals. Others have been removed and placed in foster care. Sadly, some cats have disappeared or died. As of early August, Saunders estimated there are approximately 20 to 25 cats remaining on the property, all of them adults.
The volunteers are also reaching out to local groups to organize a trap-neuter-return (TNR) effort so the cats can receive veterinary care and be spayed or neutered. Before the process can begin, however, the volunteers need to secure foster homes, barns, or other safe placements where the cats can go to recover from surgery.
“If you are able to foster, know someone who can, or know of any rescues, barns, organizations, or safe placements that may be willing to help, please send me a message or leave a comment,” Saunders said in a Facebook update. “Every connection and every share brings us one step closer to saving these sweet babies.”
According to the Facebook group, other priority needs include donations of cat food; pet carriers, crates, and cages; flea and tick treatments; monetary donations to help cover veterinary care, traps, carriers, and other rescue expenses.
A friendly cat nicknamed Wobbles due to his unsteady gait was removed from the property by a volunteer and brought to a veterinarian for medical treatment. Image Credit: Jay Seamans
According to WDBJ, Roanoke County Animal Control contacted the individual who previously lived at the home, and an investigation is ongoing.
