Thirty homeless cats are set to be spayed and neutered as part of a compassionate Ramadan campaign, a vital step towards humanely reducing the kingdom’s growing stray population. The initiative is led by Christine Morgate-Gallardo, a Filipino expatriate widely known as the ‘cat mother of Bahrain’.
She launched the campaign as part of her ongoing Trap, Neuter, Return (TNR) efforts, which she has been running since 2020. This year’s drive also introduces a feeding programme to help provide regular meals for rescued cats.
So far, more than BD120 has been raised, enough to spay two female cats and neuter three males, with additional support still needed to cover the remaining animals.
“TNR is the most humane and effective method to manage the growing stray cat population,” Ms Morgate-Gallardo told the GDN. “Without it, numbers increase rapidly, causing more suffering for both the animals and the community.”
Under the TNR approach, feral cats and desert dogs are humanely trapped, spayed (for female animals) or neutered (for males), and then released back into the environment.
It also decreases mating-related behaviours such as fighting and excessive noise, while preventing the birth of unwanted litters.
The 30-year-old, who has lived in Bahrain for nearly a decade, said Ramadan is a particularly meaningful time to carry out such initiatives.
“These homeless animals cannot speak or ask for help, and this is a good way to give zakat during the holy month,” she said.
“This season is about giving, reflection and compassion. It is an opportunity to come together and turn kindness into action.”
Her journey as the ‘cat mother of Bahrain’ began several years ago when she rescued a stray cat outside her building in Hoora. She now has eight in total.
“Seeing her struggle deeply affected me, and I knew I had to help,” she recalled. “From helping one cat it slowly expanded into helping many.”
Over the past five years, Ms Morgate-Gallardo has helped spay and neuter around 1,250 cats, dedicating her free time to rescue efforts alongside her husband, who supports the mission by driving her across the island to respond to calls for help.
Despite this progress, her work faced a setback last year when her original Instagram account – documenting years of rescue efforts – was permanently disabled.
“It was heartbreaking to lose that platform and the memories attached to it,” she said, highlighting that she had built a community of 1,300 loyal individuals who would support many of her projects and campaigns.
“Losing that has been really difficult moving forward, but I’m starting again with hope and determination. Every follow, share, and kind message helps keep this mission alive.”
She encourages members of the public to support the campaign and help improve the lives of Bahrain’s stray cats, emphasising that collective compassion can create lasting change.
n For more information, or to donate and get involved, follow @bahrain_straycats_tnr_program_ on Instagram.
julia@gdnmedia.bh
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