Costa Mesa set to allow trap, neuter and return program for stray cats

Costa Mesa may soon support feral cats being caught, fixed and released back onto the city’s streets, a practice that advocates say is critical to curbing feline overpopulation.

The City Council unanimously agreed on an ordinance to create and regulate a trap, neuter and return program - or TNR - for free-roaming cats within city limits. Tuesday’s approval will need to be confirmed with a second vote at a later meeting to put the law on the books.

The TNR practice has been outlawed in Costa Mesa, meaning that vets and rescue workers have not been able to fix and return feral cats to their colony or location of capture to prevent future litters.

Several municipalities had prohibited trap, neuter and return programs because of challenges that releasing cats back into the environment could be considered animal abandonment, which is considered illegal in the state. Some have started to allow such programs more recently.

The current law has fueled an explosion in the community cat population in Costa Mesa that has put a strain on rescues such as Priceless Pets, which the city has an agreement with, advocates say. Volunteer trappers have testified about having to bear the steep medical costs of sterilizing cats.

The ordinance would create a city-run TNR program under which feral cats can be humanely trapped and surgically sterilized, then vaccinated and ear-tagged before being released back into the community. Rescues, nonprofits, veterinary clinics and residents who wish to participate in the program would have to register with Costa Mesa Police Chief Joyce LaPointe and the city’s animal control unit.

The law would also require providers to track and monitor felines that go through TNR, documenting the location and date they were trapped, the clinic used, vaccination and ear-tipping confirmation, as well as the date and location of release.

The proposed ordinance was drafted by the Costa Mesa Police Department and Animal Services Committee; the ad hoc group first started working on a TNR plan in 2018. The process of drafting the law faced a series of delays; the committee made several attempts last year to put TNR up for a vote before the City Council.

Mayor John Stephens said the policy is a “compassionate” and cost-effective solution to controlling the breeding of feral cats. Stephens said the city will only be on the hook for the “nominal indirect cost” associated with staff time for registration and record keeping. Shelter providers and other program registrants will pay for the costs of neutering, he said.

“It’s going to make it better for the cat population … at virtually no cost to the city,” Stephens said.

Animal advocates have long pushed the city to legalize TNR, saying the practice reduces unwarranted litters, euthanasia and shelter intake while improving the health of feral cats. A petition created last summer to legalize TNR garnered more than 1,000 signatories. Many supporters testified in favor of the ordinance at Tuesday’s meeting.

Cara Stewart, vice chair of the Animal Services Committee, said the proposal is a “beautiful first step” that creates structure and oversight of the local TNR program and ensures cats will be identified before being released.

The ordinance “preserves the city’s ability to step in when there are public health or other safety concerns,” she added.

Councilmember Loren Gameros relayed an offer from Lisa Price, the chief executive and co-founder of Priceless Pets, to neuter any cat for $100. The announcement drew cheers from the audience.

The City Council is set to vote on final adoption of the ordinance May 5. If approved, TNR will be enacted in June.

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This story was originally published April 23, 2026 at 7:08 AM.