where I grew up surrounded by cats. When I moved to Oceanside nearly ten years ago—what I like to call "Escondido by the Sea"—my landlord warned me about the area: "Run toward the ocean, don’t go east—it’s dangerous." I followed her advice, but little did I know that running would eventually lead me to a life-changing mission.

Living alone for the first time, I missed the cats at my parents’ house. To get my "cat fix," I would run around my Oceanside neighborhood, befriending every cat I met. By 2017, I knew every cat within a five-block radius and started an Instagram account, @catsofoceanside, to share photos of my feline friends.

During the pandemic, I began fostering kittens with the humane society and it completely transformed my life.

Fostering gave me a new sense of purpose, expanded my perspective, and filled my heart. That’s how I ended up with Dolly, my white and orange "foster fail," who became a permanent part of my family during those challenging times.

At the same time, I noticed a troubling shift in my neighborhood. Now, running East posed little danger as neighborhoods were gentrifying all around me. Money was coming in and rent prices were going up, forcing many families to move out, leaving behind countless cats. These cats—now homeless—hid under cars, ran across busy streets, and searched for food unnoticed. Meanwhile, the local humane society changed its policy: cats without microchips would be spayed or neutered and returned to the street, regardless of temperament. This is called, 'the community cat program'. Half of this approach, known as Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR), is often used for feral cats under the care of dedicated colony managers and is very effective in controlling cat populations. But returning friendly, abandoned cats to the streets, even sterilized, condemned them to struggle for survival, a life they were not accustomed to—exposing them to avoidable illnesses, accidents and acts of cruelty.

The pandemic only made matters worse. Local TNR services were suspended, which meant cats were no longer even getting sterilized though the program. This caused the population of free-roaming cats to surge. It had become a full-blown cat crisis.

I realized someone had to step up—and that someone was me.

In December 2021, I turned my Instagram handle into something bigger: Cats of Oceanside, a registered non-profit with a clear mission to help friendly cats who slip through the cracks, find themselves on the streets, or are born there. These are the cats that need someone to see them and give them a second chance at a loving home.

I’ve always seen cats as the "underdog" of the pet world (pun intended). They don’t always get the respect they deserve, but they are nuanced, incredible companions if you take the time to understand them.

With Cats of Oceanside, I not only want to rescue and support the cats in our community, but also to educate and advocate for them, dispel the stigma surrounding cat lovers, and showcase the transformative power of loving felines.

None of this is possible without your support, our incredible adopters and foster families. Thank you for being here.

With love,
Alison Smith
Founder & Executive Director