A social media plea three weeks ago drew the attention of two compassionate animal lovers in Costa Mesa, sparking a mission to rescue nearly two dozen cats living on a vacant property located at 734 W. 20th St.
TJ Kelley and Megan Robison wasted no time responding to the call for help, feeling compelled to aid the cats residing in challenging conditions.
Kelley explained, “This home had numerous violations over decades because of a fully hoarding situation. After the owners died in 2019 and 2020 [respectively], the city stepped in, forcing family to evacuate and sell.”
Public records confirm that the property was sold in August for its lot value, fetching $950,000.
“On our first visit,” Kelley recounted, “we found 24 cats and gave them 40 cans of food.” The duo’s primary concern was the felines’ well-being, ensuring they didn’t suffer unnecessarily.
Despite holding full-time day jobs, Kelley and Robison dedicated their nights and weekends to the cause, embarking on a three-week journey to save the cats. Their tireless efforts have already resulted in the spaying/neutering and medical treatment of 13 cats. “Other [rescue] groups have picked up some,” Kelley noted, adding that they assess which cats are feral and which are not during the process of finding them permanent homes.
Robison emphasized the complexity of their rescue efforts, stating, “There are a lot of moving parts and not a lot of resources.”
Looking ahead, Kelley expressed the need to find a suitable place for the cats to thrive, saying, “[We’re] looking for now to try to find a farm, winery, a place to welcome feral cats as mousers on a property—a shelter where they can come and clean up rodents and still need a place where they can go be safe from coyotes and predators.”
Recognizing the need for community support, a GoFundMe campaign titled “Help Save The Cats Of 20th St. in Costa Mesa, Ca.” was launched to aid in their mission, particularly in securing long-term homes for the cats.
Both Kelley and Robison voiced their disappointment with Costa Mesa’s response to the situation. Kelley asserted that once the house was red-tagged, the city should have engaged animal advocacy groups to assist in relocating the cats. “Why are we doing a job when it’s the responsibility of city animal control?” Kelley questioned.
In response to inquiries, city spokesperson Tony Dodero issued an official statement outlining the city’s ongoing efforts. The statement affirmed that the city’s animal control team is actively working on the issue and visiting the site daily “to monitor and resolve this issue in concert with the property owner.” It also indicated that signage would be posted at the property, requesting that people refrain from feeding the cats, and any cat food found would be removed by animal control to prevent attracting additional cats to the area.
Kelley observed that the city’s actions appeared to intensify after she and Robison had plans to address the City Council with a presentation on the matter earlier in the month. “The very next day they posted the sign on the chain-link fence,” Kelley noted.
While the dispute continues, Kelley and Robison remain steadfast in their commitment to the cats’ welfare. Kelley summarized their immediate goals: “Basically what we’re looking for right now is to feed them, house them, vet medical costs, transportation, relocation costs to be covered through GoFundMe. We’re scrambling to find a place for them to go. Neighbors don’t want them roaming. They’re not adoptable; they need alternate placement, and any help from the public, even providing transportation out of the area if necessary, is appreciated.”
