Dr. Thayer Addresses Allegations About Cats on Campus
Note: This email message was sent to all Cypress College staff, faculty, and students in Tuesday, August 26. Reposting for the community.
Dear Chargers,
I am writing in response to allegations of animal abuse resulting from a recent news article and social media posts. Let me be emphatically clear: cats are not being killed on our campus and such horrendous actions most certainly would never be condoned by me or anyone in a position of leadership at Cypress College.
If we had observed, learned of, or received any credible evidence of such acts, we would have taken disciplinary action to ensure that the perpetrator would not have access to ever harm an animal again. We do not condone any abuse of any animals. We are aware of a potential planned rally on campus today and welcome community members to peacefully assemble on campus.
That said, we are a public institution and when the public asks questions, they deserve answers. We have spent the weekend and the first two days of our semester discussing and reviewing our campus protocols regarding the feral cat population. Out of an abundance of diligence, we will continue to probe every aspect of the plan we enacted in 2023.
When I became president of Cypress College in 2024, I was informed that there were two colonies of cats living on campus. I was also informed that there was a community member running a personal website that routinely posts untrue accusations against some of our employees regarding the cats on campus.
At that time, we implemented a newly designed program to care for the cats who lived on campus. We have worked diligently to do just that. The population of cats on campus peaked at 26 a couple of years ago. Thanks to our capture, neuter, and adopt program, with community partners we were able to reduce the number of feral cats living in the wild to just 15 at the current time.
Please note that Orange County Animal Care has called the college’s program a success and even looked to it as a model others could follow. Through our efforts, two cats and six kittens were adopted out to families.
For those cats who remain, the college provides clean water for the cats. For health and safety reasons, we do not feed the cats; and, for legal reasons, we do not permit anyone else to do so.
Below is an FAQ that provides neutral-language responses to some of the things we have been asked about what’s happening on campus. I hope you carefully read this document:
Cats on Campus FAQ
Q: Has the college investigated allegations of cats being killed? Why are these allegations made?
A: Yes. We have even worked with the Cypress Police Department to investigate allegations. The claims that cats are intentionally being killed is unfounded. A community member, who has worked with the college on and off over the past few years, has raised these allegations but provided an incomplete and intentionally biased view of the situation on his website to influence the outcome he desires. This FAQ provides a transparent set of facts.
Q: Are cats a nuisance on campus? How many cats are there?
A: No. The population of cats on campus peaked in 2023 at 26. There was a recent low of 3 cats in the summer of 2024. Since then, approximately two litters of cat have been born. The recent population of cats is approximately a dozen, with a maximum of 15, based on the summer 2025 observation of the known feral colony.
Q: Why did the cat population decrease?
A: The cat population decreased in 2023 and 2024 because of a focus on adoption efforts. During this period, two cats and six kittens were adopted out to families after being neutered. Two cats were taken to an animal rescue. In addition, the cat population naturally fluctuates over time.
Q: How many cats have died? How have they died?
A: Since January 2023, there have been a total of four cats and one kitten who were found dead. A fifth cat was found severely injured and was later euthanized for humane reasons because of the severity of the injury. Here’s what we know about the deaths: two were killed by coyotes (approximately 5 coyotes have been observed on or adjacent to the campus in this same time span). It is believed that a third cat death was the result of being hit by a car. The other deaths are of unknown origin. In each instance, Orange County Animal Care was involved in recovering the animals. Our Campus Safety team was also involved. The most-recent known cat death was in November 2024.
Q: Why is this coming up as an issue now?
A: Based on the community member’s website, a Tik Tok video, and an PR campaign, KTLA posted a story on their website on Friday night. This story was posted without soliciting input from the college and has since been revised because of the many inaccuracies the college highlighted for KTLA.
Q: Does the college have a program to care for the cats and work with the community on the issue?
A: Yes. The current program was conceptualized and designed in 2023 and finalized in 2024 as the result of collaborative work with interested parties and organizations. It is a “trap, neuter, and adopt” program (similar to trap, neuter, and release programs commonly known as TNR that aren’t permissible).
Q: Who has the college worked with?
A: We have worked with Orange County Animal Control/Orange County Animal Care, Stanton Pet Hospital and Los Alamitos Animal Hospital in Seal Beach, community members including an ad hoc committee, and others. Stanton Pet Hospital and Los Alamitos Animal Hospital also provided reduced-cost neutering services to the college.
Q: Is the college denying cats food and water?
A: The college provides clean water for the cats. This stations are maintained by college staff to provide for the cats’ wellbeing. The college does not feed feral cats and, in fact, it is a misdemeanor crime to feed wild animals. The college’s practice on feeding cats and other animals aligns with the city’s municipal code.
Q: What other feral animals are known to be on campus?
A: The college has a fluctuating population of ducks that frequent the campus pond. There are also opossums, rodents, other birds and water fowl, and coyotes observed on campus grounds.
Q: Why doesn’t the college feed the cats or support others feeding the cats?
A: As mentioned above, feeding feral animals is prohibited by law as a misdemeanor crime under Title 14 of the California Code of Regulations and city municipal code. Additionally, feeding the cats only serves to increase the population of cats — and, by extension, other animals who either seek the food or prey on the cats.
Q: Are there other problems with cats being fed?
A: Feeding the cats is a health issue for employees and students and leftover scraps attract bugs, roaches, ants, and flies. As a result of being fed, the cats leave urine and feces behind. This results in unsanitary conditions on work equipment in the maintenance yard and in and on open project vehicles in the automotive yard. We have received numerous complaints from students and employees about their exposure to these conditions.
This is an update on what is happening, and I want you to have access to this information.
I’ll close by offering my assurance to our students, our employees, and the community that we are not abusing the cats on our campus and that the allegations you may have seen are blatantly false.
We are #OneCypress!
Sincerely,
Scott W. Thayer, Ed.D.
President
Cypress College