How the Neighborhood Cat Network is helping WNY’s 'forgotten felines'

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Every morning starts the same way for Marlies Sullivan.

By 7 a.m., she’s out the door of her Victor, Ontario County, home to feed half of the nine feral cat colonies she and her husband manage daily. The colonies, all located near her home, allow her to complete her morning rounds before heading to her job as the Executive Director of Leadership Initiatives at the University of Rochester, where she focuses on professional fundraising.

Sullivan usually embarks on these feeding trips alone, but on this cold February morning, she welcomed a Democrat and Chronicle reporter and photographer along for the ride. Dressed in a long puffy coat and a green hat covered in colorful flowers, she loaded cat food into the trunk of what she calls her "feral car" and invited us to hop in.

A lifelong passion for animal rescue

On the way to the first colony, Sullivan shared how she and her husband, Chris Sullivan, have always been passionate about animals. She has been involved in animal rescue efforts since 1990 and dreams of one day opening her own free-roaming shelter.

However, she never expected that a 2016 walk with her husband — when they discovered a litter of feral kittens —would set them on a path to running an organization that helps homeless cat communities across multiple counties in western and upstate New York.

What started as a personal project — building insulated feeding stations and cat cabins to protect the kitties from harsh New York winters— quickly grew. After constructing around 130 cabins, requests began pouring in from other community cat feeders looking for similar shelters.

In April 2023, the Neighborhood Cat Network was born.

Caring for the 'forgotten felines'

Marlies Sullivan, president of Neighborhood Cats Network, which she started, feeds several cat colonies around Victor on Feb. 28, 2025. In addition for feeding and sheltering the cats, the organization also traps, neuters and vaccinates the cats.

Marlies Sullivan pulled the "feral car" into a parking lot near a wooded area. An orange cat peeked out from behind a tree.

"Oh, there's Horton — hi, Horton," she said as she got out of the car. Horton is the only male in this four-cat colony. The females — Lottie, Dottie, and Daphne — adopted him into their group, Marlies Sullivan explained as she prepped their food.

Horton watched closely, knowing breakfast was on the way.

What is the Neighborhood Cat Network?

The Neighborhood Cat Network is a volunteer-run nonprofit dedicated to supporting feral cat colonies across western New York, especially in Monroe, Wayne, and Ontario counties. Many organizations focus on TNVR (Trap, Neuter, Vaccinate, Release) to control feral cat populations, but the Neighborhood Cat Network takes it a step further by ensuring these colonies are housed and fed every day.

"I always call it the world of forgotten felines because people don’t think about these cats," Marlies Sullivan said. "They’re often overlooked or seen as wild, but they have the same needs as house cats—it’s just on their terms."

The organization also works with local businesses to secure permission for shelters on private property. Marlies and Chris Sullivan even paint cabins and feeding stations to match nearby buildings, making them blend in. Most businesses welcome their work, especially since the cats help control rodent populations.

How it works

The process is simple:

Marlies Sullivan and her team assess whether the colony needs spaying and neutering.
They secure permission from property owners.
They build and install shelters free of charge.

Chris Sullivan, the primary builder, customizes feeding stations and shelters to accommodate volunteers with mobility challenges, making it easier for them to care for the cats.

While the organization’s mission is to help feral cats, Marlies Sullivan emphasized that their work also supports the people who care for them.

"When we deliver these shelters, people cry," she said. "They love these cats, and now they know they’re warm and safe. We help the people just as much as we help the cats."

A peek into the lives of the cats

At the first stop, Marlies Sullivan laid out four plates of kibble, topped them with warmed wet food, and placed them in the feeding station. Horton and his colony cautiously watched from the trees before approaching to eat.

Next, we arrived at a larger colony in a wooded area off a back road. Around 14 cats and a dozen shelters were tucked among the trees.

Marilyn, a light-colored elderly calico, was first to greet the "feral car." She’s the colony’s queen, Marlies Sullivan said. Simon, a tabby, is the self-appointed "mayor."

Chris Sullivan arrived to help and gave us a tour. He can build three to four shelters per weekend, each designed to protect the cats from harsh weather. Some feeding stations even connect to shelters, allowing the cats to eat without leaving their warm homes. "These act like their living rooms," Chris Sullivan explained.

At the next stop - behind an office building - Cassie, a black cat, ran up to Marlies Sullivan, weaving between her legs. Unlike Cassie, most of the cats don’t like human contact.

"But once they decide to trust you, it’s immediate," Marlies Sullivan said.

Finally, we visited another small colony where two bonded females, GiGi and Piper, used a wooden plank bridge to cross a stream leading to their shelter. They rubbed against each other and intertwined their tails—"like two sisters holding hands," Marlies Sullivan said.

Oliver, the colony’s lone male, watched warily from a nearby hill. As soon as we got back in the car, he darted across the bridge for breakfast.

Making a difference, one cat at a time

The cats that are taken care of by Neighborhood Cats Network are fed daily.

This daily routine is the best part of Sullivan’s day.

"I’ve volunteered in shelters, and that’s important work, but those cats have a path to an eventual home," Marlies Sullivan said. "These cats will never sit on a couch or by a fire. It’s just not going to happen."

So she and her husband have made it their mission to ensure these "forgotten felines" are cared for and loved.

How to get involved

The best way to support the Neighborhood Cat Network is by donating cat food or holding a food drive. Some supporters even host parties where guests bring food donations instead of gifts.

Interested volunteers can visit www.neighborhoodcatsnetwork.org to: