The Philippine Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) has successfully concluded its first CatCon 2026, referring to the event as “the beginning of the movement.” The conference took place with over 100 participants from 64 community cat groups, providing a platform for advocates to share their experiences in rescuing and caring for community cats.
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During the event, attendees discussed various challenges, including funding veterinary expenses personally, managing difficult conversations with neighbors and property administrators, and sharing uplifting stories of their efforts to care for and feed community cats. PAWS emphasized the need to recognize community cats as valuable members of society deserving protection.
“Movement begins when people stop seeing community cats as animals who simply happen to be there and start recognizing them as lives that matter and members of the community worth protecting,” PAWS stated. The organization hopes that CatCon will be remembered as a pivotal moment for collective advocacy efforts.
PAWS Executive Director Anna Cabrera reassured participants of the supportive network available to them, stating, “We hope you left knowing that there is now a growing network of advocates beside you as you continue working for community cats and animal welfare.” Earlier in February, PAWS partnered with legal network AskAbogado to offer free legal consultations for animal cruelty cases in the Philippines.