Event inspired by Rongji Gu
Volunteers: Joleen Cheng(school faculty); Rongji Gu; Sharon Wang; Jianping ECIC Volunteers Club
The following progress report is written by Rongji Gu in December 2024:
It was a project born out of both compassion and necessity. Stray cats had always roamed ECIC’s campus, their numbers growing each year, and while they were beloved by some, others saw them as a nuisance. I wanted to create a solution that addressed the root problem without compromising the well-being of these animals. That was how CATs Project 2025 came into existence—a collaboration between Roxy Foundation and the ECIC Volunteer Society, aiming to neuter and vaccinate the stray cats on campus.
The beginning was filled with hope and excitement, but soon I found myself entangled in unforeseen challenges. We invested 1,100 RMB into the project and began preparations with the help of a professional trapper. However, before we even started, concerns were raised by the school’s logistics manager. He worried that students might be scratched during the trapping process and held firm in his reservations. I remember those rounds of negotiations vividly—the careful wording of proposals, the long waits for responses, and the moments when I wondered if we’d ever gain approval. In the end, persistence and clear communication prevailed. When we finally got the green light, it felt like the hardest part was behind us. I was wrong.
On a crisp morning, we set out to catch two cats—a large adult and a playful kitten. Everything seemed well-planned. But as anyone who has worked with animals knows, plans rarely unfold as expected. The kitten, quick and clever, evaded all efforts to capture it, leaving us only with the adult cat. My disappointment lingered as we brought the adult to the vet, only to discover it was suffering from stomatitis, a severe and painful inflammation of the mouth. The vet recommended immediate treatment before the neutering could proceed.
Looking at the frail, trembling creature, I felt an overwhelming sense of responsibility. It wasn’t just about managing the stray population anymore—it was about this specific cat and its suffering. After the procedure, we brought it to a designated recovery spot arranged by the foundation. Watching it rest and slowly regain its strength over the following days was strangely calming. In those quiet moments, I realized this project was as much about resilience as it was about compassion.
March, 2024, the idea is pointed out
July, 2024, the fundraising is initiated
October, 2024, the first cat is caught and sterilized
December, 2024, the cat is taken care in Roxy Foundation Service Center and sent back to campus
To be Continued…
When we released the cat back onto campus, a part of me felt relief—it had survived, and we had done what we could. Yet another part of me felt the weight of everything still left undone. What about the kitten that escaped? What about the other cats we hadn’t even identified yet? I thought back to the initial vision of this project and how naïve I had been, believing that funding and effort alone could solve everything.
The CATs Project taught me more than I expected—about animals, people, and myself. It taught me patience during the long discussions with the logistics manager, empathy when caring for the sick cat, and determination when everything felt like it was going wrong. Most importantly, it reminded me that impact is not always immediate or measurable. Sometimes, it’s about planting a seed and trusting that it will grow.
This project was not perfect, nor did it accomplish everything we set out to do. But it was a beginning—a step toward a future where stray cats are not seen as problems but as part of the campus community. And as I think back on the challenges we faced, I find myself filled with hope. This is only the start. There is so much more to do, and I am ready.