ONSLOW COUNTY, N.C. (WITN) – One Eastern Carolina county hopes to control its cat population better thanks to a new grant it received.

The Onslow County Animal Services received $42,000 from Best Friends Animal Society.

The community cat program will use a humane trap-neuter-vaccinate-return method to reduce the cat population. “The feral cat problem has been one of the biggest complaints voiced by our citizens,” says Animal Services Shelter Manager Tyler Moore. “We are excited about the relief that this robust program will bring when with helping cats and the community in Onslow County.”

The number of free-roaming cats in communities continues to increase even after many years of trapping and removing outdoor cats, according to a news release. Cats tend to overpopulate at shelters and are often euthanized due to a lack of resources available for them.

Onslow County says the new program will allow their shelter to move away from accepting healthy free-roaming cats.