TROY — Hidden away in the city's alleys and vacant buildings dwells an unseen world of feral cats.

Occasionally, one of those felines darts across a yard or dashes down an alley.

Since 1998, Lynn Kopka has struggled to get feral cats living around her Washington Park neighborhood, spayed, neutered and vaccinated. The objective is to slowly reduce the population by limiting the cats' ability to reproduce.

"I've been doing it at a local level. Let's see if we can do this citywide," said Kopka, the longtime leader of the Washington Park Association.

When Kopka campaigned successfully last year to win election as City Council president, she learned that residents citywide were concerned about feral cats. That was the genesis of Operation Snip.

That name was picked to evoke the aim of the project, which takes place next month throughout the city to tackle problems caused by the feral cat population.

The campaign will be conducted April 3 and 4, 10 and 11 and 17 and 18. The cats will be captured and taken to the Mohawk Hudson Humane Society in Menands for care before being returned to Troy.

"We'll be out trapping, spaying, neutering, vaccinating and ear-tipping feral cats," Kopka said.

The goal is to capture 150 cats. Private donations of $5,250 will cover the cost of $35 per cat. Kopka said no public funds are involved.

"This is exactly the kind of preventative program that will reduce the population of cats in the area and improve the quality of life for felines as well as humans," said Brad Shear, executive director of the Mohawk Hudson Humane Society in a statement.

Ginny Gokhale of Fourth Street in the city's Little Italy neighborhood has provided homes for feral cats in her backyard. She's fully behind Operation Snip.

"I like animals, and I don't like seeing them suffer," Gokhale said. "We have to do something to keep them from reproducing."

Gokhale recently took in two feral kittens and is acclimating them to living with people.

The April blitz will target areas in Lansingburgh, North Central, South Troy and other city neighborhoods where colonies of feral cats have been identified.

"It's programs like this that can curb this population that is detrimental to the songbird population," said Alan McClintock, who has assisted Gokhale in dealing with the animals.

Kopka said support for the initiative is coming in from around the region with the town of Colonie supplying traps for catching the cats and volunteers coming from Clifton Park and other areas.

"I would like to do this all the time," Kopka said.

People interested in assisting in Operation Snip or donating to it may call Kopka at 274-6434.

kcrowe@timesunion.com • 518-454-5084 • @KennethCrowe