Stray Cats & Orphaned Kittens

Stray/Feral Cats

Feral Cat: A free roaming, unowned and unsocialized domestic cat.

Stray Cat: unowned cat that exhibits similar temperament to that of a pet.

One pair of cats can create over 200,000 offspring within just a few years. Many of these cats are stray and feral, live on the streets and end up at shelters.  

Sadly, over 70% of cats that enter animal shelters are euthanized.

Please visit these sites to learn more about how to proactively put a halt to cat overpopulation and humanely Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) stray and feral cats and kittens for free:

• Alley Cat Allies: http://www.alleycat.org 

• Fixnation: http://www.fixnation.org/ 

• Neighborhood Cats: http://www.neighborhoodcats.org/

• Stray Cat Alliance: http://www.straycatalliance.org

10 Ways You Can Help Shelter Cats

1. Put a donation box out in your office for gently used collars, cat toys, towels, and other pet items, as well as any new-item donations your co-workers care to make. Drop off the donation at your local shelter or rescue group.  

2. Social media – Check out sites like ShelterMe.com, municipal shelters, and Petfinder to share an adoptable cat in your area. Even if you’re not directly responsible for finding that cat a home, it helps remind people of all the animals out there in need of a home. Share an adoptable cat once a week or every day if you’re really committed. 

3. Photography skills? Volunteer to take photos of cats up for adoption at your local shelter. It is amazing what a good photo can do to help boost the odds of adoption.  

4. Start a Knitting/Crochet/Blanket-Making Circle. Shelters are almost universally in need of blankets to cozy up their cages and provide a bit of comfort to the cats they’re housing. Can’t knit? Purchase fleece from a discount remnant fabric store and cut it into 3’ x 3’ squares.

5. Bottle Drive – Help your local rescue continue doing their good work by collecting the returnable bottles from your condo/apartment building/office and donating the redeemed deposit to a rescue group. Simply put out a bin to collect the bottles (if you’re in a condo, check with your strata first) and put up a sign noting what rescue the bottle deposit will be donated to.  

6. Feeling crafty? Make quick and easy little toys. Shelter workers attest that the presence of a nice collar or cute toy can garner a cat the attention he needs to find his forever home. Get some inexpensive colored cotton twill and cut it into a small square of approximately 7 x 7 inches. No need to finish the edges. Tuck a little cat nip into the center, tie closed with a bit of string, and voilà, you have a something fun and colorful to draw attention to one of the many black cats in search of their forever homes. It’s a perfect Saturday activity.  

7. Play With Cats – Volunteer to play and socialize with the cats or help clean up. Help is greatly needed in many overcrowded shelters, and you can make a big difference to both the morale of the cats.  

8. Toy Drive – Having a big get-together? Suggest your guests bring a toy or food item to donate to homeless animal. It’s a great way to do some good while socializing – most people are more than happy to contribute.

9. Birthday Fundraiser – In lieu of gifts, ask your friends and relatives to donate to your favorite rescue – doesn’t have to be cash – could be food, blankets, toys, kitty litter.  

10. Foster – Why not open your house and heart to a homeless cat that needs temporary shelter? Fostering is a godsend for the foster cats, allowing them to know a home rather than a cage, so their true personalities can shine forth, helping them to find their forever home – small time commitment, huge reward.  

SOURCE:

http://moderncat.com/articles/10-ways-you-can-help-shelter-cats/65590