Cats & Kittens – Rescue Informer

If you love kitties and want to adopt one, you're in luck. There are lots of cat rescue groups in search of good homes for your new feline friend. Adopting a cat is a wonderful way to gain a furry friend who will give you purrs, headbutts and cuddles in return. By doing that, you can help an animal that would otherwise be homeless or euthanized. According to DoSomething.org, there may be as many as 70 million homeless cats in the U.S. Tragically, we kill at least 2.7 million cats and dogs in shelters due to lack of space. When you adopt a cat, you're giving it a new lease on life. 10 Reasons to Adopt from a Cat Rescue Instead of Buying from a Pet Store. The video below gives 10 great reasons to head over to your local cat rescue and adopt your new furry feline friend. You get to save a life. 1.3 million cats get euthanized each year. This is why it's especially important for us to adopt instead of buying from a pet store. To get the right cat. Cat rescues know their kitties well and make sure they're a good fit for their new homes. To save money. In many cases, the adoption fee covers your rescue cat's spaying or neutering, the first round of vaccines, deworming, and microchipping ... Or your local shelter will give you a discount. Cats are "self-cleaning." Cats lick themselves clean, so no baths are necessary. Cats don't need potty training. They instinctively want to go in the litter box. What could possibly be more convenient? It's good for you. In addition to the other benefits, cats are good for you. The Telegraph reports a study found owning a cat reduces stress and anxiety. This can lower your blood pressure and risk of stroke. They're low maintenance. Unlike dogs, cats are independent and don't mind being home alone while you're at work. They can live happily in a small place. Cats can get plenty of exercise in your tiny apartment. Rescue cats come in all colors and sizes. Go to Petfinder.com, click Find a Pet, then type in your zip code when the search box appears. You're supporting a good cause. Your low adoption fee goes to helping more rescue cats find forever homes. The video below explains the above reasons in the cutest way possible. https://youtu.be/5yWQnFlAsCw Some Shelters Are "All Cats Rescue, All the Time"... And Chances Are There's One Near You. This includes (ahem), All Cats Rescue, which is a small organization that devotes itself to finding foster- and permanent homes for kitties. This place doesn't have a shelter; instead, it relies on volunteers and donations. Based in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, this cat rescue has a lot of heart: "Our mission is to find loving, forever homes where cats and kittens will be treated as a member of the family for the rest of their lives. If you have extra love to offer, and room in your home and heart, contact us to learn how you can be a foster friend to one of our adorable pals." There's also Calling All Cats Rescues, a rescue group based in Ocean County, New Jersey. The organization works to educate the public on the importance of spaying and neutering pets and stray cats that are in their care. Calling All Cats Rescues operates a farm in Jackson, New Jersey that also relies on volunteer foster homes. This ensures that cats who aren't suitable for adoption get a safe and permanent home on a farm. The rescue also provides food and veterinary care. Some of the volunteers here work at spay and neuter clinics and at a local veterinary hospital. Chances are there's a cat rescue near you that's as wonderful as the ones above. On PetFinder.Com you can search rescue cats by age, breed, gender, and by distance from your home or work. To do a search, click here. Your local pet store may also work with rescue groups in your area. Got a Barn? Call a Barn Cat Rescue? Cats who live in barns are typically feral, and some have behavioral problems. Because of this, you can't keep them as indoor cats. But that doesn't mean you can't give them a home. Especially if you just happen to have a barn, notes The Huffington Post. In Austin, Texas, the organization Austin Pets Alive! rehomes about 300 kitties per year through its Barn Cat Program, They typically rehome the cats at local farms, ranches, and businesses. The program is so popular that the wait list is now huge. "These cats are perfect for any place with horses or any place with a mouse problem," Cat Program Manager Monica Frenden told the Post. "Barn cats are the original form of pest control." Other organizations also take part in barn cat rescue, including: Love Your Feral Felines (LYFF), based in Northern San Diego County, California. LYFF notes that their cats have litter box issues after spending most of their lives outdoors. Some of these cats are also shy or afraid of people and prefer the company of other cats. Barn Cats Incorporated. Like LYFF, this program provides feral cats with veterinary care. Before placing them in barns, BCI spays and neuters them. They also test them for feline leukemia and give them vaccines for rabies and distemper. You can learn more about how a barn cat rescue works in the video below. https://youtu.be/sZTwgRYRx-U Fees for adopting a cat for your barn can vary, so you're best to contact the organizations regarding this. Want to Foster a Rescue Cat Or Kitten? Want to help but don't know if you can adopt a cat permanently? Try fostering a cat instead. Chances are there's a rescue group near you in need of help. Here's what you should do if you're fostering an adult cat, according to PetFinder: Give your foster cat a room of her own so she can adjust. This way you can avoid any conflicts between her and your other pets. It's best to keep everyone separated until it's been verified that your new housemate is in good health. Make sure she has a cozy bed and clean, fresh water at all times. Approach her slowly and calmly as you're getting to know each other. If she has no appetite, don't let her go more than one day without eating. For cats, going for more than a day without food can cause serious health problems. Try tempting her with delicious treats like canned salmon or tuna. For fostering kittens, keep the following in mind. Keep in mind that very young kittens soil their nest box daily. It's a good idea to keep new cardboard boxes and clean bedding on hand for this reason. You'll need commercial kitten formula and a feeding bottle or syringe that holds two to four ounces. Feed them slowly. It's not a good idea to rush these little guys when they're feeding. You should also ask your vet, rescue group or shelter to show you the best ways to bottle feed these little tykes. You should sterilize the bottles boiling water before each feeding, as you would with a human baby. NEVER warm the formula in the microwave. Doing this creates hot spots that could easily burn a kitten's mouth. Instead, set the bottle in very warm water until it's the correct temperature. Kittens should be fed while resting on their tummies. Feeding them on their backs can cause them to aspirate fluid into their lungs. Newborn kittens should nurse every two or three hours. These babies will have trouble urinating and defecating up until they are about three weeks old, but you can prevent this problem if you use a slightly damp terrycloth washcloth to stimulate the area around the urinary openings and anus. When a kitten is four weeks old, you can introduce solid food. Strained baby food meats or premium kitten food are the best choices. At this point, make sure the kitten has water to drink nearby. Every cat rescued means one less kitty getting euthanized in an overcrowded shelter or dying on the streets. It means healthy, loving cats have a chance to live among those of us who return that love. When you adopt a rescue cat you're meeting a new friend who will accept you even on your worst hair day. Featured image: CC 0 Public Domain TheDigitalArtist via Pixabay