It's Adopt a Shelter Cat Month!

June is Adopt a Shelter Cat month! Many folks find a cat adopts them by parking outside their home and slowly maneuvering their way into the household routine. However, if you want to add an additional kitty to your family there are many wonderful shelters in Western Washington. Shelters in our area are constantly networking with other shelters and small rescue groups to find homes for all kinds of kitties. Shelters in the greater Puget Sound area are now mainly no-kill except for instances when a kitty is truly suffering and euthanasia is the kindest option. It wasn't always so rosy and 1.5 million animals are still killed every year in shelters across the U.S. 30 years ago when I volunteered at a large shelter with municipal contracts to act as "animal control" a large number of cats were unfortunately killed due to space. (Two of my most precious kitties ever were adopted from that shelter and I started my career fostering litter of kittens there so I don't regret that experience.)

Best Friends Animal Society in Kanab, Utah, has had a profound impact on showing shelters how to dramatically reduce the number of traditionally animals killed in this country; in certain areas of the country there is a glut of small dogs for instance so they will be transported to areas where small dogs get adopted quickly, community cats are now recognized as deserving of resources in order to be spayed/neutered and returned to their outdoor home, neo-natal kittens immediately go into a 24 hour nursery if one is set up or into foster homes where they are bottle fed around the clock, then weaned and eventually entered into the shelter system as adoptable kitties. Volunteers are now an integral part of every progressive shelter so if you cannot adopt perhaps you can you can use your special skills to help your local shelter. Foster homes are always needed and all you need is an extra room in your house to sequester off for a short time (shelters can provide all other supplies). Do you sew as a hobby? Make kitty beds or toys for the shelter to sell at fundraisers. Celebrating a birthday? Ask guests to bring high quality/grain free cat food or kitten milk replacer, or donate via the shelter's wish list. This is great for kids' parties too and fun for them when they deliver the goods to the shelter. If you own a business perhaps you can donate your products or services to the shelter and get a great tax deduction. 

No matter how trendy a specific breed of dog or cat is, there is absolutely no excuse for purchasing a companion animal when so many animals are waiting for their forever homes in shelters right now. We know better and can do better for these sweet fur babies.

Purrfect Pals, a no-kill, non-profit private feline only shelter , 230 Mc Rae NE, Arlington, WA 98223, www.purrfectpals.org, 360-652-9611

The NOAH Center, adoptions and low cost spay/neuter clinic (free for free-roaming cats), 31300 Brandstrom Rd., Stanwood, WA 98292, www.thenoahcenter.org, 360-629-7055

Everett Animal Services, adoptions and pet licensing, 333 Smith Island Rd., Everett, WA 98201, https://everettwa.gov/148/Animal-Shelter, 425-257-6000

CASA, adoptions, low-cost micro chipping, pet licensing, 198 Can Ku Rd., Camano Island, WA 98282, www.camanoanimalshelter.com, 360-387-1902

Gorgeous adoptable kitty at CASA in February 2018. He was a hugger!