Things Food Banks Need But Won't Ask For

Some items are in high demand at the food bank and you may not realize it. Because they aren’t essentials, the staff doesn’t publicly ask for them. A survey on Reddit.com asked volunteers what items people would be most appreciative of and we’ve listed the top 10 below. If you’re looking for an easy way to help out, pick some of these up while shopping and drop them off at one of our area food banks.

1. Spices.

Think about it. People who rely on the food bank eat a lot of canned food, rice, oatmeal, white bread, etc. They love spices. Seasoned salt, cayenne pepper, chili powder, cumin, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, oregano, basil and so on.

2. Feminine Products.

Can you imagine being worried about affording these? Pads, tampons, panty liners, etc. Recommended: Buy in bulk at Costco for donating.

3. Chocolate.

People don’t need it, but think about being in their shoes and how nice it would be to be given a chocolate bar or brownie mix along with your essentials.

4. Toiletries.

Grocery stores are great about donating surplus or unsold food, but they have no reason to donate toilet paper, tooth paste, soap, deodorant, shampoo, etc. Food stamps often don’t cover these

5. Canned meats and jerky.

This isn’t true of all food banks, but some struggle to give users enough protein.

6. Crackers and tortillas.

They don’t spoil and everybody likes them.

7. Baby toiletries.

Diapers, baby wipes, baby formula, baby shampoo, baby soap, baby food, bottles, etc.

8. Soup packets.

Sometimes you look at rice, beans, instant potatoes, and cans of vegetable and think, “What do I make with this?” Hearty soup is a complete meal

9. Socks.

From a former homeless person: “Socks mean the world to you. They keep you warm, make you feel like you have something new, and just comfort you

10. Canned fruit other than pineapple.

Food banks get a lot of pineapple donated. Their clients love it when other kinds of fruit are available.

11.  JELLY!  

What's PB&J without the J?  It's nutrious all by itself--but with jelly (or jam or preserves) it's a great little meal!

12.  Cereals

Boxed cereals are a good stock item.  And many of the cereals such as corn flakes can be used to enhance other foods in recipes.  

And remember! Food banks love cash donations because it allows them to buy whatever they need!

About Julia K. Cole

What can you expect from someone who considers Putting Reality Back Into Spirituality a personal calling? Straight forward answers that lead to life-changing experiences on a soul level!

Known as The Empress of the Known & Unknown Universes™ and The Diva of Duct Tape, Julia has made it her personal mission to put Reality back into Spirituality™. Julia sets out to assist people in expanding their conscious awareness through her rather unique and personal take on the human experience. 

In the style of Erma Bombeck, Julia utilizes her own brand of humor and down to earth demeanor to get her messages across in an all so delightful way. 

As a writer, Julia is a virtual powerhouse of creativity.  Among Julia's literary accomplishments is  the  Children of the Luminaries  trilogy;  Book One: The Coming Storm can be purchased by clicking Here.   

Book Two  of the trilogy is due out in the Fall of 2015 and Book Three will be available in 2016.  The long anticipated ZEN of Duct Tape:  An Empress Is Born will be out in 2016.  As well as The Teddy Mitchell Chronicles.

Julia has also contributed to several other publications including Brad Steiger's  Real Zombies, The Living Dead, and Creatures of the Apocalypse  and Marie D. Jones' Destiny vs. Choice 

PLEASE NOTE:  All artwork, unless otherwise specified, are the property of the individual artists themselves. The author of these blogs claims no ownership of the original artwork, but only of the sig tags created using said artwork. Each sig tag shown on these blogs include the appropriate copyright information of the Artists and the unique licensure for use.

Reproduction and copying of said work without proper authority is strictly prohibited Unless otherwise specified, ALL articles on this Blogger are the property of Julia K. Cole.  The ZEN of Duct Tape™, it's name, teachings, modalities, and all excerpts; the nicknames The Empress of the Known & Unknown Universes™ and The Diva of Duct Tape™,  The Duct Tape Diva™; Putting Reality Back Into Spirituality™, Reality back into Spirituality™ are the property and trade marks of Julia K. Cole and are protected under Copy Right Laws both here in the USA and Around The World. 

 

 

Paying It Forward Christmas 2014

Is Paying  It Forward on your Christmas List this year?  

Well, here are just a few ways you can check it off!

• Volunteer at your local Homeless Shelter. 
• Serve a hot meal to a neighbor or a stranger.
• Visit/Volunteer at  a Nursing Home and/or Children's home.
• Your Local Shelter Is In Need Year Round!
• Foster, Rescue or Adopt a Pet from your Local Shelter.Shelters are Always looking for donations in the form of money, blankets, cleaning supplies, food, toys. 
• Volunteer to hold and play with kittens and pups and/or walk a dog.
• Donate food and/or money to your local food pantry (both human and animals)  

• Hold the door open for someone

• Let someone go ahead of you in line!

• If you ride the public bus, pay the fare for the person behind you (You can also do this at your favorite fast food hang out,  coffee shop, grocers, etc.)

• Read to the elderly, to children, to the blind, to the home bound!

PET FOOD BANK:

Donate Food for Needy families with pets.

Find one in your Area!  Here in Louisville you can donate to No Kill Louisville:

http://www.nokill-louisville.com/petfoodbank.htm
If there isn't an animal food bank  in your area,  then start one!


Daily Clicks:

Right or wrong, you win! Click on an answer, and we'll provide 10 pieces of kibble to Animal Shelters to help feed their hungry dogs and cats. Play Free Kibble  Trivia every day - the more you play, the more kibble for the  cats & dogs!

http://www.freekibble.com/


CLICK To Give

theanimalrescuesite.greatergood.com/

thehungersite.greatergood.com/


www.care2.com/click-to-donate/


Cross-Post, Tweet and/or post on your other online social networks!

See a pet in need on Face Book?  Then pay it forward by cross-posting, tweeting and/or adding to your other online social networks.  They DO work when it comes to helping others in need!


The Toys For Tots Foundation
www.toysfortots.org

Feed The Children
www.feedthechildren.org/

The American Red Cross
www.redcross.org/Donate
 

These are only a few suggestions on how you can Pay It Forward this Christmas.  Keep it going all throughout the year!

From My Family To Yours ...


MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Help Our Heroes Afford And Care For Shelter Pets.

Veterans at all stages of their military careers struggle with emotional and physical issues, including those that challenge their ability to fully integrate into civilian life. Some return from deployment with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) or other psychological trauma. Others are long separated from service but struggle with depression, substance abuse, or outright loneliness. For these and many other circumstances, a companion pet is often the right prescription to help heal mind, body, and soul. Pets for Patriots helps these veterans find and afford a "last-chance" pet: adult and special needs animals, and large breed dogs - those most overlooked for adoption, who face the greatest risk of euthanasia and yet make wonderful and grateful companions.

Operating nationwide, Pets for Patriots helps veterans combat the primary obstacle to pet ownership - cost of care - by providing access to ongoing discounted veterinary care, financial contributions towards the cost of pet food and essentials, and discounts for various pet products and services. Through Pets for Patriots' Veterans Pet Food Bank Program, veterans receive the help they need to be a hero once more by saving the life of a dog or cat in need. Your donation saves two lives: a shelter animal out of time and hope, and a veteran who regains a sense of purpose in life.

Click HERE to make your live-saving donation.

Winter Care and Safety for Feral Cats *PLEASE SHARE ON ALL YOUR SOCIAL NETWORKS*

With much of the East Coast now buried in snow, you may be wondering how outdoor cats are surviving. In fact, even though stray and feral cats are at home outside, they can always use some extra help in cold or severe weather. Here’s what you can do to help them stay safe, warm and healthy during the winter months.

Car Safety: Before starting your car, give the hood a tap and check between the tires — cats will sometimes crawl into the engine or hide underneath the car for warmth. This is also the time of year for antifreeze, which often tastes irresistible to cats and other animals, but is toxic and deadly. Keep it out of reach and clean up any spills!

Shelter: Keep your feral cat colonies comfortable this winter by providing them with a shelter.  Dog houses can also do the trick with a few modifications.

• Whether you’re buying or building, make sure the door is no bigger than 6-8″ wide to keep out other animals. If you’re modifying a dog house, you’ll need to block off part of the door to make it cat-sized. A flap on the door will also keep snow, rain, and wind out.
• Insulate the shelter with straw to repel moisture and keep cats warm and dry (note: Make sure it’s straw, but not hay, because hay absorbs moisture). Blankets may seem like a good idea, but since they are also extremely absorbent, they make bad bedding.
• Cats will huddle together inside for warmth, so provide colonies with multiple shelters that can fit three to five cats each. If you are caring for fewer cats, use a smaller shelter so it takes less body heat to warm up.
• Elevate shelters off the ground and place them in quiet areas away from foot traffic.
• Remember to shovel out the cats when you’re shoveling your own driveway. Cats in shelters can get snowed in, so keep entrances clear and shovel an exit for cats who may be taking refuge under bushes, porches, or other hiding spots.
• Stay away from salt and chemical melting products. These products can be toxic to animals and harmful to their natural snowshoes — paws!

Food and water: When temperatures drop, provide extra food and water, and try to keep it from freezing.

 Other feeding tips:

• Feed the cats on a regular schedule. That way, the cats will know when to come around, and both the food and the cats will spend less time out in the cold.
• Feed wet food — it’s easier to digest, so cats save more energy for keeping warm. Since wet food is also quicker to freeze, make sure you put out dry food too. And feed larger portions than you would in warm weather.
• Spray insulation foam into the underside of plastic feeding dishes to keep wet food from becoming fishcicles! (Or chickencicles, turkeycicles, etc. …)
• Change water bowls twice daily to keep water from freezing. Use deep bowls rather than wide ones, and refill them with hot or warm water. If the colony is close to an outlet, heated electric water bowls will also do the trick.
• Here’s a trade secret: Add a pinch of sugar to the water to keep it from freezing as quickly (and to provide an energy boost for the cats!)

RESOURCE:  

PETFINDER BLOG

Author Becky Robinson is the president and founder of Alley Cat Allies.

Severely Neglected Dog Needs Your Help!

TOVAH

Tovah was found abandoned, cold and nearly starved to death. She was emaciated and suffering from a severe upper respiratory infection and intestinal conditions. She hardly had the energy to stand.

Tovah is now safe at North Shore Animal League America where she is receiving veterinary care and warm, loving attention.

We are counting on you to help us continue to provide Tovah, and many animals like her, with the care they need to recover and live long and happy lives.


CLICK HERE TO HELP!

Protect Community Cats from Cold Weather

Some of the coldest weather in years will move over much of the eastern half of the nation into the first part of the week. Please take these steps to protect your community cats.

* Cold weather can increase a cat's energy and nutritional needs. Don't forget extra water to prevent dehydration. Check it often and place in an area protected from the wind to minimize freezing.

* Wet food in insulated containers is ideal for cold-weather feeding-because it takes less energy to digest, that's more energy for keeping warm. Cats need more food for energy in the winter.

* Use two storage bins (like Rubbermaid). Line the bins with Styrofoam and cut out a doorway to create an instant shelter.

Visit http://alleycatadvocates.org/resources/creating-winter-shelters/ for other ideas.

* In a Pinch, a cardboard shelter is better than no shelter. To keep it from getting wet, elevate off the ground, line with newspapers and cover the lid with plastic (a garbage bag will do).

* Use sheets of plywood to weigh down lightweight shelters made from plastic, cardboard, styrofoam, etc.

* Cats rely on body heat to stay warm, so keep your shelters small for colonies with just a few cats. For more populated colonies, go with multiple shelters of a larger size.

* Because it resists moisture, straw is the top choice for insulation and bedding in your feral cat shelters. Avoid blankets, which absorb moisture like a sponge.

  

STRAW IS THE BEST BEDDING

* Cats can get snowed in, so it's important to remove snow from all entrances and exits to their shelters. Shovel regularly to stay ahead of the game.

* Avoid using salts and chemicals designed to melt snow near your colonies. They can be toxic when licked off paws or ingested from melting puddles, and can hurt a cat's paw pads.

SOURCE:  Alley Cat Advocates:   www.alleycatadvocates.org

Winter Shelters for Outside Pets, Ferals and Strays!

Design Basics

There are many ways to build adequate shelter will all good designs sharing two qualities: strong insulation and minimal air space. The insulation is needed to trap the cats’ body heat, effectively turning the cats into little radiators. Empty air space needs to be eliminated in order to keep the amount of space that needs to be heated to a minimum. A well insulated large dog house will not work because there will be too much air space for the cats to warm. Likewise, a tight fitting space with thin, uninsulated walls won’t work either because the cat’s body heat will pass right through.

Smaller Shelters Provide Warmth – Build More, Smaller Shelters

With these design factors in mind, it is better to build two smaller shelters which will each hold three or four cats than one large shelter to house six to eight felines. With smaller shelters, even if only one or two cats go in, enough heat will be generated. But with the larger shelter, if only a small number of the cats use it at the same time, there will be too much empty air space for them to heat.

Wonderful Shelter Ideas, from Neighborhood Cats in NYC

Visit their website for photos and other ideas!

Winter Cat Shelter Made from Rubbermaid Storage Bin

This shelter was designed by CSM Stray Foundation of Kew Gardens, Queens, New York. Purchase a large Rubbermaid storage bin (a.k.a.  storage tote) with a removable lid. It’s important the brand is Rubbermaid otherwise the plastic walls may crack in frigid temperatures. You’ll also need an eight foot by two foot sheet of one inch thick hard Styrofoam, a yardstick, box cutter, and insulating material such as hay or straw.

To assemble:

1. Cut a doorway six inches by six inches in one of the long sides of the bin towards the corner. Cut the opening so that the bottom of the doorway is several inches above the ground to prevent flooding.
2. Line the floor of the bin with a piece of Styrofoam, using the yardstick and box cutter to cut the piece. It doesn’t have to be an exact fit, but the closer the better.
3. In a similar fashion, line each of the four interior walls of the bin with a piece of the Styrofoam. Again, perfect cuts are not necessary. Leave a cap of three inches between the top of these Styrofoam “wall pieces” and the upper lip of the bin.
4. Cut out a doorway in the Styrofoam interior wall where the doorway has been cut out all ready in the storage bin.
5. Stuff the bottom of the bin with straw or other insulating material (no blankets or towels!) to hold the wall pieces in place.
6. Cut out a Styrofoam “roof” to rest on top of the Styrofoam wall pieces.
7. Cover the bin with its lid.
8. This shelter is easy to clean by taking off the lid and the roof. It is lightweight and may need to be weighed down. A flap over the door way is optional.

Build a Shelter Using a Styrofoam Cooler

An adequate shelter for one cat can be made from a simple Styrofoam cooler available at any hardware store for about $6. Glue the lid onto the cooler, turn it upside down and cut a hole in one side (anywhere but in the middle of one of the long sides). The Styrofoam containers used to ship meat can be turned into shelters in the same way and can, depending on their size, house 3 to 4 cats. If you want to get fancy, get a large Igloo cooler and, with a jigsaw, cut a hole towards the left or right of one of the long sides. The attached lid will allow for easy cleaning.

Interior Insulation  - Insulating Your Cat Shelter

Putting insulating materials inside the shelter will increase the comfort and warmth of the cats. Insulation materials should only be used if the shelter can be periodically checked to see if they have gotten damp or too dirty and need to be replaced. If regular checkups are not possible, leave the interiors bare.

Straw, Hay and Other Good Insulating Materials

Straw and hay are good insulating materials to use. Straw is better than hay because it can absorb more moisture and is less prone to mold or rot.  Shredded newspaper will also work. One innovative idea is offered by Ellen Perry Berkeley in her book, “Maverick Cats.” Loosely fill a cotton pillow case with Styrofoam peanuts, the kind used to pack fragile items during shipping, and tie the pillow case closed. Then put the stuffed pillow case inside the shelter. The pillow case will conform to the cat’s body and wrap her in heat capturing peanuts.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Here is another simple shelter idea from one of our volunteers, thanks Jean!

Need to provide shelter for several cats? Purchase a 54” deck box (used to store deck furniture cushions). Cut a hole in the side for cat access. Then cut a board, fitting down the center, to separate the box into 2 sections.  One section can be filled with bedding, and the other section is used for feeding. Do not place water inside the shelter. Should the water spill the bedding and cats will get wet. When winter arrives, purchase a sheet of insulation board and cut it to fit the entire inside of the box. This shelter is lightweight and will need to be weighed down.

Source:  Alley Cats Advocates

Creating Winter Shelters

Design Basics

There are many ways to build adequate shelter will all good designs sharing two qualities: strong insulation and minimal air space. The insulation is needed to trap the cats’ body heat, effectively turning the cats into little radiators. Empty air space needs to be eliminated in order to keep the amount of space that needs to be heated to a minimum. A well insulated large dog house will not work because there will be too much air space for the cats to warm. Likewise, a tight fitting space with thin, uninsulated walls won’t work either because the cat’s body heat will pass right through.

Smaller Shelters Provide Warmth – Build More, Smaller Shelters

With these design factors in mind, it is better to build two smaller shelters which will each hold three or four cats than one large shelter to house six to eight felines. With smaller shelters, even if only one or two cats go in, enough heat will be generated. But with the larger shelter, if only a small number of the cats use it at the same time, there will be too much empty air space for them to heat.

Wonderful Shelter Ideas, from Neighborhood Cats in NYC

Visit their website for photos and other ideas!

Winter Cat Shelter Made from Rubbermaid Storage Bin

This shelter was designed by CSM Stray Foundation of Kew Gardens, Queens, New York. Purchase a large Rubbermaid storage bin (a.k.a.  storage tote) with a removable lid. It’s important the brand is Rubbermaid otherwise the plastic walls may crack in frigid temperatures. You’ll also need an eight foot by two foot sheet of one inch thick hard Styrofoam, a yardstick, box cutter, and insulating material such as hay or straw.

To assemble:

1. Cut a doorway six inches by six inches in one of the long sides of the bin towards the corner. Cut the opening so that the bottom of the doorway is several inches above the ground to prevent flooding.
2. Line the floor of the bin with a piece of Styrofoam, using the yardstick and box cutter to cut the piece. It doesn’t have to be an exact fit, but the closer the better.
3. In a similar fashion, line each of the four interior walls of the bin with a piece of the Styrofoam. Again, perfect cuts are not necessary. Leave a cap of three inches between the top of these Styrofoam “wall pieces” and the upper lip of the bin.
4. Cut out a doorway in the Styrofoam interior wall where the doorway has been cut out all ready in the storage bin.
5. Stuff the bottom of the bin with straw or other insulating material (no blankets or towels!) to hold the wall pieces in place.
6. Cut out a Styrofoam “roof” to rest on top of the Styrofoam wall pieces.
7. Cover the bin with its lid.
8. This shelter is easy to clean by taking off the lid and the roof. It is lightweight and may need to be weighed down. A flap over the door way is optional.

Build a Shelter Using a Styrofoam Cooler

An adequate shelter for one cat can be made from a simple Styrofoam cooler available at any hardware store for about $6. Glue the lid onto the cooler, turn it upside down and cut a hole in one side (anywhere but in the middle of one of the long sides). The Styrofoam containers used to ship meat can be turned into shelters in the same way and can, depending on their size, house 3 to 4 cats. If you want to get fancy, get a large Igloo cooler and, with a jigsaw, cut a hole towards the left or right of one of the long sides. The attached lid will allow for easy cleaning.

Interior Insulation  - Insulating Your Cat Shelter

Putting insulating materials inside the shelter will increase the comfort and warmth of the cats. Insulation materials should only be used if the shelter can be periodically checked to see if they have gotten damp or too dirty and need to be replaced. If regular checkups are not possible, leave the interiors bare.

Straw, Hay and Other Good Insulating Materials

Straw and hay are good insulating materials to use. Straw is better than hay because it can absorb more moisture and is less prone to mold or rot.  Shredded newspaper will also work. One innovative idea is offered by Ellen Perry Berkeley in her book, “Maverick Cats.” Loosely fill a cotton pillow case with Styrofoam peanuts, the kind used to pack fragile items during shipping, and tie the pillow case closed. Then put the stuffed pillow case inside the shelter. The pillow case will conform to the cat’s body and wrap her in heat capturing peanuts.

Here is another simple shelter idea from one of our volunteers, thanks Jean!

Need to provide shelter for several cats? Purchase a 54” deck box (used to store deck furniture cushions). Cut a hole in the side for cat access. Then cut a board, fitting down the center, to separate the box into 2 sections.  One section can be filled with bedding, and the other section is used for feeding. Do not place water inside the shelter. Should the water spill the bedding and cats will get wet. When winter arrives, purchase a sheet of insulation board and cut it to fit the entire inside of the box. This shelter is lightweight and will need to be weighed down.

Source:  Alley Cats Advocates

Vote No Kill Louisville In Best Shelter Challenge Contest -- Details Below

CLICK HERE TO CAST YOUR VOTE FOR NO KILL LOUISVILLE

OR COPY AND PASTE THE LINK BELOW

http://www.shelterchallenge.com/nomineehome?p_p_id=nomineeinfo_WAR_charityusaportlet&p_p_lifecycle=0&nomineeId=16734





ABOUT NO KILL LOUISVILLE:

No Kill Louisville is a 501c3 non-profit, all volunteer organization.


Mission - Through the support and creation of programs and services, collaboration, and advocacy, No Kill Louisville will build a community where no adoptable pet or feral cat is killed.

Vision  - We envision our community as a place where no adoptable pet or feral cat is killed, regardless of resources, economics, or politics.

About Shelter Challenge

Shelter Challenge and GreaterGood.org (GGO) are proud to announce a new Shelter Challenge with 244 cash and non-monetary prizes.

 

Voting began on August 12, 2013, at 12:01 a.m. PT, and will end on October, 2013, at 11:59 p.m. PT.  Winners will be announced weekly on Wednesdays for certain categories and all winners, including Grand Prize, will be announced on October 16, 2013! 

 

Voting

Visitors to the Shelter Challenge (www.shelterchallenge.com) will have an opportunity to choose from a list of animal rescue and welfare organizations that are registered in the Shelter Challenge. Visitors can cast one vote daily during each voting period to help pick the organizations which will receive support from GreaterGood.org.

 

 

Prizes

Total Shelter Challenge Prizes to be awarded between August 12 and October 13, 2013, shall consist of $100,000 in cash grants, 5,100 vaccinations, and 3,825 pet beds for a total of 244 prizes.

- See more at: http://www.shelterchallenge.com/about#sthash.nm1xFOug.dpuf

Severely Emaciated Dog Found and Being Treated ~ Donations Needed *PLEASE SHARE*

LOUISVILLE, KY (WAVE) – A severely emaciated dog infested with fleas was discovered at a shelter Monday morning, according to The Arrow Fund.

The female Chihuahua mix, named Cher, was dumped in the overnight drop at Mason County Animal Shelter and taken to Blue Pearl Veterinary Partners in Louisville for 24 hour care.

One she arrived Dr. Scott Rizzo assessed Cher and her fragile frame. "Her body condition is about a one out of nine," said Rizzo. "Her blood work would suggest that she has not been getting adequate nutrition for a long time and she's quite a bit down the way."

The two to three year old pup weighs only seven pounds, which is half of what she should.

"We're putting together a feeding plan," said Rizzo. "You have to be very, very careful with how you re-feed these dogs. They can actually get complications from feeding too quickly now because the body can't handle the food."

Dr. Rizzo believes with the right care she can bounce back. "We've got some hurdles that we have to overcome, but I definitely think that there is path to getting her back to being a healthy dog," said Rizzo. 

Eaves hopes this type of neglect will get the community's attention. "It doesn't have to get to this point and you as a citizen can do the right thing and report it," said Eaves. 

Eaves said Cher will be monitored at Blue Pearl for around a week until she is stable. Doctors also found Cher was born with a heart condition that will require surgery once she is back to a healthy weight.

The Arrow Fund said donations are needed to care for Cher. If you would like more information on The Arrow Fund or to donate, click here. 

Donations can also be mailed to:

The Arrow Fund

P.O. Box 1127

Prospect, KY 40059

Source:  WAVE  3 News~ Louisville, Kentucky

A Healthy Scratch Can Save A Cat: Please Help a Shelter Cat Feel Safe!

"Scratching is an essential element of cats' communication, problem-solving, health, and security issues." -Jackson Galaxy

You can help make shelter cats more comfortable and adoptable.

In most shelters, cats live in small, easy-to-clean stainless-steel cages with a metal gate as the entry, a small litter pan, food, water, and a towel or blanket. This meets the most basic of physical needs, but in no way meets behavioral or emotional needs to keep a cat healthy and satisfied.

Cats communicate with scent. They have scent glands on their cheeks, their head, and their paw pads, and when a cat leans up and scratches something, they are effectively announcing, "this is my space, my home." But in a stainless steel kennel, there is no place to scratch. Also, every time a worker sanitizes the cage - a necessary process - the cat's natural scent is washed away, and kitty is left once again in an alien and frightening place.

Providing specially-designed cat scratchers helps a shelter cat feel much more secure and confident, like they "own" the space they're living in. For them, getting to scratch is like choosing your own couch or color of paint - it makes the room feel warmer and more inviting. Providing a scratcher can also help alleviate boredom and reduce behaviors that discourage adoption. When the happy day finally arrives and a shelter cat meets her new family, her scratcher will go home with her, providing a familiar and scented object to help kitty adjust to the new home.

You can help. Every dollar of your donation provides a specially-designed scratcher for a shelter cat. Just $10 can change the lives of 10 cats waiting for their forever homes!

---

Cats R Cool™ is all about teaching people what we already know - that cats make great pets, excellent companions, and are full-fledged family members. We are working to dispel negative stereotypes and make the situation for shelter cats better through public education, shelter outreach, and grants.

---

Click HERE to make Your Donation

OR

Copy & Paste the URL Below:

https://theanimalrescuesite.greatergood.com/store/ars/item/54070/?adId=119425&placementId=335298&origin=