Cat rehoming means giving a new life and new opportunities for comfort, health, and happiness to a feline in need. Some kitties who are up for adoptions have such sad, challenged histories, and yet every feline friend is just waiting for that day when they get to settle into a loving forever home.
Many animal shelters struggle with over-crowding, which can limit resources and put stress on the felines. Sadly, if animal rescue facilities can't find homes for the cats, some shelters resort to euthanizing rescues depending on health issues and perceived adoptability.
While there are several no-kill shelters around the country, the sad fact remains that not all shelters are able and willing to commit to caring for every rescue until they are adopted.
According to The Humane Society of the United States, "Of the 3 million cats and dogs euthanized in shelters each year, approximately 2.4 million (80%) are healthy and treatable and could have been adopted into new homes."
All a homeless cat really needs is another chance at life. Thankfully, there are many cat rescue organizations around the country that are doing whatever it takes to save the lives of our feline friends.
FieldHaven Feline Center
FieldHaven Feline Center has been operating in California since 2003 with the simple but powerful mission to rescue and rehome cats. When cats are rescued and brought to the feline facility, they're are allowed to roam freely in community rooms or individual "suites" rather than being cooped up in cages.
In addition to the nine life-saving programs FieldHaven offers, they also created a Camp Fire Recovery Center during the 2018 Camp Fire in California, which was one of the most destructive and deadly wildfires in the state's history. Hundreds of pets were in danger or left homeless.
According to the organization, "FieldHaven operated an emergency evacuation and rescue center for 23 days beginning the day of the fire. During that time, about 100 cats were cared for as well as other 'critters' including birds, rabbits, chickens and reptiles."
During the disaster, FieldHaven focused their efforts on cat rehoming, emergency medical care for rescued cats, and reuniting lost cats with their families. Thanks to FieldHaven, countless furry friends have been saved and human hearts touched.
North Shore Animal League
North Shore Animal League is one of the largest no-kill animal shelters in the country. Since 1944, the organization has envisioned "a future in which all companion animals find responsible, loving homes where they are free from abuse, hunger, fear, and loneliness and receive the care and respect they deserve."
To achieve that vision, North Shore Animal League is committed to finding the perfect home for each feline and the perfect companion for each new pet parent – just as they did for Rebecca and Gisela, friends who had both lost their beloved felines and felt their homes were too quiet without a fur-baby.
One day, Rebecca and Gisela visited North Shore's Port Washington, New York campus to look for a new furry friend to take home. As long-time supporters of the organization, they each wanted to give an older cat a fur-ever home. Soon, Rusty and Marla's lives would be forever changed.
According to North Shore Animal League, "After his owner passed away, nine-year-old Rusty wanted to be the only cat in a home – perfect for Rebecca’s situation. Five-year-old Marla was on the way to recovery after a few medical concerns and still needed a little extra TLC."
Older cats are often overlooked in shelters, but Rebecca and Gisela knew they wanted to help a few mature kitties in need. For Rusty and Marla, luck was on their side and they were warmly welcomed into new happy homes.
Wings of Rescue
Not all rescues find their new homes nearby. In fact, Wings of Rescue is a one-of-a-kind organization that uses planes to transport animals to new homes and to safety. The organization flies to over-crowded shelters to rescue pets from euthanasia or to places of natural disaster to rescue animals in danger and transport them to a safe zone.
Wings of Rescue recognized how stressful it can be for our furry friends to travel and wanted to shorten the transport time for animals traveling to new homes. Ground travel can take days and will leave pets in kennels without movement for long periods of time. Wings of Rescue rescue flights substantially shorten travel time and are often completed within 5 hours.
In 2018, the organization "flew 7,212 pets (5,454 dogs, 1,756 cats, and 2 pot-bellied pigs) weighing 124,151 pounds a distance of 248,233 miles on 103 flights to safety. We responded to Hurricanes Florence and Michael and the California Wildfires."
Cat rehoming organizations like Wings of Rescue are going above and beyond their call of duty. Retrieving and rehoming animals often exposes rescuers to dangerous areas and scenarios but they accept the risks to give the animals a new chance at life.
Cat Rehoming for A Brighter Future
Whether they are rescuing cats from natural disasters and finding them new homes or saving them from over-crowded kill shelters, organizations like FieldHaven Feline Center, North Shore Animal League, and Wings of Rescue are giving lost and homeless cats a fighting chance.
According to the ASPCA, "The number of dogs and cats euthanized in U.S. shelters annually has declined from approximately 2.6 million in 2011. This decline can be partially explained by an increase in the percentage of animals adopted and an increase in the number of stray animals successfully returned to their owners."
When you adopt a cat you save a life. If you're considering adding a new bundle of furry joy to your home, we encourage you to consider cat rehoming for a rescued or older cat.
Are you a parent to an adopted cat? Share your cat's rescue story in the comments below to inspire others to consider adoption.
Sources:
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2. https://animalfoundation.com/whats-going-on/blog/urgentneed-2021-01-cats