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WHO WE ARE,
WHAT
WE DO,
AND WHY WE DO IT
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Colony Cats is
an all-volunteer, 501(c)(3) non-profit organization whose primary
mission is to address cat overpopulation in central Ohio through public
awareness and spay/neuter efforts. Since 2002, our organization has
facilitated spay or neuter of over 6,324 animals.
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Specialized
help for feral, stray and abandoned cats is a core element of our
programs. We assist compassionate caregivers who are feeding and
watching over homeless cats by providing TNR (trap-neuter-return) and
other support services including food, shelter, vaccines and additional
vet care for injuries/illness, as well as educational resources.
Experts
estimate that there are over one million feral and stray cats in
this area; animal shelters can't
accommodate such a vast number due to lack of space. Sadly, thousands of cats in the
region are being euthanized each year. Through Colony Cats'
humane, non-lethal programs, homeless cats can have the decent, healthy
quality of life they deserve and better co-exist with their feline
and human neighbors.
We also have a network of
foster homes for friendly, adoptable cats and kittens - as well as dogs
and puppies that we encounter while assisting cats - that have been
rescued.
 Shop at Kroger and help Colony
Cats
On May 1, 2009, Kroger launched
a new Kroger
Community Awards Program,
to expand on their ongoing
efforts to support organizations
in communities where their
associates live and work. With
this new program, you can earn
funds for Colony Cats simply by
using your Kroger Plus Card.
All you have to do is register
for this program online via
Kroger's secure website:
www.krogercommunityrewards.com.
You are encouraged to sign up
as soon as possible, so that
your Kroger purchases will count
toward Colony Cats' rewards. A
big thank you to The
Kroger Co. for providing
this great opportunity, and to
all of you who are registering
for this easy way to help raise
funds for our
animal welfare activities!
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Check it out!
Purrs to our friends at Lamar outdoor
advertising for donating this amazing billboard
space on 23 and 270 in Worthington as well as
Rome-Hilliard Road.
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New at
ColonyCats.org:
We're Opening an
Adoption Center!
The Tragedy of Abandoned Pets
COLONY CATS IS
OPENING AN ADOPTION CENTER!
You're invited to
the Colony Cats Cash Bash, a fundraiser in support of this exciting
project.
In June 2009, we are
launching the Colony Cats Adoption Center in the 161/Sawmill Road area
of Columbus, Ohio. We look forward to having a primary venue where
prospective adopters will be able to meet more of our kitties. The
center is a labor of love for our volunteers, who are working hard to
create a contemporary cat-friendly, no-cage environment.
Colony Cats is seeking
donations to help us make the adoption center a special place for cats.
Our beginning goal is to raise $20,000 to cover start-up costs and
initial operations. We are also looking for in-kind donations of certain
items and supplies. Volunteering at the center is another fun way to
participate. Please visit our Donate and Volunteer web pages, and thank
you for your support!
Keep an eye on the website
for our grand opening date! We were originally hoping for early June,
but had to push it back a bit due slight delay. Work is now progressing
smoothly and on schedule at the center and we are projecting our opening
to be the second weekend in July. We hope to see you soon in our new space! And please consider adding a
feline friend (or two!) to your home - if you adopt one of our kitties,
we will honor your kindness by rescuing another friendly stray from the
streets. Our adoptees are "pay it forward cats!"
We look forward to seeing
you at the Colony Cats Adoption Center.
(Colony Cats' foster
homes and its other ongoing adoption locations will remain active, so
please continue to check Petfinder for the complete list of our cats and
dogs.)
THE TRAGEDY OF
ABANDONED PETS
The decision to adopt a
pet is one of life's special high points - it is the beginning of an
enriching and enduring friendship shared with a loving animal companion.
Unfortunately, what starts
as adoption sometimes ends as abandonment, with owners deserting pets
instead of seeking more humane solutions. Unable to fend for themselves,
these discarded cats and dogs are subject to numerous stresses and
hazards in the outdoor environment - predatory animals, traffic, human
abuse, harsh weather, parasites, disease, poisonous plants and
chemicals, and malnutrition. Declawed cats are especially
vulnerable. And if the pet is not spayed/neutered, unwanted pregnancy is
another outcome, with litters born into miserable conditions and a high
mortality rate.
Frightened and confused,
abandoned pets may flee or hide, and can accidentally end up shut inside
a shed or garage, all of which makes the possibility of rescue less
likely. After much suffering, many die alone and forgotten on the street
or may be euthanized at a shelter because there isn't enough space to
accommodate all strays.
Here are three examples of
cats that were lucky enough to be rescued by Colony Cats. The little we
know of their stories sheds some light on their harrowing experiences
while homeless.
FRANK
 This male, originally a
healthy pet, was dumped in a cat colony. By the time he was rescued
about two weeks later, his eyes were matted shut, he had a bad upper
respiratory infection, and a large head wound. He was loaded with fleas
and worms, and frantic for food. He would not have survived much
longer, had it not been for the kindhearted volunteer who picked him up
just prior to a snow storm. He will be available for adoption once
he fully recovers.
OWYN
 Owyn was found roaming in
a Columbus south-end neighborhood this winter. It is likely that
he got the cuts on his body from climbing through broken basement window
panes while in search of shelter. He has tested positive for FIV
but is healthy, his wounds are on the mend, and he is looking for a
second chance in a loving home.
LARBI
 Larbi was a stray male
that was brought to a Colony Cats spay/neuter clinic, so covered in
thick mats that he had to be shaved. His prior owners left this declawed
cat behind when they moved. Before Larbi's rescue, he had tried
repeatedly to get back into his former home. Adopted by a Colony Cats
volunteer, he subsequently weathered through a serious bout of probable IBD/pancreatitis, possibly brought on by the trauma of abandonment. With
intensive treatment that included tube feeding, he eventually recovered.
He is slowly coming out of his shell, but remains a skittish cat.
Nobody likes to be
dumped. Don't love them and leave them. Adopt responsibly -
pets are for life.
For assistance with pets,
please see our links about pet behavior, pet-friendly housing, keeping
pets during economic hardship, and so forth. Visit this
link if you would like advice on what to do if you find a
stray cat or dog.
To help Colony Cats with
their live-saving work,
please donate now.
Thank you.
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