Wow, did we ever need that! Huge thanks to the Quadra branch of the Royal Canadian Legion for the very successful bingo event in October that raised more than $2,100 to help us pay the bills. The bingo itself raised just over $500, and generous participants donated more than $500 in cash. Two other supporters brought cheques that night, which proves that the Legion’s bingo event helped raise awareness and much-needed funds.
Quadra Cat Rescue is running on empty after being overwhelmed with kittens this year. So far, we’ve taken in 32 kittens, and we’re still getting calls about new litters.
Many people on Quadra are getting their pets spayed or neutered, and we’re grateful to those who alert us about strays so we can make sure they’re fixed. But this year, several young adult community cats had litters, and with so many kittens needing attention, the workload has been non-stop.
Each kitten that we take in needs hours and hours and hours of volunteer support.
Quadra kittens are often born outside, and it can take several days to gather up a litter of kittens and mother cat. After that, they’re set up in a foster home—if we have one available—and transported to town to be checked by a veterinarian.
Ongoing care in foster homes includes feeding, cleaning, socializing, and monitoring their health. That can take weeks, depending on how old kittens are when they arrive, and how long it takes to socialize them and find them homes.
The adoption process requires even more volunteer time, between reviewing applications, and phone calls and arranging visits with potential owners.
Despite 15 years of volunteer efforts to help spay and neuter island cats, the kittens keep coming. And for the second year in a row, Quadra Cat Rescue has run out of money to care for them.
Clearly, we need broader community support to spread the message about the importance of getting cats spayed or neutered before they reproduce.
Please, help us prevent unwanted litters of kittens. If you know cats or kittens that need to be fixed, let’s get on that. You’ll be doing yourself, your cat and your friends and neighbours a welcome favour.
The ideal time to spay and neuter is when kittens are five months old—before they reproduce.
Quadra Cat Rescue’s website (www.quadracatrescue.com) includes a spay-neuter request form to help people in need get cats fixed at a discounted rate. People can also make arrangements by emailing quadracatrescue@yahoo.com or by leaving a telephone message at 250-285-CATS (2287).
Support Quadra Cat Rescue:
- Volunteer to temporarily foster or become a neighbourhood monitor.
- Adopt an already-fixed adult cat from Quadra Cat Rescue to free up foster space.
- Sponsor a kitten’s healthy start with $400 for basic vet care (vaccination and neutering).
- Donate Tru Value Foods Spirit Board points (code is 280 at both stores)
- Donate to Quadra Cat Rescue