25 Things To Do
to Help Cats
Almost every country in the world grapples with animal welfare, and the global feral cat overpopulation crisis is especially grim. Given the universal lack of government resources, the burden falls upon volunteer rescuers to deal with the uphill battle of caring for, spaying / neutering, and vaccinating the ever-growing population of cats.
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Together, we can help ease the burn-out felt by rescuers in your community.
Here are 25 Things you can do - pick one!
Volunteer
at your local cat rescue.
Local shelters always need more hands. Your time given is the most valuable gift you could give!
Foster
a cat to help make room at the shelters.
Overcrowding is the biggest issue for shelters. By fostering, you help make space for more cats and help socialize them for their furrever homes.
Support legislation
for the humane treatment of animals.
Legislation is always moving at local and state levels. If you can't find updated information online, call your local shelters or elected officials to see what might be in progress.
4 / Join a local TNR (Trap Neuter Return) group, or start one!
5 / Share educational materials about the benefits of TNR programs and community cats.
What are "community cats"?
6 / Vaccinate your pets and community cats to reduce suffering and diseases.
Some shelters or animal hospitals have low-cost vaccination programs. Call around to figure out what's available to you!
Luna
7 / Learn how to bottle feed neonatal kittens.
Become a foster parent or make it a project for the entire family! You can find resources on getting started here.
8 / Do not feed and forget.
Food shouldn’t be left out around the clock. If you have community cats, feed them limited amounts on a consistent schedule, and take away uneaten food so that coyotes and raccoons are not attracted to your neighborhood.
9 / Donate funds or food to your local rescue organization.
They might also have wishlists for specific items, so check out their website or call before buying items to give them.
10 / Donate your old car.
Some rescues will pick up your unwanted (but functional) car, and you can get a tax deduction for making the donation.
11 / Donate used blankets, towels, and sheets to rescues or fosters.
Rescues tend to run through solid-quality linens pretty quickly. If you have any used but decent quality blankets, sheets, and towels hanging around the house that you don't need, that's a great item to donate. You make space at home, and cats get these vital items to keep them clean and comfortable!
12 / Buy ethically.
Support companies that have long-term partnerships and policies dedicated to improving animal welfare nationwide. And it's not only well-known brands like Chewy and PetSmart that have longstanding charitable arms of their businesses; small business owners sometimes post nonprofit partnerships. Read the "about" page of any business you want to support!
14 / Support cat cafes that adopt out their cats.
Not all cat cafes partner with rescue organizations, but those that do usually populate their cafes with cats that have been pulled from crowded shelters. It's an important way to relieve the burden of shelters and make space for more cats to be rescued!
15 / Like, Share, Comment.
This may sound obvious, but supporting your favorite mission-focused cat influencers on social media can really help as they work to raise funds and awareness for cat rescue issues. For these vital members of our community, sharing their posts really can mean life or death for some cats.
Tommy
16 / Become a flight buddy.
Flight buddies, or flight angels, help a rescued animal travel to a new home or sanctuary through air travel, either domestically or internationally. Some rescues also need van or car drivers. (Please remember to always check references as thoroughly as you can before volunteering for or donating to an international rescue organization!)
17 / Build a winter shelter.
If you live in a temperate climate with a population of cats living nearby, a winter shelter for your neighborhood cats to use freely will mean more of them are able to survive during some of the toughest months of the year.
18 / Build and donate a catio.
If you're handy with your toolbox, building a catio or other quality of life improvement structure for your local rescue could make an enormous difference both in the number of cats they can shelter and in the happiness the cats are able to experience while they wait for their furrever homes. Reach out to any nearby organization to see what they might want (and if there are any local building restrictions)!
19 / Hire a cat sitter or board your cat when traveling.
For folks with indoor/outdoor cats, it's important both for their safety and for the safety of the local cat community that you make sure your own pets are secured when you're not around, instead of letting them roam outside. There are lots of options, from using sites like Meowtel (US) to checking whether your own veterinarian might board pets.
20 / If you are a landlord, allow your tenants to keep cats.
Or if you are in a Home-Owners Association, make sure there are regulations included to allow cats and acknowledge any community cats. Cats in particular are less likely to damage properties in any meaningful way - and certainly not more than their human inhabitants!
21 / If you are a business owner, you can make quarterly tax deductible donations.
You can make these donations to many different types of organizations, such as Mission Meow, which supports small feline focused nonprofits with impactful grants. Small rescues play a critical role in reducing population numbers at high-kill shelters.
Hawaii
22 / Don’t contribute to the problem.
Cats can live up 15 to 20 years and are a long term commitment. Don’t adopt if you’re not ready. If you're unsure, fostering is a great way to both help cats and test the waters for pet ownership.
23 / Consider adopting overlooked cats.
If you are ready to adopt, consider frequently overlooked cats such as seniors (aged 10+), black cats, shy cats, or those with special needs. All cats deserve love!
24 / Never give away cats or kittens.
If you find yourself in a situation where you need to find a furrever home to cats or kittens, you should always require an adoption or rehoming fee to deter predators who may use them for animal cruelty. Better yet, do a home check first. And, consider consulting with your local rescue for advice as you embark on the rehome-hunt.
Angel
Donate
Pawmise Rescue Qatar
Learn how to help Lana or adopt a special needs cat at the "cat castle."
Sip & Purr's International Cat Scholarships
Sponsor an international cat through Katy's program to bring at-risk international cats to Milwaukee.
The TATI Fund
(501c3 status pending)
We're collecting much needed cash donations to assist the Doha rescuers with ongoing vet bills, so that they can continue their work.​