Hi,

We are very grateful for those who are aware and caring about homeless cats and kittens in their neighborhoods. The reality of the situation is that there are far too few caring people and far too many cats that need help.

Our group is working as hard as we can to spay and neuter homeless cats and place them in foster homes whenever possible. We receive no government money and we are volunteers with families and jobs and our share of cats and dogs ;)

At this point, our foster homes are regularly full beyond capacity, but we hope to be there to help when we can and to give advice to our friends and neighbors to help them help the cats in the area. We offer the following suggestions to place homeless cats:

-Find the cat some temporary shelter and warmth… even if this is a bathroom, spare bedroom or linen closet, porch, or garage. If this is not possible, encourage a friend, relative, or coworker to help you with a solution.

-In emergency situations, if you do not have any access to provide indoor shelter, you can offer the cat some relief against the elements by providing a temporary shelter in an area that is most shielded from the wind. Use a strong cardboard box or container (preferably weather proofed with plastic or a trash bag,) a trash can turned on its side, or a large plastic tub turned upside down with a door cut out - all can be filled with straw or hardwood shavings (no cedar or pine) to provide relief against moisture and cold, and a place for the cat to bed down. Avoid using towels, blankets or sheets because they retain moisture. Make sure the floor of the shelter provides a barrier to moisture (even a piece of plywood covered be a garbage bag or poly tarp and a mound with straw will do the trick nicely).

-Provide the cat water and regular food

-Put an ad in the paper to start the process of finding a home (the Scotsman has free ads on Friday that you can use)

-Take a picture of the cat and make up a poster that you put in the local pet stores, your church, vets offices etc. Feel free to send us a picture and a description of the cat and we will advertise them on our group’s adoption site as well:

CNYCC

PO Box 6182

Syracuse NY 13217

-Network with your friends, relatives, and/or coworkers to help you place the cat.

-Hint: you can make the cat more “marketable” and therefore easier to place by spaying or neutering the cat and having the cat vaccinated against rabies. Call us - we may be able to help.

-To contact us for more information, you can call our help line at 289-CATS and speak with a volunteer who can answer your questions and provide advice.

Thank you for your concern and for being willing to help!

Warmly,

The CNY Cat Coalition

PO Box 6182

Syracuse NY 13217

www.cnycatcoalition.org

315-289-CATS