20 Jul 2022

The Cost of a Kitten

by | posted in: Adoptions, Education, Fostering, Fundraising, Spay and Neuter | 0

“Kitten season” is the time of year when kittens are being born and in Ventura County it’s nearly a year-round. Mild winters with little rain mean unaltered males and females are roaming and finding one another. Along with every other rescue and shelter in the area, we have been bombarded with requests to help with kittens for the last 5 months. Requests come both within and outside of Ventura County, as the problem of overpopulation is widespread and challenging.

When we are able to say yes to taking in kittens we do. We’ve taken in 20 since March: Monte, the Seinfeld kittens, the Schitt’s Creek kittens, Mia’s 4, Luna’s 4, and the I Love Lucy kittens. This is happening in foster homes, on top of running the lounge and taking care of the young adults and adult cats there. Just running the lounge and looking after the health and well-being of the cats there costs a certain amount of money month to month. Kittens add on a whole new level of expense that adoption fees barely even begin to cover. Let’s break it down…

Spay/neuter and other medical: Each kitten in our care will be spayed/neutered, microchipped, and tested for FIV and FeLV. On average this costs us $90 per kitten. We can do vaccinations in-house and that typically runs about $14/kitten for two doses. Dewormers, antidiarrheals, probiotics, and other treatments add on to those totals.

Food: from about 5-6 weeks on, kittens are weaning. It’s fair to assume that we will be feeding a kitten wet food and some kibble for 5 weeks while in foster. This amounts to roughly $90 in wet food and $27 in dry food.

Litter: one 20-pound bag of non-clumping pellet litter runs about $10.

Adding that up, we come to approximately $231+ per kitten when they are weaned and we have them for about 5 weeks. Each additional week adds another $23 in food. Our adoption fees are $150 for one kitten, $225 for a pair.

In order for us to say yes to helping kittens, while still running the lounge and caring for our adult cats there, we simply must do more fundraising. Please know that when you shop in our lounge, donate to a Facebook fundraiser, pay the entrance fee to visit, or simply make a contribution you are helping us say yes. We have to say no way too often, and we appreciate being able to say yes when we can. You can donate here. Thank you!

5 Jun 2022

May – and First Year! – recap

by | posted in: Adoptions, Events, General Updates | 0

On June 2nd we celebrated the first anniversary of the lounge being open for visits! While the nonprofit itself was formed in early 2020, because of covid-19 we did not open a physical storefront until June of 2021. In the year that we have been open we have adopted out 50 cats and kittens and have taken in an additional 29. We are happy to be helping cats and kittens in need and also to be providing a place in midtown Ventura where cat lovers can come hang out with cats. Our second year has started out with foster kitten Montebella’s adoption on June 3rd!

May gave the volunteers at the lounge a chance to step and take charge while I (Jennifer) went out of town for about 10 days for my daughter’s college graduation. A team of about 16 volunteers pitched in to make sure the lounge could remain open as usual, including hosting one of our First Friday events. Cats and humans alike had a great week and it was awesome to know that the organization already has enough volunteer support to keep the lounge running in the absence of its director.

Adoptions were slow for 5-6 weeks but then we had some BIG ones!

Michael – If you’ve EVER come to the lounge then you surely met Michael, our bow-tie wearing tuxedo. He joined us in late May of 2021, before we were even officially open. He was at the lounge for 365 days. But his purrfect family found him. This couple visited the lounge countless times and just fell in love with our boy. He is spoiled rotten now, as he deserves, and they are smitten.

We also found homes for Kiki, Oliver, and Ivy! Kiki has a kitty brother and her new family just loves her. Oliver and Ivy went together to a quiet home of a retired couple who love the kitties and will give them all the space and time they need to feel secure. We are so happy for all of our recently adopted cats.

At the lounge we currently have 9 cats, and in foster we have 18. Rachel has been with us the longest, having joined us in late-August, 2021. Our newest intakes at the lounge are Rose and Mango, both young mamas. Cindy and Coral are still with us and have become SO much more confident and friendly. Same and Steve are young tabby brothers who play hard and sleep hard! Both sets of kitties would make excellent companions and we would love to see them stay in pairs if at all possible. Cassie is our long-haired tortie who is learning to trust people and get along with cats. We know she’d do better in a quiet, predictable home as the only pet but she is still improving here, even with the other cats around and the changes in people coming and going each day.

In late May Four Brix Winery hosted a fundraiser for us at their space here in Ventura. The band that night was Karen Eden and the Bad Apples and they were amazing in their support of us, too. We received hundreds of dollars in food and litter donations as well as over $550 in cash donations from patrons that night. Everyone had a good time and the kitties benefited from the generosity. Upcoming fundraisers include a yard sale on June 25th, a small puzzle tournament late summer, and a silent auction next fall.

22 May 2022

Moving? Take Your Cats With You!

by | posted in: Adoptions | 0

If you find yourself wanting or needing to move and you’re renting, be sure your new home allows cats! Don’t leave your furry family member(s) behind.

On Zillow.com: when you search, under the “More” option you can check the box that says “Allows cats” to find cat-friendly rentals.

On Apartments.com: Under “More” there’s a box for “Cat Friendly” that you can check.

On Trulia.com: Under “Pets” check “Cats Allowed”.

If you absolutely cannot take your cat(s) with you do everything you can as far in advance as you can to find them a new home yourself and make it a temporary situation whenever possible. Post picture, ages, temperaments, medical history on social media and neighborhood sites like NextDoor, Facebook, and Instagram. Use a site like adoptapet.com to list your cat(s) in their re-homing section. Always check out potential adopters and be sure your cat(s) goes to a safe, quality home.

15 May 2022

Volunteer Orientation June 12th

by | posted in: Adoptions | 0

We will be holding another volunteer orientation on June 12th from 11-11:30am. Please sign up if you’re interested in volunteering with us, and be sure to fill out the volunteer application, too. Thank you! Volunteers must be at least 16 years old and have some experience with cats.

29 Apr 2022

Adopting a Cat or Kitten

by | posted in: Adoptions, Education | 0

Kittens: Kittens are social creatures and enjoy the company of other friendly cats and kittens. When kittens are adopted in pairs they teach each other limits for rough play, help each other burn off all of their kitten energy, and keep each other entertained when the humans aren’t around. We will usually try to send our kittens to homes where they will have another young, playful cat or kitten to play with.

Cats: As cats get older their personalities emerge more clearly. It is usually clear if a cat likes to be held or not, sleep on laps, have its tummy rubbed, etc. It’s also clear how strongly they attach to humans and how well they get along with other cats. When you adopt a cat rather than a kitten you’ll have a pretty good idea of what it’s going to be like, although as they relax into their safe and loving home they will often become more loving, more playful, and more confident. Adopting a rescue cat gives them a second chance at a lifetime of love and stability.

Seniors: Like people, senior cats can be set in their ways and they may start to have medical issues. Adopters who open their hearts and homes to seniors are special indeed. They know they won’t be molding the cat’s behavior but will be inviting another fully-formed personality into their home.

Regardless of the age, all cats and kittens deserve regular healthcare and exams, a safe home with respectful humans, and a family that will consider what the cat needs and make sure its health and well-being are looked after for the entirety of its life. Responsible cat owners will research what they need to do if they’re going to introduce a dog, keep house plants, travel frequently, etc. They will embrace the idea of an indoor-only cat, providing plenty of stimulation and enrichment and recognizing that their cat is a family member and not an expendable commodity to be replaced as needed.