Cats in Need Update

Since I started photographing cats up for adoption with the nonprofit organization Cats in Need, I’ve met 38 wonderful cats and kittens that need forever homes. I’m happy to report that 17 of them have been adopted and gone to great forever homes!

There are others, such as JR picture to the right, that have just been rescued from the streets or from abandonment, who are being showcased right now at the Yorba Linda, CA PetSmart on Saturdays and Sundays (12pm-4pm) and can also be seen on PetFinder.com and on the Cats in Need-YL Facebook page.

While I was there last weekend, I was a part of sending Jax off to his newly discovered family. This handsome orange tabby with a loving, cuddly personality was a little scared when they came in to meet him, but after being held by his new potential human daddy, Jax was as happy as could be – he started purring and kneeding with pleasure right away and sealed the deal that minute!

In addition to making sure every cat up for adoption gets a “head shot”, this weekend my husband and I took on a foster kitten through Cats in Need. Little Dano (we’re calling him “Daniel” as he needs to work on his dignity and be less of a scaredy kitten) is a 4 month old feral who needs a lot of socialization.  He’s a hider, he’s quiet, and he’s not too sure about this people thing. He does like my husband (who held him for an hour two weeks ago while the boy napped in his arms in the PetSmart cat room) and he was happy in the baby sling with me for a bit.

At the moment, he’s hiding under the bed. The good news is that our own four have been pretty accepting of the new baby in their midst. So far, we’ve avoided the expected drama. I’m hoping that they’ll be great models of human cuddling and shown Daniel that people are good for more than opening cans of food.

If you’d like to get involved, there’s several ways to help:

• Donate some time: volunteers are needed to help staff the adoption fair on the weekends, as well as come in mid week to play with and clean up after the kitties.  Teen volunteers needing community service time are welcome too. Contact Cats in Need by email to get started.
• Donate supplies: Cat food (dry and wet) and liter is always welcomed.  So are toys, cat beds, and combs and brushes. Even packs of printer paper help offset the costs!
• Donate money: As a 501(c) charity, your money is not only tax deductible, its going to help the kitties with things like vet bills (shots and spay/neuter) as well as the costs of general food and liter care.  You can donate securely online or in person in their donation box during the weekend adoption shows.
• Spread the word: Know someone looking for a cat? Encourage them to check out the kitties up for adoption to find the right match for them. Come “like” Cats in Need:Yorba Linda Branch on Facebook, and encourage your friends to do the same.
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