Joybound People & Pets: Cat Enrichment Grant Report
How did this grant help your organization and the pets in your care?
This grant has provided essential funding for the construction of a new free-roam cat enclosure at Joybound’s Concord thrift store, allowing us to expand our adoption program into a new community and ultimately rescue an additional 72-96 cats annually from municipal shelters.
Although construction has been delayed due to permitting issues with the city, we anticipate completion this fall, with adoptions beginning shortly thereafter. This grant has already helped cover the key initial construction costs, including the framing of the new enclosure within the store.
We are excited to complete this project once the final permits are approved and offer this unique adoption opportunity to our community. The space is thoughtfully designed to meet the behavioral and enrichment needs of cats while providing high visibility to approximately 29,000 annual store visitors. The Petfinder Foundation’s support furthers Joybound’s mission to educate the community on feline well-being and help adoptable cats find loving homes.
How many pets did this grant help?
If we can open to the public by September 2025, we anticipate adopting about 28 cats from this new facility this year.
Please provide a story of one or more specific pets this grant helped.
Once Joybound’s new cat enclosure is completed, we will have additional space to care for kittens such as Iris. When Iris first came to us, she had a severe viral infection that left her with corneal scarring and permanent damage to her left eye, leaving her partially blind. Despite her vision loss and ongoing eye treatments, Iris never let her condition dampen her sweet, playful spirit. With Joybound’s medical care and through our adoption program, Iris soon won the hearts of her new family.
Today, Iris — now known as Graycie — is thriving in her new home and living life to the fullest! Her family shares that Graycie is “the happiest kitty there ever was.” She adores her people, loves nothing more than a good cuddle session, and even enjoys joining her humans in the shower (which, as her family jokes, is a bit unusual for a cat!).
Graycie fits right in with her four kitty siblings, following them around, playing, and spreading her joyful energy throughout the house. Her family says she has been “the greatest addition” to their home, and she is dearly loved by all.
With the Petfinder Foundation’s support, we will be able to help more kittens like Graycie find loving homes where they are cared for and bring joy and happiness to their beloved families.
