Ohio Alleycat Resource & Spay/Neuter Clinic: Cat Enrichment Grant Report
How did this grant help your organization and the pets in your care?
The Petfinder Foundation Cat Enrichment Grant provided an excellent opportunity to invite the cats in our care to express themselves! From cats in medical isolation to litters of kittens in our group housing rooms, every cat was given an opportunity to pounce, purr, sniff, scratch, and explore. The grant allowed us to purchase unique and fun items for the cats to ensure every day in our care was as fun as possible.
In addition, new arrivals were sent into foster homes (our organization sends 84% of all cats to foster before adoption) with an assortment of toys and treats, which allowed foster parents to identify and communicate preferences, quirks, and opportunities to address undesirable behaviors.
Because we provided the tools needed for different types of play, our fosters were able to give us insight into cats who overstimulated easily. Being aware of that trait meant we could work with ways to redirect that energy and ensure cats stay in their adoptive homes happily and safely.
How many pets did this grant help?
1,000
Please provide a story of one or more specific pets this grant helped.
Charmin is an older cat who was returned from the adoptive home where he had been since he was a kitten.
Our understanding is that the last few months of his life in his home hadn’t been very easy for him. He wasn’t in good spirits, and that was compounded by finding himself back here. Charmin didn’t want anyone to touch him, or even look at him!
To make matters worse, he was sick with a painful ear infection, which meant we had to medicate him daily. As you can imagine, he was NOT having a good time!
We received the Petfinder Foundation Cat Enrichment Grant a couple of days into Charmin’s stay here. We decked out his kennel (which was three sections connected by portals, so he had lots of room!) with an assortment of toys, treats, soft blankets, and Feliway.
Charmin’s curiosity outweighed his fearfulness and he quickly started exploring and playing. He turned into a kitten again! With his ear infection healed, the love and patience of our staff, and all of his new treats and toys, Charmin relaxed, opened up, and found himself a new family to call his own.
