Dorchester Paws: Cat Enrichment Grant Report

How did this grant help your organization and the pets in your care?

With the Cat Enrichment Grant, we were able to incorporate exercise, stress relief, and scent bonding for each cat who entered the shelter through Stretch and Scratch pads.

These pads are introduced to each cat in their kennel upon intake, and move with them up to their adoption kennels. We also provide scratchers for the kennels at our offsite adoption partners so the cats receive the same benefits of enrichment and comfort.

Once each cat is adopted, the Stretch and Scratch pad is sent home with them to help the cats to assimilate into their new environments with a comforting scent aid.

How many pets did this grant help?

500+

Please provide a story of one or more specific pets this grant helped.

Near the end of 2023, a cat colony that was being cared for by a group of feline lovers in our community was surrendered to our shelter due to the dangerous drop in temperature.

Since these cats had always been cared for, provided with shelter, and semi-socialized with humans, they were not suitable TNR candidates. As we wanted to make sure that they were provided the hope, healing, and care they deserved, we labeled them as barn cats.

Most of them were still apprehensive of human interaction, so we introduced Stretch and Scratch pads into their kennels. As each cat was adopted, we sent the adopters home with the scratchers so they would associate their new home with comfort, care, and safety!