Oshkosh Area Humane Society: Cat Enrichment Grant Report
How did this grant help your organization and the pets in your care?
The Petfinder Foundation Cat Enrichment Grant has been instrumental in supporting our program, ensuring that the cats at Oshkosh Area Humane Society (OAHS) can freely express their natural behaviors and remain free from fear and distress during their stay. At OAHS, we believe in keeping our cats both mentally and physically stimulated while they await their forever homes.
This generous grant has allowed us to purchase a variety of enrichment tools that cater to the natural instincts of our feline friends. These tools encourage behaviors such as playing, chasing, and scratching, which are crucial for their overall well-being. Interactive toys and sensory-engaging tools have been particularly beneficial, inspiring our cats to run, jump, and grapple, thereby honing their hunting instincts and enhancing their health and happiness.
Specific enrichment items like catnip toys excite their sense of smell, while scratch toys allow them to stretch, exercise, and mark their territory visually and with scent. Additionally, providing grass helps with their digestion and elimination, leading to fewer hairballs and less constipation, and the chlorophyll in the grass helps keep their breath fresh.
Thanks to the Petfinder Foundation Cat Enrichment Grant, we have been able to improve the health and happiness of the approximately 1,600 cats that are adopted annually from OAHS, ensuring they stay healthy and stimulated, and receive well-rounded care so they are prepared for their new lives in loving homes.
How many pets did this grant help?
1,600
Please provide a story of one or more specific pets this grant helped.
Bud (first photo) is a kitten who came to Oshkosh Area Humane Society (OAHS) on Dec. 17, 2024, from a hoarding house. He and his siblings stayed at the shelter, finding comfort in each other and their toys, and slowly warmed up to new people until they found a foster home. Using toys to interact with shy kittens and cats is an essential part of our Shy Cat Program, and the Cat Enrichment Grant we received helps us provide cats like Bud with the enrichment they need to warm up and accept people. Thanks to this grant, Bud has made remarkable progress and is on his way to becoming a sociable and affectionate companion.
Sandra (second photo) came to OAHS on Nov. 26 as a stray. This 2-year-old cat is an outgoing social butterfly. Thanks to the Cat Enrichment Grant, Sandra can fully express her vibrant personality. She enjoys engaging in play with other cats, which keeps her active and happy while she waits for her forever home. The grant has allowed us to provide Sandra with the enrichment she needs to thrive, ensuring she remains her cheerful, playful self until she finds her perfect family.
Wynken (third and fourth photos) is a kitten who came to OAHS on Oct. 21 as a stray. He and his siblings are on our adoption floor and have greatly benefited from the Petfinder Foundation Cat Enrichment Grant. This generous grant has allowed us to provide Wynken with specialized enrichment activities, such as interactive play sessions and sensory toys, designed to enhance his physical and mental well-being. Thanks to these enhancements, Wynken has blossomed into a playful and affectionate kitten, ready to find his forever home.
Agatha (fifth photo) is a 6-year-old cat who was surrendered to OAHS on Oct. 9. She is quite independent, preferring to do her own thing, but she also enjoys seeking out attention when the mood strikes. Though she’s initially hesitant, once Agatha warms up to you, she becomes an affectionate companion. Thanks to the Cat Enrichment Grant, we were able to provide her with a variety of toys and engaging activities that catered to her playful nature. These enrichment tools were instrumental in keeping her mentally and physically stimulated, ensuring she remained happy and healthy during her stay at OAHS. She was adopted to a loving home on Oct. 18.
