Four dead kittens. Maybe 24 hours old. Our heart is broken for them.
Usually, we start with a story of gratitude for dedicated volunteers or a loving caregiver or the work of a dedicated trapper or rescue. Those who help outdoor cats are special people.
But October began with kittens, kittens everywhere and the reality that our efforts are possibly just a drop in the bucket. And it’s often not pretty.
And many times it’s sad and discouraging…..
Meet “Momma”
We responded to an urgent request to trap a potentially pregnant mom. Got there the same afternoon and both “Momma” and her 17-week old baby girl went right into the same trap. Voila!
Yet the next day we got a call from People for Animals that Momma had given birth perhaps 24-48 hours earlier.
OH NO! We rushed to get her and make sure she was ok to put back out that night: the only way the kittens would have any chance of survival.
We asked the caregivers (who obviously didn’t know this!) to look for kittens – sadly they were found dead, wedged in underneath some wood. Heartbreaking.
Sadly, this is the story of the majority of outdoor kittens – they perish. It is these deaths that we mourn….and that keep us doing the hard but lifesaving work of TNVR.
We desperately need systemic change in animal welfare that embraces TNVR and creates public/private partnerships to realize the preventative, lifesaving, and cost-effective benefits of Trap, Neuter, Vaccinate, Return.
WE MUST WORK TOGETHER TO:
• Overturn local feeding bans.
• Appeal to local governments to fund TNVR as part of their local animal welfare plan.
• Deliver training programs and recruit people to find and help outdoor cats to make sure they are spayed and vaccinated.
For now … back to work. It feels good just to share openly the challenges and heartbreak and yes, sometimes even hopelessness we feel. So if you’ve read this far, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR LISTENING.
• Donate TIME – even 2 hours each month will make a huge difference!
If you are interested in volunteering please fill out our volunteer form HERE!
• Donate SPACE – have any space in a heated garage? We could really
use that for cats while they recover from surgery as winter draws near.
• Donate $ – ANY amount will help! DONATE HERE!
SAVE THE DATES!
Our upcoming events:
TNVR Training Session with CPAW NJ
Calling all area residents! Everyone welcome.
October 10, 6-7 pm
Brookdale Pet Center
1054 Broad St, Bloomfield, NJ 07003
Bloomfield HarvestFest
October 12, 11 am – 7 pm
Broad Street (between Bloomfield Ave and Belleville Ave)
Bloomfield, NJ 07003
Volunteers needed.
A family celebration with all the fun that Fall has to offer including a mile-long outdoor marketplace. Visit our booth for cat-inspired arts and crafts activities!
DIY Cat Ear Headband Workshop
October 13, 11 am – 1 pm
The Eclectic Chic Boutique
547 Bloomfield Ave, Montclair, NJ 07042
$5 Donation to participate
Craft for a Cause! Make your own cute Cat Ear Headband using fabric, headbands, and glue guns.
RESERVE YOUR SPOT HERE
Let’s Talk Cat!
October 17, 7 – 8 pm
Nutley Library
93 Booth Dr, Nutley
Come and learn about cat behavior and how to help outdoor cats….bring all your cat-related questions.
Monthly Spay Van REGISTER HERE for your cat to be spayed/neutered at a low cost by our Partner People for Animals
October 29, 7 am – 3 pm
Acme Markets Parking Lot
510 Valley Road, Montclair
SEPTEMBER RESULTS ARE IN!
CPAW NJ Report Card as of September 30, 2019
Spayed/neutered (companion): 7
(3 of which were trapped by their caregivers and taken inside to forever homes.
That’s the happiest ending of all!)
Spayed/neutered (feral): 31
Kittens to rescue: 2
Since April 1, 2017
1,091 spay/neuter
HELP US CONTINUE TO SAVE LIVES BY DONATING TODAY!
We Mourn the Loss of a Longtime, Local Hero for Cats
We also lost a longtime Montclair caregiver recently to cancer. Dear Carolyn. And while a few folks have come forward to pitch in and help feed (MEOWY THANKS!), we are still looking for food donations and more permanent caregivers. We know she is counting on us to keep helping the cats she cared for and often socialized and found homes for right off the street.
Donations are desperately needed for food for her three colonies, as well as help with feeding. You can donate in Carolyn’s memory through our Beat the Heat Campaign and noting it’s for “Carolyn’s Cats”.
Carolyn was featured in our October 2018 newsletter for her dedication to outdoor cats:
A Montclair resident, Carolyn, has had a long career as a caregiver of outdoor cats and we recognize and celebrate her dedication this month – without identifying her, as she prefers. Currently, she is feeding about 25 cats in 7 colonies in central Montclair, making her rounds on foot twice a day, regardless of the weather conditions. For every cat, Carolyn’s goal is to trap, neuter and vaccinate and either release them back to their original territories or find them adoptive homes.
Full story available at https://cpawnj.org/cpaw-nj-
Another way you can honor Carolyn’s memory is to share the story and picture of Oreo (image attached), who we have taken in from one of the colonies and are fostering until she finds a forever home. Interested in meeting her? Email us at cpawnj@gmail.com.
Oreo was in a colony that Carolyn Burge was feeding. She is not feral and can be adopted. She has been on the streets for about 4 years, so she is about 5 years old. She is spayed, people-friendly, fully vetted, and very sweet. She is shy with other cats and hopes to find a home soon. No bullies, please!
OREO SAYS “THANKS FOR YOUR SUPPORT OF CPAW NJ!”
Copyright © 2017 CPAW NJ, All rights reserved.
Our mailing address is:
41 Watchung Plaza, #317
Montclair, NJ 07042