As GiveBIG day one winds down, we are thrilled that we have raised $14,800. As we get ready to call it a night, we recognize that animal rescue truly takes a village and that the village really never sleeps. And for that, we are so grateful.

Many of the kittens we rescue are a result of our partnerships with independent rescuers, the amazing people who are working to reduce cat homeless through TNR. In the course of their rescue efforts, they often come across cats and kittens who are not feral and should be in a loving home. That was the case with this precious litter.

Meet Daisy, Tulip, Rose, Lilac, Pansy, and Iris

The new owners of a home in Orting discovered three pregnant kitties when they moved in, left behind by the previous homeowners. They reached out for help. In the meantime, two of the kitties had their babies. The homeowners cared for them until the rescuer was able to find places for them. One mama cat, Petunia, and her 6 kittens came to MEOW. Since the kittens were weaned, Petunia was spayed and quickly adopted.

At 8 weeks old, Daisy, Tulip, Rose, Lilac, Pansy, and Iris still had a bit of growing to do before they were ready for adoption, so into foster they went. Daisy and Tulip are now spayed and available for adoption. The other four are still struggling to gain weight.

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As of 8 pm we have raised $13,400 in support of our foster programs and our amazing foster families, which means we will continue to be there for them all, to be ready to lend a hand to those who need us and help ensure they get their happy forever afters.

When someone with an unspayed female cat is faced with kittens, someone who isn’t equipped to care for them as they grow,  someone who wants to ensure the kittens go to appropriate homes, through MEOW’s Toms & Moms program we offer to accept the babies, and sometimes the mom (temporarily). Then when it’s time, spay the mom and return her to her family, while we foster and vet the kittens in preparation for adoption.

Meet Matcha

Matcha was found wandering on an urban farm in Richmond, CA.  Befriended by everyone there, she was being fed and watched by the workers.  When the job ended, a woman moving back to Washington couldn’t leave this sweet cat behind. Matcha was promptly taken to a vet, where she was treated for fleas and a fungal ear infection.  In the process, the vet discovered she was pregnant.

Matcha and her newborns are in a foster home, thanks to our Toms & Moms program. Matcha is a sweet, curious, playful and very friendly kitty.  Her six newborn kittens are adorable, four tabbies and two calicos (maybe). So far, Matcha is a wonderful mama and very attentive to her large brood. But, should she need help, the foster is there for her and the little ones.

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As of 5 pm we have raised $10,370 in support of our foster programs and our amazing foster families, which means we will continue to be there for them all, to offer a soft place to land for our most vulnerable, the bottle babies.

Meet Marge, Homer, Bart, Lisa and Maggie

This litter of week-old grey kittens were found in a box on a college campus, with nobody around to care for them. When someone contacted MEOW for help with these babies, they quickly ended up with one of our foster homes. Healthy but hungry, the kittens got the hang of bottle feeding right away, doubling their weight in just a few days.

Without a mom-cat to clean their messes, the kittens needed help bathing several times those first few days. The kittens took to sink baths quickly, relaxing into their foster family’s hands as they were gently cleaned, then snuggling up close to their humans while enjoying a warm hair dryer.

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As of 2 pm we have raised $7,800 in support of our foster programs and our amazing foster families, which will allow us to take the very best care of kitties like Moby and Poppo, for as long as they need us.

Meet Moby & Poppo

Moby, a Domestic Medium Hair Black and White Tuxedo, came to MEOW by transfer from Yakima.  He had severe stomatitis (inflammation of the mucous membrane of the mouth) and had to have full mouth extractions, surgically removing all 30 of his teeth. 

Having come from a large feral colony, he was very lonely recovering in a foster home. To cheer him up,  Moby was introduced to his now best friend, Poppo, who also was in foster care. 

Poppo, a DLH black cat transferred to MEOW from Ellensburg, at times exhibited labored breathing when playing.  Diagnostic radiographs, bloodwork and an electrocardiogram, all returned normal findings.

He then saw an Internal Medicine Specialist who treated him for a lower airway infection and bronchitis/asthma. He improved. In time, Poppo has been weaned off his medication and his exercise is slowly being increased. So far he is doing well. 

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Thanks to you, our dedicated donors, GiveBIG day 1 is off to a great start. As of 11 am we have raised $5,800 in support of our foster programs and our amazing foster families. Our Ninth Life program is near and dear to so many as is Stevie Wonderpurr.

Meet Stevie Wonderpurr

Stevie Wonderpurr is one of MEOW’s Ninth Life kitties. Because of his ongoing health issues, he will most likely remain in his foster home for his entire life, with MEOW providing for medical expenses and his family providing all the love and attention he deserves.

Stevie Wonderpurr was found on the side of the road at 5 weeks old. He was severely malnourished, and upon intake it was discovered that he was also blind. Stevie was placed into foster to get healthy, but soon began to have seizures. After some intense bouts of seizures, he finally was stabilized with two different medications given to him 4x each day.

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A GiveBIG good morning to you! Thanks to our early giving donors and our early risers, we have raised $3,118 in support of our foster programs and our amazing foster families.

Although some days it still feels like winter in Seattle, the number of calls about mama cats with babies is letting us know that spring has indeed sprung. During the height of the pandemic, spay and neuter surgeries were suspended. Although clinics are once again performing those surgeries, the demand is much higher than the availability. We anticipate seeing more kittens in the next several years than we’ve seen in recent prior years.

Luckily, we have foster families who can welcome a mom cat and her babies into their homes. Although tending young is instinctual, some of these mamas are barely out of kittenhood themselves. They often need support to keep their babies fed, clean, and healthy. It can be a tiresome and messy job sometimes. But these little precious ones have a way of squirming their way into their fosters’ hearts, making the day when they are ready for their forever home, bittersweet.

Meet Nom Nom and her babies (Oreo, Nutella, Noodles, and Potsticker).

Just two weeks ago this mama cat (Nom Nom) and her babies (Oreo, Nutella, Noodles, and Potsticker) were relinquished by a woman who had 10 other cats in a two-bedroom apartment. Through the years she’d considered getting her cats altered but didn’t. Pretty quickly the numbers were too big to handle.

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