HOW MANY CATS ARE TOO MANY?  The answer to this question, of course, depends on individual preferences and constraints.  It may surprise you to know, though, that fewer cats are not necessarily easier.  A single kitten can get into a lot of trouble trying to entertain himself while you are away at work all day. A pair of kittens can keep themselves busy playing with each other instead of unrolling the paper towels or chewing on the plants.  It’s certainly not much more work to feed and scoop litter for two cats than for one.
 
You may find it surprising but often harmony can be restored by adding another cat to the household.  The new addition may change the dynamics among the existing resident cats, adding a distraction or calming influence to a tense relationship.  A cat that chases his feline sister may simply need a like-minded companion willing to play.   It never ceases to amaze me how adding a new cat to the mix can so often restore harmony to a feline family.
 
How many is enough?  Every day at 4Paws we get email, phone calls, personal pleas, begging us to take a stray cat out of the cold, shelter kittens whose time is up, or a long-time family pet with no one to care for him when his owner is deployed overseas.  We take in as many cats as we have foster homes to accommodate… unfortunately it’s never enough.  For every cat we rescue, there are dozens that we have to turn away. 
 
As a No-Kill shelter, 4Paws never euthanizes a cat except out of medical necessity.  We continue caring for our cats until permanent, loving homes are found for them.  This policy while humane and caring has its limitations.  It means that we only have room to take in a new cat when other is adopted.  And with limited foster space that unfortunately means many are turned away.
 
Healthy adoptable cats are dying every day in local shelters because these facilities are overcrowded and need to make room for incoming cats.  It’s impossible to ever rescue enough.  No one ever wants to turn away a cat or kitten in need of help… it is the hardest thing we have to do.  Each day, we do what we can, though, giving each cat that comes through our adoption program the love and medical attention he needs. 
           
During 2009 we rescued and found homes for more than 300 cats and kittens.  That brings total feline lives saved since inception to almost 6,500.  Sure, that’s a lot of well deserving cats and kittens that didn’t die cold and hungry in our back alleys; didn’t get hit by a car dashing to cross the road in search of a morsel of food; and didn’t die unnecessarily in an overcrowded animal shelter.  But is it enough?—of course not. 
 
We can save more, though, with your help.  Our two most precious and scarce resources are foster homes and financial assistance.  If you have a spare room, please consider fostering a homeless cat or litter of kittens.  But if you can’t foster a cat, then please make a tax deductible donation today to 4Paws either by mail, online, or through workplace giving.  With your help, we will be able to save even more feline lives in 2010.

Happy holidays and please spay or neuter your cat,

Barbara Lipson