Thursday, May 7, 2009

City Kitties - Fostering and Adoption

The following are stories from people tied closely to City Kitties, an organization in Philadelphia dedicated to responsibly fostering and finding homes for stray cats.
Cat overpopulation has been a big problem in Philadelphia for a while, and because of the economic problems in the United States today, more and more people are giving up their pets because they don't feel they can afford to feed and care for these animals anymore. The Philadelphia Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (PSPCA) estimates that there are nearly 1.5 million people living in Philadelphia, with 667,000 cats and dogs living in homes (combined total). However, the PSPCA also approximates that there are at least another 300,000 cats living on the streets of Philadelphia. Because of the overwhelming amount of stray cats, the PSPCA has to euthanize well over half the cats they recieve (in 2005, this was 75% of the cats brought to the PSPCA).

City Kitties is a no-kill fostering arrangement for cats in Philadelphia. They have a small number of dedicated volunteers that share their homes with these cats in the hopes of finding them loving homes quicker. Below you will find the stories of Louisa and Lori, (co-founders of City Kitties) Eli, (a foster parent) and Michelle (the adoption coordinator and a foster parent).







*Please note, all cats that are outside are either feral, semi-feral, or friendly cats that have not yet had the opportunity to come into foster care. City Kitties requires that their foster cats be indoor only for their safety.

Please consider donating, fostering, or adopting a cat in need. Even if it seems like it's something little, it's making the difference to a (formerly) stray cat in Philadelphia. Visit http://www.citykitties.org to find out more.

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