Stray Cats Need #FoodShelterLove

Johnny Walker a few months after rescue at healthy weight, luxurious coat

This post is sponsored by Hill’s. We are being compensated for helping spread the word about Hill’s® Food, Shelter, & Love Program, but Riverfront Cats only shares information we feel is relevant to our readers. Hill’s Pet Nutrition, Inc. is not responsible for the content of this article.

Johnny Walker is an all black cat that was dumped in our neighborhood. It was apparent that he was an indoor cat. This cat walked up to me and exclaimed "I don't belong here! I'm an indoor cat that lived in the Penthouse and this lifestyle if not for me and these other cats don't welcome me. I'm hungry and tired...!" No kidding! (Working with both indoor and outdoor cats you learn to speak cat. The same goes for devoted cat parents).  Johnny Walker clearly was missing and craving for #FoodShelterLove.

Johnny Walker the first night he was rescued--scratched, emaciated, discolored

 Johnny Walker was emaciated, scratches visible on his face, and his fur was lackluster, partly brown and black no doubt from malnutrition.  So we knew proper nutrition was the priority to reach optimal health and increase his chances for adoption. Regardless that our rescue cats are sheltered in the home of a volunteer, all cats, especially stray cats, need the best cat food and nutrition.

Johnny Walker falling asleep on his first night indoors after being dumped and abandoned

A big contributor to improving the odds of shelter cats getting adopted is Hill's Food, Shelter, Love™ Program, which offers shelters the opportunity to offer quality nutrition to their resident cats and kittens.

Whether a cat is underweight, overweight, or malnourished, proper cat nutrition can not only improve these deficiencies but also improve a cat's mood. An excellent choice is Hill's Perfect Weight Formula for your cat and shelter cats. During the Hill's Science Diet Perfect Weight Challenge, over 70% of cats lost weight when fed this balanced nutrition for ten weeks. Healthy weight and increased energy helps cats live longer, happier lives.

One great success story is that of Stoli who was a plus size kitty and lost 2.5 pounds. That's 25 pounds for you and me!


If you'd like to try Hill's Perfect Weight formula, you can buy both the canned and dry food here, and your purchase helps support the Food, Shelter, & Love program, which is dedicated to cat nutrition and helping shelter kitties find forever homes! A win-win for your cat and shelter cats!

If you have a Hill's success cat weight loss or cat mood-improving story, please feel free to share it with us by commenting below or sending us an email to riverfrontcats@yahoo.com and we'll share it with our readers and followers!

#GivingTuesday for Shelter Pets

Dear Animal lover,

There is a day of  Thanksgiving, two days for getting Deals (Black Friday and Cyber Monday). Now there is a global day dedicated to giving back. #GivingTuesday.

This is our first year participating as we have chosen this to be the one time in the year to make our appeal and offer you insight as to the needs in caring for stray, feral and black cats. Some nonprofits ask for donations throughout the year. Not here.  Our founder and President has worked at nonprofit organizations small and large and as a donor, she understands no one wants to be bombarded for money regularly.  It is annoying. We think of other creative ways you can help cats through your daily routine without giving a dime.   For a few ideas, scroll to the bottom of this posting.

Our needs remain the same. In order of urgency:

FOSTER PARENTS in SOUTH FLORIDA
Whether you can foster for a few weeks, a few months, for cats, kittens or special needs cat, this remains our biggest need. We currently have a black cat, Roger,  whose throat was slashed but has thankfully healed. But in the process he developed diabetes. To read more about Roger and his fight for survival, click here. If you are interested in temporary or long-term foster care in South Florida, please email us at riverfrontcats@yahoo.com.

FUNDING
Naturally funding is essential for various needs.

1. The largest expense is to pay vet bills for sick and injured cats. While we do receive a discount, sick pets require several visits and bills adds up fast.  The sooner we can pay those bills, the more cats we can take in and help.  Another regular expense is cat food, litter and supplies (ie. feeding bottles, cat milk)  Friskies is their favorite brand and better than other brands for the outdoor stray cats.  Toys are not a necessity as the cats find fun in regular boxes, a wad of paper, a Q-tip--non lethal household items.  No amount is too small--$200, $100, $50, $20, $10. Simply click on the DONATE button on the right.

2. Cat Traps.  Traps are regularly used to trap feral cats that need to be spayed/neutered, scared or stray cats that can be domesticated or reunited with owner.  Sadly, two traps were stolen that were hidden in bushes to capture a difficult cat.  We need one regular trap and one drop trap. They are listed on Amazon as follows:

Tomahawk Tomahawk Neighborhood Cat Trap, 36 in. Neighborhood Cat Trap - $80

Tomahawk Tomahawk Neighborhood Cat Drop Trap - $127

Feel free to donate an amount to buy the traps or order them from Amazon.  Feel free to email us and we'll provide an address for shipping.

3. Clear storage bins to build cat shelters.  We have a tried and proven method for building cat shelters every six months during the cold of the winter, and the rainy season during the summer. They MUST BE CLEAR in color not solid white as the cats need to see through the bins to survey their surrounding.  They also hide well in bushes. We cut holes on the sides and please do not forge to get the lids.  This makes it easy to remove the lids and clean the inside. With time the shelters need to be changed but it is more cost effective and functional than wood cat houses which are either stolen or the cats do not use.  The cats do use them!!! We currently need six bins.

4. Padding for cat houses. To line the shelters and absorb any water, the cat shelters are lined with the same padding used for children's playroom or exercise gym. These can be ordered from Amazon.  Any color is acceptable. Don't worry about size. We can cut them down. The cats aren't that picky!

48 Square Feet ( 12 tiles + borders) 'We Sell Mats' Charcoal Gray 2' x 2' x 3/8" Anti-Fatigue Interlocking EVA Foam Exercise Gym Flooring (Amazon)

 

24 Sq. Ft. (set of 24 + borders) 'We Sell Mats' Anti-Fatige Interlocking EVA Foam Flooring-Set of six Multi-Color Tiles-Each 12"x12"x3/8" Thick  (Amazon)

5. Cat food and litter.  The neighborhood cats and rescues are fed Friskies Seafood Sensation (dry) and Friskies canned food (Chicken & Salmon in gravy). They LOVE this flavor more than any other they sometimes fight like kids for seconds. Litter, we use Scoop Away as we found it best for clumping and controlling odor with so many cats. 

WE KEEP IT SIMPLE

That's it! We keep it simple.We operate through volunteers so funding goes to the care of the cats.

We pray and hope you will participate in #GivingTuesday  or any day and help shelter pets. Please select Riverfront Cats as an individual, a family or company effort.   Please do not hesitate to contact us with any questions. Email is best or you may call at 305-771-3163.

From our very small group of volunteers who give so much time and energy, to help reverse the rate of homeless cats in Miami,
THANK YOU!
Christine, Sabrina, Mollie, Elizabeth, Marta, Christina, Karen

Other Ways to Help Riverfront Cats

ResQWalk
Is an app you can download on an Android and iPhone 5 or 6 so that every time you walk (to your car, in the mall, around the block, with the dog...) you can choose Riverfront Cats and a small donation is made directly to us. You pay nothing!

Shop at Amazon
For all of your Amazon shopping, every time you start shopping by clicking on this link http://bit.ly/RCAmazon, Riverfront Cats receives a small donation from Amazon.  It's that easy!

Thank you for all your support.
From our small team at Riverfront Cats,
Purrs and licks.

About Us

Hello animal lovers!  [click here for Spanish version]

We are pet educators and nonprofit organization specializing in cats.  Our goal is to raise awareness and REVERSE  the plight of homeless cats by overturning misconceptions surrounding cats in general, black cats, stray and feral cats through education and leading by example through our nonprofit organization. Our two main functions are:

1. Education about all cats (indoor, outdoor, pet cats, stray and feral cats)
2. Rescue and adoption (as a small nonprofit, we can only accept a very limited number of kittens and cats)

We also lead  by example in caring for our neighborhood cats through a proven method--TNRM (Trap-Neuter-Return-Manage). These are innocent creatures who did not ask to be homeless, but they deserve to live humanely. We are always in need of local residents to help feed the cats or donate cat food or money.  Please consider helping.

HOW CAN ANYONE MAKE A DIFFERENCE?
Please register for automatic email updates (check right hand column). It's a great way to stay informed, share information that can save countless lives. It's free and we don't share your email and we promise we don't scratch or bite--Meow.

We are a 501(c)3 nonprofit under the umbrella of Pawsitively Humane, Inc.
www.pawsitivelyhumane.org

There's so much to learn that we encourage you to take some time to review this website for helpful information.