Lady’s Family

Something was moving inside the crate.

Annie, Animal Friends’ veterinary technician, stepped onto her porch. She’d only placed the empty crate down for a short time while she went inside to gather supplies for another night of TNR (Trap-Neuter-Return). Something had quickly taken residence in the safe shadows inside the plastic crate. Annie bent down gingerly. Inside, she was to relieved to find a tiny feline family. An elegant, all-gray cat was peacefully nursing wispy gray kittens.


Four tiny pairs of eyes squinted out, then turned back to their mom. Lady, as the mother cat would come to be named, turned in the direction of her visitor. She searched, bobbing her small head, and Annie saw that the mother cat was blind. In fact, her eye sockets were so ruptured with infection that it was impossible to tell whether the mama cat even had eyes. And still, she tenderly nursed her kittens. 
Annie was expecting to spend the night helping feral cats—setting humane traps to help round up the scores of free-roaming felines in her neighborhood. She hadn’t expected this little family to find her first. And most of all, she couldn’t imagine how the blind mother cat had not only found shelter, but also corralled her four newborns inside.

Annie made sure everyone was tucked inside, then secured the crate. This friendly little family would soon be delivered to Animal Friends.Back at Animal Friends, Lady was treated for fleas and infections and proved to be a sweet and docile cat. She and her kittens went into a foster home where they can gain weight and bask in TLC until they’re ready to be adopted. But Lady wasn’t the only cat who was struggling to raise a family outside. 
Annie continues to spend her evenings “TNRing” more cats in her neighborhood. Annie knows that no one else will step up on behalf of the cats.

She’s managing a colony of cats that are feral – too wild and untamed to live as pets. But thanks to Animal Friends’ Low-Cost Spay/Neuter program, she’s able to have the cats spayed and neutered so their population doesn’t skyrocket. And when she discovers newborns, like Lady’s litter, she knows that Animal Friends can care for and socialize them and adopt them into homes.

Animal Friends’ Low-Cost Spay Neuter program is literally a lifesaver in our community. Last year alone, we altered more than eight thousand animals… preventing feral cats, pets of low-income families, and pets at smaller shelters from producing litter after unwanted litter.

In fact, since our program’s inception, we have provided high-quality, low-cost surgeries to 100,000 pets. Without this program, can you even imagine how many unwanted dogs, cats and rabbits would flood into already overwhelmed shelters?

Can you imagine how many would never even stand a chance?

Spaying and neutering works. But it requires resources, veterinarians, equipment and people like Annie – and you – to make it happen. Please don’t assume that someone else will step up and ensure that this important work continues. We need you to step up. Please support this lifesaving solution.


Please give generously. Click here to donate today.

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