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Do you know anyone looking for a new furred family member? Or perhaps you are looking for a new furry companion. If so, look no further - we have lots of cats and kittens looking for their forever home. Stop by the Brandywine PetSmart this weekend and you are sure to fall in love! To start the application process, complete our no-obligation adoption application. Enter TBD for the name of the cat(s)/kitten(s). The adorable kittens to the right that will be at the event are the "Archie Gang" - Archie, Betty, Veronica and Kevin.

Many thanks to the Bitchin' Kitten Brewery for hosting Forgotten Cats on a beautiful Sunday afternoon and to those that came out for the event. The event was a huge success and so much fun!

We really enjoyed our rescue partnership with "The Kitten" - the owners and staff were wonderful to work with. And not only did we raise funds to go towards our mission of TNVR and rescue, but Bitchin' Kitten also promoted our adoptable cats & kittens and adoption events on their big screens. And to top it off, they also had a QR code on some of the can labels that when scanned, took people to our adoptable cats website! 

Thank you to everyone that came out to one or both of the events and to "The Kitten" - we could not do what we do without our friends (thank you Deb & Carol for the raffles), supporters, and community partners. 

This past Saturday, we were welcomed by the New Castle Hundred Lions Club to participate in their 51st Annual Art on the Green event. 

It was a beautiful day, and we had a lot of people stop by to visit the cats & kittens at our Mobile Adoption Trailer - we received 13 applications, and one kitty went to their forever home!

We also had a lot of people visit our "Forgotten to Forever" Pop-up Boutique - it was so much fun talking to people about the organization & Forgotten Cats mission and hearing about their furred family members.

The Tinicum Farm Market on Wednesday evening was bustling with activity - live music, food, beverage and just plain fun!

Thank you to everyone that stopped by to visit the "boutique", Mobile Adoption Trailer, and enjoy these fun events!

Please join us Sunday, October 23rd from 2:00 - 4:00 pm at the Jenkintown Paint with a Twist (209 Leedom St, Jenkintown, PA 19046).

Tickets are $45 - $55.00 per person (depending on the canvas that you choose). Forgotten Cats will receive a donation of $20.00 per person from PWAT (only 28 seats left!). There will also be raffle baskets to add to the fun!

To reserve your seat at this fun event, visit their website at:  https://www.paintingwithatwist.com/studio/jenkintown/event/3175900/

Additional details about the event can be found on the reservation page. We hope you can join us!

Our next adoption event at the Willow Grove PetSmart will be held October 8, from 10:00 am - 4:30 pm.

We have so many cats and kittens looking for their forever home, like our adorable little Meatball!

If you are interested in adopting but haven't met the cat/kitten of your dreams, feel free to complete our no-obligation application and enter "TBD" for the name of the cat/kitten. Then when you do fall in love (which is inevitable!), you will already be pre-approved.

Adoption Application

To check out some of our other cats that are available for adoption, click the following link.

Cat Gallery

We are currently OUT of kitten fosters and have NO more room in our shelter. Sadly, we will have to turn away helpless kittens without relief. We are desperate and begging for your help.

YOU can be the one to make a difference in their lives at this critical time when we are in URGENT need. Any space you have to offer is better than returning these precious kittens outside.

If you would like to foster, please fill out a foster form on our website at https://forgottencats.org/foster-a-cat. Forgotten Cats will provide a training manual and medical care for all foster cats. You provide the basic necessities: litter box & litter, food (Purina cat or kitten chow), bedding, and love.

Pick up would take place at our shelters in either Willow Grove, PA or Trainer, PA (whichever is closer to you).

We also have plenty of adult cats who need a break from the shelter if you’d prefer an older cat.

We are grateful for any help - together we can make a difference.

The September Volunteer Spotlight is shining very brightly on Dawna Winegrad, a member of the surgical instrument team at the Trainer, PA clinic, a position she would never have imagined just a few short years ago.  

The instrument team is responsible for cleaning all the instruments used in surgery along with the surgical drapes and instrument wraps. The cleaned instruments are sorted and then selected to be placed in a surgical pack for sterilization in an autoclave. There are adult spay packs, kitten spay packs and eye surgery packs all with specific instruments that are included in each pack. Dawna tells us that while at first it can seem over-whelming, one quickly learns the various instruments and operation of the cleaning and sterilizing equipment. Her past experiences actually had nothing to do with any aspect of medical support! She said the Forgotten Cats clinic team taught her everything she needed to know. 

“Because we collect instruments from the surgical suite, we have an opportunity to observe the activity from prep to recovery,” says Dawna, “and sometimes we may be called upon to help. Like the day in surgery when there was an emergency C-section.  It was ‘all hands-on deck’. I joined several other volunteers as we each received one of the newborn kittens and worked to revive them, clearing their airways and stimulating their hearts. Cheers erupted as each one began breathing on his or her own, gently squirming and chirping. Definitely an experience I won't soon forget.” Pictured above, left Dawna and instruments at the Trainer clinic.

What did it take for Dawna Winegrad, formerly an accountant, to become a member of the surgical instrument team? What road brought her to this destination? Dawna tells us it was long and winding, and one she would not have predicted during her accounting days – from her job in Norristown, her home in Havertown, then Glen Mills, then Costa Rica and now northern Delaware – and the volunteer work she now loves.

Like most FC volunteers, Dawna said she has always been an animal lover, and her first cat rescue occurred many years ago when her sons were young, and they were on a family vacation at Nockamixon State Park when they came across two kittens abandoned in the woods.  

As the boys grew, the family vacations took them to Costa Rica and Belize, and they all loved these tropical escapes to the Caribbean. It was at this time that Dawna and her husband started to dream about possibly retiring one day to Costa Rica. Back to reality . . .

Her next animal rescue occurred near her office where she worked as an accountant, and it was a Forgotten Cats volunteer who helped her spay/neuter a small colony nearby. She than began to volunteer for a Delaware County cat rescue organization, CatNIP. It was during this time that she encountered a stray, wounded cat who had been shot in one of his rear legs, and she contacted a friend at CatNIP for help. CatNIP was taking a cat to their veterinarian for orthopedic surgery the next day and they agreed to also take the wounded cat Dawna had found.

Despite heavy odds against a successful outcome, this cat (who also was FIV+ and had a heart murmur) did come through surgery well and would now need a long term foster who could deal with a cat with a leg in an external fixator and who would be confined to caged recovery for four months, so, of course, Dawna agreed to do this and she named the cat Chance – because they had given him another chance at life. Foster fail! She became attached to Chance, as did her oldest son, Andy – when he returned home from college to find Chance’s cage in his bedroom! In fact, Andy became so attached that when he moved out after graduation, he adopted Chance as his own.

A few years later, Dawna’s youngest son, Jake, also graduated from college and she and her husband decided this might be the time to “retire” from life in the Brandywine Valley and pursue that dream that started years ago – exploring the possibility of retiring in Costa Rica. And so, they did!

Above, the Winegrads’ home in Costa Rica atop the lush hillside, complete with exotic fauna and flora.

Their Costa Rican early retirement adventure evolved into 5 days a week of hard physical labor reforesting and maintaining their two acre property on the slopes of Poas Volcano. Their tiny community of 200 families had many cats and dogs but few families could afford veterinary care. In a community that small news travels fast so, after helping a few neighbors with spaying, requests for help with castration, injuries, illness, and grooming came regularly. “And that's how we acquired some of our 3 dogs and 3 cats” says Dawna. “Because in a place like Costa Rica, chances are that if you rescue a cat or dog you are going to have to keep it. In fact, one of the few shelters in the country is Territorio de Zaguates (https://www.territoriodezaguates.com/ ) at which up-wards of 1,700 dogs call home because there are simply not enough resources.”

Above, Dawna in Costa Rica with horses!

Dawna continues, “As to how we grew our fur family, Ruby, a 40-pound hound, was dumped in San Miguel one night and gave birth to 6 puppies two days later. A neighbor and I cared for her and her puppies in an abandoned house until the puppies were adopted out. But no one wanted Ruby because she was too large, i.e., not chihuahua sized. Eventually Ruby came to our house and stayed. Frank, our cuddly black cat, was one of a litter of 4 kittens rescued from under a wood pile where they somehow avoided the snakes and scorpions. I eventually found homes for them all, but Frank only lasted one week in his adoptive home where he was attacked by a neighborhood cat leaving deep puncture wounds. He came back to me for care while he recovered and stayed. Kitty Sammy and her 3 siblings were found in a coffee field with no sign of mommy.  

“All were again adopted out, but Sammy was returned because the adoptive family's neighbor threatened to kill Sammy. She stayed. I picked up kitty Annabelle, thin with recent head wounds and a hernia, begging for food outside a local restaurant. She stayed. Max, our golden retriever, was abandoned after a particularly violent storm blew the roof off his owner's house. They couldn't take him with them, so we adopted him along with 2 other goldens. Fibi, a mutt's mutt, ‘came with the property we bought in Costa Rica’ but wasn't listed with the contents of the house.” She added they had friends in Costa Rica who had acquired a parrot in the same way. She also told us that having pets in Costa Rica was much different than in the US as most homes had open doors and windows year-round and ‘free ranging pets’ was the norm – it would have been very difficult to restrain the animals to an indoor life.

Dawna and her husband loved life in Costa Rica but grew to increasingly miss their family back in the states. Andy was now living in Baltimore, and Jake in Philadelphia. So in 2021 they made the decision to move back – it was a long process, taking several trips to bring all of their possessions and their four-legged family members back with them. They bought a house in northern Delaware and are now happily living there with their Costa Rican “kids” – Ruby, the sweet hound dog; Fibi, the dog who ‘came with the house’ in Costa Rica; Max, the golden retriever; cats Frank, Annabelle, and Sammy. All eight of them were adjusting as well as can be expected! (Dawna says she misses speaking Spanish and would welcome any opportunity to practice.)

Then one day in February of this year when Dawna was shopping at the Brandywine PetSmart, she saw Forgotten Cats materials in the adoption center and remembered the FC volunteer who had helped her in Norristown so many years ago. She filled out the volunteer application and soon Olivia Westley called her to talk about a volunteer placement for Dawna that involved working with surgical instruments. “Sure,” Dawna said with confidence, concealing her apprehension. “As a retired accountant, I knew nothing about hemostats, needle holders, autoclaves. But within a short time, I could almost assemble surgical packs with my eyes closed. All it takes is attention to detail and organization and anyone, even me, can be a pro. So, I am grateful to the dedicated volunteers at Forgotten Cats, the students, retirees, working folk, who give their time to care for the abandoned and lost house cats and feral cats struggling to survive in alleyways, under woodpiles, and often near our homes.”

Dawna, Forgotten Cats is extremely pleased that you chose to take a chance with a volunteer role that was new to you – working with surgical instruments in the clinic. You have become such a pro at your job that it’s hard to believe it’s been less than a year since this all started. FC Director of Development Olivia Westley says “Dawna’s positive energy is contagious. She’s always eager to learn and jump in wherever needed. Dawna not only prepares surgical instruments for clinic, but she helps recruit, train, and manage a team of volunteers dedicated to instruments. We’re so grateful she’s stepped up to this task.” Thank you, Dawna! 

BARN HOMES NEEDED! DE, MD, PA, and NJ

Some of our cats don't prefer the indoor, house pet kind of life and that's okay! Instead of toy mice they'd really like to get their paws on the real thing! 

Our "rodent control technicians" will work hard in exchange for food, water and shelter. Forgotten Cats will deliver your barn cat(s) to you sterilized, vaccinated, and at no charge. 

Interested in learning more about our barn cat program? Please email info@forgottencats.org for more details. PLEASE INCLUDE YOUR PHONE NUMBER in all correspondence - our barn coordinator will contact you by phone.

Our barn cats will be waiting to hear from you!

Forgotten Cats, Inc. operates one of the largest trap, neuter, vaccinate & release (TNVR) programs in the country. Due to expanding needs, we are seeking a Full and Part-Time Veterinarian to join our compassionate team, working to reduce the homeless cat population through TNVR.  

This employment opportunity offers a flexible work schedule as well as location. Forgotten Cats operates two clinics - one in Trainer, PA (Delaware County) and one in Sussex County, DE. The candidate will perform routine and emergency surgery, as well as provide wellness services and medical treatment within our facilities.  

Due to the high volume of sterilizations performed at our clinics, the candidate must have surgery experience, a willingness to learn, be able to function in a high-energy environment and enjoy working with cats. Salary is commensurate with experience.

This is a challenging position, but the rewards of making a positive difference in the lives of sick, injured, and/or frightened cats are immense. 

Please consider joining our dynamic team where we make the extraordinary occurrence an ordinary occurrence each day.  

To apply, please email your phone number, resume and a cover letter explaining why you are interested in the position to: info@forgottencats.org

PS. If you know of anyone who may be interested in this job opening, please have them respond to: info@forgottencats.org.

Vehicle Donations are a unique and impactful giving option that can help Forgotten Cats to support our mission of humanely reducing the homeless cat population and to stop the suffering of the thousands of kittens born to abandoned, homeless cats.

Your unwanted car, truck, boat, motorcycle, SUV or even plane can be accepted as a donation. Your generosity qualifies for a tax deduction and CARS will do all the heavy lifting. The pick-up is free, and they will schedule it during a time that’s convenient for you. Call 855-500-RIDE (7433) now or visit: https://careasy.org/nonprofit/forgottencatsinc to get started!

Chewy Wish List

It’s never been easier to give back! Help our animals in need by shopping our Wish List on Chewy to donate much-needed pet food and supplies directly to our organization.

Amazon Wish List

Remember to shop on Amazon Smile and choose Forgotten Cats as your charity so that a donation will be made to Forgotten Cats at no additional cost to you!

We Want to Hear from You!

If you have an idea for an article or a story you would like to share about a rescue, special volunteer, your adoption center or recent adoptions from Forgotten Cats, please send story and photos if possible to: info@forgottencats.org

Forgotten Cats offers a variety of sponsorship levels - if you are interested in learning more about our Sponsorship Program, please visit: https://forgottencats.org/corporate-sponsorship/

Forgotten Cats, Inc. | www.forgottencats.org