Mews News: Ash's Comeback

September 30, 2022

Mews News:

Ash's Comeback

Ash is a well-traveled seven-year-old gentleman looking for a quiet pad to call his own. He first came to Nine Lives in 2018, after he was found in an El Pollo Loco parking lot in the Los Angeles area. He was finally adopted in April 2020 but unfortunately returned to us two months ago when his owner moved away.

Since re-joining us in July, Ash has received a wide range of medical care, including blood and urine tests, routine vaccines, treatment for an ear infection, medication for an Upper Respiratory Infection, and a special diet to help him gain weight. After a comprehensive oral health assessment revealed severe dental disease, he underwent oral surgery at our clinic, during which all of his diseased teeth were extracted. Now that all of those painful teeth are gone, his appetite has improved immensely and he’s gained a whopping 25% of his body weight!

Despite the occasional grumpy (but adorable!) expression on his face, Ash is a sweet boy who loves to make friends. He's not a very talkative cat, choosing instead to boop you with his head whenever he wants attention. He's also one of our most hardworking bakers, kneading and making muffins around the clock.

Now that Ash is healthy, he’s dreaming of finding a loving forever home, with an abundance of soft blankets, access to unlimited nap time, and of course his favorite cactus bed. Want to help make this sweet kitty's dreams come true? Come by and meet Ash at our Adoption Center today! We're open every Thursday through Sunday from noon to 6:00 pm.

Calendar Update

Thank you to everyone who participated in the 2023 Calendar Photo Contest! Your votes and photo submissions helped us raise over $32,000, exceeding our goal and making this one of the most successful contests so far.

Every dollar raised in our annual calendar contest helps us continue our live-saving efforts and find loving forever homes for more cats — like our contest winner and 2023 Cover Cat, Birdie!

The 2023 calendars are off to the printers and should be available by the end of October. Want to make sure you get a copy? You can pre-order a calendar NOW by purchasing one online or by calling our clinic. Stay tuned for more info on pick-up and delivery.

Share the Love

So often we’ve shared stories of how a Nine Lives kitty’s life has been transformed by adoption. Now we want to know: how has the adoption of your Nine Lives kitty changed your life?

Not only could your story warm the hearts of the Nine Lives community, but if you'll allow us to share your story further – maybe even nationally – this could be your chance to help Nine Lives receive a grant of up to $100,000!

Petco Love, the nonprofit foundation of Petco, is asking for “Love Stories” honoring the bond we share with our pets and illustrating how pet adoption can change a life in big and small ways. To celebrate this love, Petco Love is awarding millions of dollars in grants to the animal shelters that make these adoptions possible.

Want to participate? Just send us your Love Story and at least four photos to [email protected] by October 9th. Here are some more details:

In 500 words or less, tell us how adopting your cat has transformed your life. The story can range from the everyday things that bring joy to your life to momentous, life changing events. Need inspiration? Visit petcolove.org/lovestories to read winning entries from prior years.

Your kitty must have been adopted from Nine Lives and must be alive at the time you submit your story.

Submissions should include at least four photos, including at least one photo of your cat and one photo of you and your cat together. Additional photos can include your kitty with other family members or other photos that further support your story.

We’ll go through the stories and select two to submit to Petco Love’s national contest.

Whether or not your Love Story is selected for Petco Love’s grant, we'd love to share it with our community in future newsletters and/or on social media. So don't hold back — this is the time to boast about your furry family member!

Cars for Cats

Did you know you can turn your car into cash for Nine Lives? Vehicle donations to Nine Lives have the potential to bring in hundreds and sometimes even thousands of dollars in support of our lifesaving mission. You can donate a car, truck, van, motorcycle, boat, or an RV — running or not! The process is easy, the pick-up is free, and your gift is tax-deductible.

To donate, submit a secure online form at careasy.org/nine-lives-foundation or call (855) 500-7433. We accept all types of vehicles that meet the following basic requirements: the vehicle has a clear title, the vehicle is in one piece, and the vehicle is accessible for safe towing.

As always, we thank you for your generous support!

Liam's Corner

I hope everyone had a wonderful summer! As we transition from kitten season and into pumpkin season, I am excited to share some recent updates.

Last weekend we were able to secure a table at the 2022 San Francisco Cat Extravaganza. It was wonderful to speak with so many fellow cat-lovers about the importance of adoption, TNR services, low-cost vaccine clinics, and other ways we can serve our direct community.

We were joined by Sister Roma (from the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence) and Heklina (legendary drag superstar), who supported our effort and helped drive donations. Thanks to everyone who stopped by to say hello and a super special shout out to all the volunteers who jumped in at the last minute to represent Nine Lives with pride.

As we've previously shared, this year we pledged to save 200 kittens, who are often at the highest risk of euthanasia. We have taken them from good Samaritans, from overcrowded shelters, and from euthanasia lines. We've dealt with fleas, ringworm, upper respiratory infections, tons of diarrhea, and a seemingly endless catalog of other illnesses.

Through it all, we persisted, and so far this Kitten Season we have rescued and found loving homes for over 250 kittens! A big thank you to all of our staff, supporters, and volunteers — and especially our foster families, for opening their hearts and their homes over the past several months.

And speaking of fostering, I’m proud to share that Nine Lives was recently recognized by the Maddie’s Fund We Foster Challenge, which celebrates organizations working to implement, expand, or invigorate their foster programs. Out of 247 entries, Nine Lives was one of only three to receive the top honor: Best Overall Effort, which came with a $10,000 prize!

This award recognizes our efforts to expand and improve our foster program in preparation for kitten season — including launching a new online foster application process, using shelter management software to match cats and kittens to potential fosters, developing a bilingual Foster Handbook to provide detailed guidance for foster families, engaging an after-hours VetTriage to handle emergencies, and so many more behind-the-scenes efforts from our amazing volunteers and staff.

About Maddie’s Fund

Maddie's Fund® is a family foundation established in 1994 by Dave and Cheryl Duffield and is the fulfillment of a promise to an inspirational dog, Maddie. She provided them much joy for over ten years and continues to inspire them today.

The Foundation has awarded over $265 million in grants toward increased community lifesaving, pioneering shelter medicine education and establishing foster care as a standard across the U.S.

Maddie’s Fund proudly offers the industry a national voice, important funding opportunities for bold ideas, learning resources and access to collaborate and share innovative solutions. The Foundation invests its resources in a commitment to keeping pets and people together, creating a safety net of care for animals in need and operating within a culture of inclusiveness and humility. #ThanksToMaddie.

We are so honored to receive this award, which will help further our ultimate goal of rescuing and finding homes for more cats and kittens. I look forward to sharing its impact in the coming months.

Liam Montgomery

Executive Director, Nine Lives Foundation