The Community Cat Newsletter- Issue One😺

SAFCC

Community Cat Newsletter

Our vision is to have a community where no kittens are born wild on the street, no cat capable of living in a home is lacking one, and no feral cats are wanting for food, water, and appropriate care and concern.

January 2021| Issue 1

SAFCC receives $20,000 from PetSmart Charities

The San Antonio Feral Cat Coalition has received a $20,000 grant from PetSmart Charities to help prepare more rescued cats and kittens for adoption and ensure they are ready to find loving homes. This grant is part of #SpayTogether, a collaborative, historical initiative of several national funders and organizations who have come together with a goal to help organizations catch up on spay/neuter services. This grant will allow SAFCC to get approximately 200 more kittens off the street and adoption ready via spay/neuter, combo testing, vaccinations, and microchipping. This means 200 more lives saved! To read the full press release, click HERE.

Reminder: Love is in the air!

Love is in the air and our community cats are "feline" it! Our warm winter has cats already in heat which can lead to a prolific kitten season! Now is the time to trap and spay so that we can keep those unwanted litters at bay!

Please visit our website for more info on how to attend our TNR class or to see clinic hours/days and grants specials.

Open your heart--vaccinate a cat

Celebrate this Valentine's Day by donating $20 to give a cat in our care their vaccine! With each donation to our Giving Grid fundraiser, a heart will be placed on our wall of love to demonstrate your generosity.

In 2019 there was an outbreak of feline parvo in south central Texas that became so severe, some shelters and rescues had to close their doors temporarily. SAFCC was not spared as our CCAP team lost many kittens to feline distemper/feline parvo as feline parvo is especially deadly to young babies. The feline herpes virus runs rampant among feral/outdoor cats. It causes chronic upper respiratory infections and is easily passed via nasal fluids and saliva. In neonates and

young kittens, as well as older cats with a weakened immune system, it is often deadly. For this reason SAFCC now pays to protect feral cats that are TNR'd, as well as foster cats, from this virus. FVRCP (Feline Viral Rhinotracheitis, Calicivirus, and Panleukopenia) vaccines protect cats against these three airborne viruses. A $20 donation will cover the cost of two vaccines, which is the minimum ideal number of vaccines per cat. If you can find it in your heart to help our medical expenses by covering this cost for one or more cats, please consider donating HERE. Reaching our goal of $5,000 will help vaccinate 250 cats!

Catch of the Day- Never give up

A two-person SAFCC trapping team has worked with a company near the airport for years, trapping a dozen cats on the property. In all these years Cujo, the king of the jungle, refused to volunteer for a neuter. The team asked employees to help set the traps and within a week, a call came from the employees: they had trapped Cujo and his kitten-bearing companion, Sister! Cujo and Sister went to the Humane Society clinic to put an end to their constant breeding. While there, it was noted Cujo had severe dental disease, which was treated by a veterinarian. After recovery, both cats returned to their home. Cujo is healthier and has retired from his life of procreation.

CCAP adoption event a great success

Despite the day being dreary, wet and cold, our adoption event at the Westover Marketplace was a success! Our Community Cat Adoption Program raised almost $200 and received donations of food, blankets, and cat beds. Thanks so much to all that stopped by and to Westover Market for hosting such a great locale. Many thanks also to Nicole from Petli. She was at the event and is donating 10 percent of her sales profits to CCAP vet bills.

Monitor our Facebook page to see when the next market event will be.

Baby Bam's happy reunion with owner

If you think cats don't bond with their humans, think again. Baby Bam lived with his human family for approximately 10 years. His family sold their home and temporarily moved into an apartment complex until their new home was ready. While at the apartment complex, Bam escaped their balcony and disappeared. The family searched and searched, but were not able to find him before it was time for them to move into their new home.

A year later, DJ--a SAFCC Trapper Team member--was trapping in the area of the apartment complex when she was

approached by a gorgeous, friendly tuxedo cat. The cat was eartipped and already neutered, so she contacted SAFCC and the tuxedo cat was accepted into our Community Cat Adoption Program. Baby Bam was given updated vaccinations, dewormer, and flea treatment. Our foster, Rebecca, scanned him for a microchip and found one! We were then able to track down his family.

Baby Bam's family was overjoyed when we contacted them to let them know he had been found. Bam was overjoyed to be reunited with them. The second he saw his human, he started purring and kneading on his bed. He knew exactly who she was and was so very happy to see her and finally get to go home again! We are so thrilled that we could be part of this joyous reunion. If you need to have your pet microchipped, Animal Care Services offers free or low-cost microchips to SA and surrounding residents. Learn more HERE.

Order from Chewy and SAFCC will get a $20 donation

First-time Chewy customers can order pet food or other pet-related items at Chewy.com and SAFCC will get a $20 donation your first order! Here's how: for every new Chewy customer purchase* made after signing up through our personal Chewy link HERE, Chewy will then donate $20 to the San Antonio Feral Cat Coalition.

*This offer is valid for first-time customers only, one per household.

Thank you for recent food donations

The food seen here was recently donated to a colony caretaker who feeds over 100 cats! With this many cats this food won't last long so we are very appreciative to those who donate to help SAFCC help caretakers.

Our Feral Food Program went over budget last year and we have had to limit the number of colony feeders we can help. If you would like to donate directly from our Amazon wishlist to this program click HERE. If you prefer to donate monetarily to support, please click HERE. Thanks to all that have donated!

Cat of the Month - Purdy

Hello? Is it me you're looking for?

This sweet 6-month old kitten is Purdy (aka "Purdy Pants") He's a loving and spunky boy who loves to play, especially if it involves chasing toys into tissue paper! Purdy also enjoys running amok or rough-housing with other kittens in the house! When that's done though he'll climb into his bed and get in a vigorous kneading session with very loud purrs. Purdy is very talkative, especially around feeding time!

Purdy's life wasn't always so carefree. He

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