🙀 Can these cats really be saved?
No matter where you live, a quick search on Petfinder will reveal a handful of pets that are in need of a home.
Regardless of if you’re in a city or a more rural area, it’s safe to say, you’ll always find some nearby.
But what happens when the homeless pet situation is actually more of a crisis?
Photo: Millie B
When the amount of available pets exceeds the number of people searching… It’s time to get creative.
And that’s exactly what Meagan Licari, founder and president of Puppy Kitty NYC, did to get hundreds of cats off the streets.
The desire to save a few turned into a lot more
“It's so sad… I feel like dogs get so much more attention than cats in the media and in the world, and people feel more badly for dogs for some reason… But cats really have it hard. There’s this misconception that they can survive on their own but they're domesticated, so they really can't. And it's our fault that they're here, homeless, on the street.”
Like many pet parents, Meagan had grown up with a soft spot for animals.
Photo: Hungi
As an adult, she knew she could change the lives of more than just her own, so she decided to start volunteering with local rescues.
Her work schedule quickly confirmed that fostering dogs as originally planned might not be a good fit.
So, she turned to cats. And eventually, adopted two into her own.
“I kind of fell into cat rescue. Obviously, I love dogs, but… Cats really have my heart.”
Then, in 2011, Meagan moved to NYC and through various Instagram accounts, discovered there was a HUGE cat crisis in the place she now called home.
She immediately found some rescues to get involved with, volunteering as a transporter since she already had cats of her own.
But it didn’t take long for her to open up a little space in her garage (and her heart) to take in some strays…
And that’s how Puppy Kitty NYC got started.
Photo: Fes
Quickly outgrowing the garage space, she acquired a 1200 sqft former hair salon and rallied up a growing number of fosters…
And now has over 200 cats (plus some dogs, ferrets, and other sweet pets sprinkled in) ready to find their forever homes.
Leaving their pasts behind
“We pull from our city shelter, so they're always sending out pleas for animals at risk for euthanasia. Obviously, we all come across cats from time to time as well. It’s a lot of word of mouth, social media… And our volunteer and staff base find a lot of cats.”
There’s never a shortage of cats who need support, unfortunately.
Sometimes, that means picking cats up off the streets who have been neglected by their previous owner.
Other times, that means taking in cats when their elderly owners have passed and no one in their family steps up to care for them.
“It's heartbreaking in so many ways. The poor cat is losing its owner, and it's probably the only home that it ever knew. I get so frustrated–how could you lose a family member, and not figure out something for their beloved pet, your last connection to them? I don't understand why people don't have conversations and think about it. I'm 40 years old, we talk about it all the time–what would we do if something happened?”
Meagan’s motto is never to say “no” to an animal in need, no matter where it came from or what may have happened to it in the past.
Because of this, people have learned they can turn to her and Puppy Kitty NYC when they find an animal that needs support.
“We do have a large foster network, so we have fosters and our physical location… And we utilize Petco adoption centers, like the little condos and Petco stores. That has been really, really amazing for us, because people love connecting with the animal.”
That also means that at any given time, there can be over 200 (mostly) cats in their care.
And feeding that many mouths can be tricky sometimes.
The costs that come with saving a life
“We have a big focus on homeless street cats. We rescue or trap them, rehabilitate them, and find them homes. And then we have a focus on medical cases and trap, neuter, return. So, that's what we basically focus on… And it all costs money.”
Whether they’re coming in from the street or from a home they can no longer stay at, Meagan can’t save and feed them all on her own.
And in many cases, there’s additional costs on top of food and shelter that people don’t think of either.
Click to see Edward Scissors Paws' transformation!
Street cats may have illnesses that need to be addressed. Senior cats may require extra vet visits or special food to keep them healthy.
These costs can quickly jump into the $1000s.
Donations are always helpful–both monetary and various high-demand products…
But reducing the amount of pets in the rescue will always be the most helpful.
And for this, Meagan has some unique ideas that have proven to be effective and beneficial, not just to the cats, but to the humans as well.
Getting creative with rehoming cats
With so many pets available on sites like Petfinder, Meagan has brainstormed some pretty ingenious ways to not only raise awareness for the cat crisis, but also get cats into the home they’re perfectly suited for.
Beneficial barn cats
Some of the cats they care for are simply not indoor cats. They might be friendly, but they’re truly feral.
For those situations, she created a program in which she partners with barns and farms who might want some mousers on the property.
“It's just a really nice way for people to adopt feral cats, give them a home, and get them out of the city streets. And it gives them a safe, protected place to live.”
Like all rescues, the cats come fully vetted and fixed. And in turn for their rodent control, they get food, water, shelter, and regular vet care.
Calming kitten therapy
At any given time, it’s likely that PuppyKitty NYC has a lot of kittens looking for homes.
These kittens and young cats are playful, loving, healthy… And ready to bring joy to people’s lives through their silly antics and soothing purrs.
Local businesses book these private events, which raise money for the rescue.
It also gets dozens of adoptable pets into the arms and laps of people who may want to experience their love and affection beyond the kitten therapy event.
Purlates
Along the same lines of kitten therapy, Meagan has also partnered with Purlates to spice up local Pilates classes with a handful of purring studio-mates.
Click to watch some Purlates in action!
Attendees can enjoy playing with kittens while breaking a sweat…
And Puppy Kitty NYC gets to place more of these sweet pets into loving homes.
But… Why rescue cats?
“They just really are amazing creatures. Their agility, everything that they can do, I mean… they're amazing animals. I love all animals, but cats really hold a special place in my heart. They're so cute. Everything they do is cute.”
Especially for those living in big cities like Meagan, cats really do make the perfect pets.
They’re small, they don’t require a huge amount of space, they’re litter trained… It doesn’t get much easier than that!
Photo: Pete & Alanna
And unlike dogs (we’re stereotyping here!), who seem to love everyone, you really have to work for your cat’s affection. If your cat loves you, you’ll know it!
Besides that, science shows that petting a cat or feeling its purr against your body can lower stress and anxiety, and even reduce heart rate and blood pressure.
And there’s an endless amount of cats who are ready to improve your life.
So why rescue?
“There's a huge animal crisis not just here (in NYC), but across the country. Thousands and thousands and thousands of animals are dying and being euthanized in shelters across America. o if you're an animal lover, buying is literally, to me, causing other animals to die.”
Breeding brings up a few more issues too.
First, “ethical breeding” can be a bit controversial. If someone is forcing their animals to have babies to make a profit, can it truly be ethical?
Photo: Jojo
Many purebred breeds end up with countless genetic problems and health issues, so on top of the initial hefty price tag, they may also require frequent vet visits, medications, and special care.
Of course, there’s a need for breeding when it comes to working pets. Police need strong, agile, well-tempered dogs. Seeing-eye dogs need to be attentive, intuitive, and easy to train. Ranchers need cattle dogs.
But for the everyday pet owner?
“There's no reason why someone needs an Australian cattle dog in New York City. An Australian cattle dog is meant to run after cattle. It's not meant to go to Saks. There's no reason for anyone to have a specific breed, just because you like it.”
And for rescuers like Meagan, the most frustrating part is it feels like they’re on a never-ending hamster wheel.
Photo: Nessie
“I’m doing the best that I can to rescue these animals, and spay them, and prevent overbreeding, and then there's people breeding…And it's taking homes away from these cats that are already born.”
Caring for your cat, now and forever
When you choose an animal to bring into your home, they become more than just a pet. They’re family.
And if something should happen, they deserve to live a safe, full, happy life for the rest of their days… Not ending up in the shelter.
Putting a Cotl plan in place ensures your pet is taken care of, just the way they’re used to, no matter what happens to you.
