Niagara Cats Rescue fundraiser this Saturday

Seven years go, Tanya Rice’s sister organized a 50th birthday for her, and because she knows how much Rice loves animals, asked for donations to Niagara Cats Rescue instead of gifts.

Every year since then Rice, who has become one of the organization’s committed volunteers, has assisted with annual fundraisers to help to fulfill their mission: to shelter, nurture and socialize abandoned and homeless cats in a loving, home-like environment until they an be adopted to their forever homes.

That first year, she didn’t consider herself a fundraiser, but wanted to do something to help. She decided to turn a personal Christmas tradition into an event to raise money for cat rescue.

She and her husband Peter typically held a post-Candlelight Stroll open house at their home, and since they were providing refreshments for their friends, they asked for something in return — a donation to the cat rescue organization she supports.

That worked well, but when the pandemic came along and she couldn’t do that, she had to find other ways to raise funds.

One of her ideas she put into practice last year was selling spring flower arrangements.

She usually makes decorative urns “for the people I love,” she says, giving them away to friends and family. Her sister encouraged her to start charging for them, which she did, as another way of raising funds for the rescue organization.

Last spring, “my mom and two best friends stepped up to the plate,” and with their help, she raised $2,300. 

She explains her motivation for volunteering this way.

“I love living in Niagara-on-the-Lake, and I believe we have to support our organizations. There are so many worthwhile causes that need our support. I just have a strong connection to cat rescues.”

She has two cats, and has been feeding a pregnant feral cat. She and her husband decided to keep two beautiful kittens of the litter, “taking volunteering to the next level.” 

She is also fostering their fifth cat, four of which found homes. Phoebe is up for adoption now.

This non-profit charity group, operated 100 per cent with volunteers, is hosting their annual spring fundraiser this Saturday, with a raffle and a spring flower sale, to help pay for veterinary care, including emergency visits, and spaying and neutering assistance.

It offers a foster program as well as an adoption program with the local Pet Valu store on Niagara Stone Road, which helps find suitable permanent homes for unwanted or abandoned cats.

Every cat adopted from Niagara Cats Rescue is spayed or neutered, and has a microchip inserted by the vet during that procedure, says Rice.

The organization also provides continued long-term veterinary care, shelter, food and spaying and neutering release programs for feral cat colonies where domestication is not possible. Volunteers trap cats, sometimes feral, and sometimes cats who have been socialized. If they’re microchipped they can be returned to their owner.

But often, and even more so during the last two years of the pandemic when parents were working from home and kids were attending school virtually, families have taken a kitten into their home, and when it didn’t work out for them, let it loose outdoors. “Now mom and dad are back to work, and kids are back to school, socialized cats are being abandoned and are showing up at back doors,” says Rice.

And when people find these cats, “they don’t always know there is a cat rescue organization in their community. We want to educate people, to tell them we have the means to humanely trap these animals, and see if they’re microchipped. We have a website and a Facebook page we can use to help find their homes.”

These cats can usually be adopted, but foster homes are needed until families can be found for them, says Rice.

Niagara Cats Rescue fundraiser this Saturday, April  2, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., is at 456 Line 2 in NOTL.

There will be eight-inch and 10-inch pots with tulips and daffodils, decorated with pussy willows and decorative grasses, says Rice. They will sell for $25 each, cash only. There will also be a raffle, with tickets at $2 or three for $5, for items such as a Fossil leather handbag, spa products and wine, and 100 per cent of ticket sales going to Niagara Cats Rescue.