HART for Animals, Inc.: Cat Enrichment Grant Report

How did this grant help your organization and the pets in your care?

We used a Petfinder Foundation grant of $988.28 in the following manner to provide enrichment for the cats in the Cattery at the HART Animal Center:
Materials to build three Window Box Catios® - $332
Labor - $480
Three Drinkwell Fountains, including filters and brushes - $176.80
TOTAL $988.80

As is true at any organization that shelters animals, adult cats stay longer at the HART Animal Center -- an average of six months. In addition, during "kitten season," orphaned kittens arrive every day and are placed in quarantine to keep them healthy until they are adopted or transported to larger rescues. We used the Petfinder Foundation grant to build a large window-box Catios for adult cats in the Cattery and two small units in the kitten play areas. These window boxes will provide all sheltered cats with the opportunity to enjoy the outdoors without any danger to themselves. They will also allow kittens to familiarize themselves with the world from their play areas. The three Drinkwell fountains became a greatly appreciated addition to the kitten areas, with two or more kittens simultaneously enjoying the running water.

How many pets did this grant help?

An average of 50 felines per month, and a total of 500 or 600 year.

Please provide a story of one or more specific pets this grant helped.

The window box Catios were completed and installed the second week of August. The first cat to use them was the Adoption Wing cat, Waylon (first photo), who toured the addition as if he had ordered the window boxes himself! Other cats who enjoyed the improvements were Macie (a spayed surrogate mother who loves to take care of orphaned kittens) and Sterling, a formerly outside cat now enjoying the indoors. The cats currently available for adoption are still checking out the new structures. One of those is Gracie (second photo), a 1-year old female, whose Petfinder profile can be found here.