Tri-County Humane Society: Cat Enrichment Grant Report
How did this grant help your organization and the pets in your care?
We used this grant to purchase a CRIJO AdoptME unit. This unit has one bed and two platforms as well as five areas for scratching. It is on wheels, so it is easy to move around, and the material used makes it easy to clean.
Prior to purchasing the AdoptME unit, our Cat Colony room was fairly bare. We had some small structures for the cats as well as a blanket or bed on the floor; however, it was just the basic needs. This unit took the cats off the floor and allowed them to lounge freely on any level.
We place cats from the same families in the Cat Colony room, where they can all spend their stay at the shelter outside of a cage. The unit is tall enough that it put them in line with the outside window, which is their FAVORITE place to hang out. They lounge in the sun all day!
There is also a viewing window for the public from inside the main cat area, and with the AdoptME unit, the cats are brought right into view. The public LOVES having the ability to watch the cats through that window and thanks to the AdoptME unit, the cats in this area do not stay at our shelter very long.
How many pets did this grant help?
This AdoptME unit has enriched the lives of more than 70 cats already.
Please provide a story of one or more specific pets this grant helped.
Tia (first photo) and Rascal Jack (second photo) are a mother and son who arrived at Tri-County Humane Society in October 2020. They were surrendered to TCHS because their owner’s health was declining and they were unable to care for them.
When Tia and Rascal Jack first arrived, they were placed in a cage together. There wasn’t a ton of space for them in the cage and they were limited to just lying around. Shortly after, the Cat Colony room (with the AdoptME unit) was made available and they were moved in there.
After their move, we saw them become entirely different cats, and thanks to the AdoptME unit, we saw the playful and happy side of both of the cats come to life. They also were a little on the heavier side as far as their weight, so the AdoptME unit allowed them to be more active.
We hoped that Tia and Rascal Jack would be adopted together, but we know that it doesn’t always work out that way. We believe that because they were placed together in our Cat Colony room along with the AdoptME unit (third photo), they were able to display their true personalities and playfulness, which we believe was the reason they were adopted together. Tia and Rascal Jack were adopted in December 2020.
Nikki (fourth photo) and Kako (fifth photo) were two bonded ladies who came to TCHS after their owners had to move and couldn’t bring them along. They arrived in January 2021 and only spent a couple weeks here, which is always heartwarming. Kako was a little on the heavier side so, as with Tia and Rascal Jack, the AdoptME unit played an impactful role in helping her maintain some level of exercise and exploration during her stay at TCHS.
Also as with Tia and Rascal Jack, we had hopes that Nikki and Kako would be adopted together and, thanks to the AdoptME unit, Nikki and Kako were able to show their personalities and friendliness through the Cat Colony windows. Nikki and Kako were adopted to a loving couple who are now RVing across the country with them. These two are now out seeing the world!
