Oshkosh Area Humane Society: Stretch and Scratch Cat Scratchers Grant Report

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

The products -- Stretch and Scratch cat scratchers -- are used for the cats that are being held temporarily in our stray and medical wings. Because they are housed in metal cages while they wait to be redeemed or moved to the adoption floor, they do not have access to a scratching post as our other cats do. So we put a Stretch and Scratch cat scratcher in every cage so they can relieve stress and calm themselves through scratching.

The ability to scratch provides cats the opportunity to behave normally, relieve stress and get mental and physical stimulation. This is very beneficial to cats who are new to our shelter and are in unfamiliar surroundings. It helps make their time in the holding and medical area much less stressful.

How many pets did this grant help?

350+

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

We had two active kittens, Chai and Latte, that were being held in the medical wing for medical issues. They were extremely active and needed more stimulation than their cage could provide even though our staff interacted with them as much as possible. By putting the Stretch and Scratch cardboard scratchers in their cages, they had something to work off their energy and relieve stress. We noticed they became calmer a day after we put the Stretch and Scratch in their cages.