by Nomi Berger
 
All paws up, way up, for Treats 4 Paws! Now in its third year, this unique, annual October event, created by Christy Riley to honor her late, beloved son Skyler, collects monetary and physical “treats” for carefully selected local animal rescues.
 
What originated as a word-of-mouth “reverse trick or treat” observance mushroomed into a much-anticipated Facebook page in 2023 with nearly 600 followers and growing daily. Last year, Treats 4 Paws not only raised $1,125.00, it received cat and dog supplies of every description, several hundred pounds of kitten and cat food and treats, and puppy and dog food and treats – all of which were distributed to four rescues and one shelter.
 
Please visit the official Treats 4 Paws fundraiser Facebook page to like, share and follow this charity event. But most importantly, please consider making a monetary donation or purchasing some of the many items listed there under “Featured.”
 
As Christy candidly admits, “I enjoy going ‘hard’ for this event. It’s definitely a labor of love, consuming every ounce of my energy and filling two rooms in my house. I especially enjoy doing whatever I can to secure donations of all kinds for local rescue groups. It truly does take a village!”
 
Quoting The Cat’s Meow Rescue, one of last year’s recipients: “The Treats 4 Paws October donation drive has been a wonderful way to get the community involved in supporting local animal rescue groups including TCMR. Not only does this humanitarian event help provide the kitties in our care with food and essential supplies, the monetary donations collected have helped us to pay our extremely high vet bills.”
 
Included again this year, The Cat’s Meow Rescue is joined by Regard 4 Life Animal Rescue, Hope for Pets Rescue, Yellow Brick Road Rescue - Longview arm, Animal Protection League and Rosie the Rehabber.

Who, then was Skyler? Born on October 6, 1998 and gone too soon on July 4, 2019, Skyler was the soul of empathy and compassion who was particularly passionate about the fall, holidays and animals. Raised in a pet-loving family with animals of all kinds, he made it his mission as a Cub Scout to take care of them since they couldn’t take care of themselves. He even organized several donation drives to collect pet supplies for the local animal shelter.
 
A gifted musician, he played drums, piano, guitar and bass, mostly by ear, but he read music as well. Highly intelligent with a wide range of interests, he not only loved the writings and thoughts of such visionaries as Stephen Hawking and Neil deGrasse Tyson, he loved cooking, playing baseball and basketball, swimming and riding four-wheelers.
 
In 2022, three years after his passing, his mom, who wanted to stay involved in Halloween and missed children stopping by to “trick or treat,” hosted what was then called Christy’s Reverse Trick-or-Treat. Running from October 1 to October 31, the event is devoted to helping animals. She creates a GoFundMe account (the link will be posted on FB the morning of October 1), cleans out several rooms in her house to store the items she receives, festively decorates her yard and sets up a “donation area” at the end of the walkway.
 
She accepts cash, all animal-appropriate items, gift cards and deliveries from Amazon, Chewy and Walmart, to name a few. Her “event” address this year is Treats 4 Paws, 104 Larkspur Street, White Oak, TX 75693. On weekdays Christy, who works outside the home, will check the donation box in the morning, at 6PM when she returns, before going to bed, and as needed over the weekend. (In case of inclement weather, she asks that donors message her on the FB page to ensure she’s home beforehand).
 
She will faithfully photograph and meticulously record everything she receives and post the exciting results, along with her appreciative “thank you’s” on the Treats 4 Paws FB page and two other social media platforms daily throughout October. She will close the GoFundMe account and remove the designated donation area on November 1.
 
The grand finale: All of the money and donations will then be distributed among 2024’s six extremely fortunate and exceptionally grateful animal organizations!
 
As for 2025? Stay tuned.

by Nomi Berger
 
The problem of cat overpopulation is a global one and requires a solution on a global scale. But like every journey that begins with a single step, this particular journey must begin with every cat owner in every community, town and city in the country. Those conscientious owners who act responsibly by spaying and neutering their cherished family pets.
 
Spaying (ovariohysterectomy) is the surgical removal of a female cat's ovaries and uterus, while neutering (castration) is the removal of a male cat's testicles. To minimize discomfort and pain, both procedures are performed under general anesthesia. Most cats are back to their “normal” selves within a few days, the surgery site usually heals within two weeks, and any skin stitches removed by your vet at a follow up appointment.
 
Did you know that in seven years, an unspayed female and unneutered male cat (and their offspring, if none are spayed or neutered) can result in the births of a staggering 781,250 kittens?
 
And the inevitable outcome? Hundreds of thousands of cats being euthanized each year through no fault of their own. Why? Because they are the tragic, but avoidable, results of over breeding and overpopulation. Why? Because there are too few shelters to house them and too few homes to either foster or adopt them. Why? Because there are still too many cat owners unwilling to spay and neuter their family pets.
 
Both intact male and female cats may try to escape their homes in order to roam outside. Neutering your male will eliminate roaming, urine spraying, and fighting with neighborhood cats. Spaying your female will eliminate the estrus or “heat" behavior of yowling that attracts and invites mounting by roaming males.
 
Despite some owners’ fears, spaying and neutering will not alter their cat's basic personality – except many males will be less aggressive and more docile. Their playfulness, general activity levels, excitement, and vocalization will remain the same. Although neutered males and spayed females may gain weight due to decreased roaming and other sexual behavior outdoors, keeping them active indoors and managing their weight through diet will keep this potential problem under control.
 
Spaying and neutering cats before the age of six months is growing in popularity and the benefits to their health and well being are well documented. Spayed females are less likely to develop breast cancer and won’t be at risk for either ovarian or uterine cancer. Neutered males won’t develop testicular cancer, and without the need to roam, their risk of being injured or infected by other cats is drastically reduced. And males neutered prior to puberty (six months) won’t develop the large head and thick skin of intact males. Early spaying and neutering may also prevent problem behaviors before they occur and may either eliminate or reduce certain behaviors in older cats.
 
Imagine if every conscientious cat owner in every community, town and city in the country took responsibility for spaying and neutering their family pets. Imagine what we, as part of the global community, could accomplish then.

By Nomi Berger
 
Have you thought of drawing up a different list of resolutions this year?
 
Have you thought about getting involved in the world of cat rescue, but didn’t know how?
 
Here then, are twelve different ways – one for each month – for you to resolve to make a difference in the lives of rescue kittens and cats this year. Even if you choose only one, that choice will make all the difference in the world to them.
 
1. Contact TCMR and ask to volunteer for us. Since volunteers form the backbone of every nonprofit organization, no group can function successfully without them, and there are many ways to help out.
 
2. Encourage ONE feline-loving friend to volunteer alongside you.
 
3. Click onto our website and make a monetary contribution to us online.
 
4. Purchase and donate items to us from the “wish lists” featured on our site.
 
5. Follow our Facebook page, “like” us, “comment” and “share” our postings on a daily basis.
 
6. Participate in as many online events as paws-ible: from auctions and special events to funding a specific feline’s medical costs to general GoFundMe appeals.
 
7. Instead of accepting birthday or anniversary gifts this year, ask your family and friends to make contributions to TCMR in your name.
 
8. Host a small fundraiser (bake sales, garage sales and yard sales are among the most popular) and donate the proceeds to us. You will receive not only our gratitude, but a tax receipt as well.
 
9. Sign petitions calling on your city to ban the sale of cats in all pet stores unless they’re from animal shelters, rescue groups like ours or from people surrendering them for free.
 
10. Sponsor a kitty wherever feasible.
 
11. Foster an available cat. After learning what’s required of you, welcome one very needy and deserving kitty into your home temporarily, until he or she can be placed in a purr-manent home.
 
12. Adopt one of our kitties and save two lives – the life of the one you’re adopting, and the life of the one taking his or her place.
 
 

by Nomi Berger
 
Started in 1974 by the American Humane Association, June has, since then, been known as National Adopt a Cat Month. And its significance is doubly meaningful because June is also the month of the year when the most kittens are born.
 
Animal rescue groups and shelters everywhere are filled with kittens and cats seeking forever homes: felines of every breed and combination of breeds, featuring as many diverse personalities as they have coats and colors, born on the streets or in a shelter, surrendered or abandoned by their owners.
 
And never was it more vital than NOW to consider adopting one of the millions of available kitties, thereby making YOUR homes their forever homes. Not only are kitties good for your health, they’re amusing and affectionate, sociable and silly, playful and precocious, chatty, snuggly and cuddly, and as eager to lap up your loving as they are to return it. But before you make such a life-altering decision – for them and for you – carefully consider the following three factors: dedication, finances and lifestyle.
 
Dedication: This is the initial and therefore the most important factor. Unequivocal and unquestioned commitment to a kitten or cat as the newest member of your family will assist you in successfully managing whatever future, unforeseen problems, obstacles or inevitable challenges lie ahead. And because cats can now live for 20 years or more, you and your chosen kitty are destined to experience a lifetime of changes, positive and negative, sweet and bittersweet, together.
 
Finances: Although anyone at any income level can be a good pet parent, remember that the kitten or cat you adopt will be entirely dependent on you for life. If you want your home to be as feline friendly as possible, this means, among other things, paying for food, water and food bowls, litter boxes and litter, cat trees, scratching posts and cat tunnels, games and toys – all of which can cost thousands of dollars over your cat's lifetime. But most importantly, there are the costs of caring for your cat’s health: the vet vists, both routine and urgent, the unexpected accidents, unanticipated illnesses, diagnostics and medications, and the money all of that entails. And since kittens are typically more costly than adult cats, they’ll require extra vaccinations, vet visits, food and supplies over the span of their lives
 
Lifestyle: More independent, lower maintenance and more self-sufficient than dogs, ideal for people who either work long hours or lead busy personal lives, anyone adopting a kitten or cat MUST care for them daily -- from training and feeding them to cleaning and playing with them. Think emptying soiled litter boxes and disposing of litter, vacuuming carpets and removing cat hair from furniture. Think interacting with them to build and strengthen your bond through playtime – from beaming laser lights around walls and floors to having them chase wand toys with feathers attached to them.
 
For a potential adopter living on your own, the decision is yours and yours alone. If, however, you have a roommate, spouse or an entire family, one potential obstacle is allergies. Is anyone either a highly allergic person or allergic specifically to cats? Do you have a baby, toddler or very young children who wouldn’t know how to treat a kitten or a cat? Does everyone in your household even want to adopt a kitty?
 
Once you’ve chosen to invite a feline friend into your life, visit our website or Facebook page to view the kitties available, and hopefully one or more will “speak” to you. The next step is to email us your application, and when you’re contacted, to visit us. More often than not, the purr-fect kitty or kitties will choose you!
 
While in our care, the kittens and cats are provided with the best food and medical treatment as well as with constant attention and ongoing socialization. We know their personalities, what they like to eat and how they like to play. This vital information enables us to match the right kitten or cat with the right adopter, and ensure, to the best of our ability, that, together, they live happily and lovingly forever. 
 
And while Adopt a Cat Month may be celebrated in June, the need to adopt a kitten or cat continues month after month, all year round.

by Nomi Berger
 
Have you ever been in the position of finding a litter of kittens and wondering what to do next? To keep or not to keep, that is the question.
 
Here, then, are some answers -- together with more questions.
 
1. If you find a litter of kittens on or near your property, quickly assess their health. If they appear healthy, watch them, but don’t move them. Their mother is likely nearby. Stay far enough away – several car lengths – that you’re not considered a threat by their mother if she’s feral. If, however, the kittens seem distressed or are very vocal, and if their mother hasn’t returned by the end of the day, she may NOT be returning.
 
2. Unless they're in danger, however, it's best to give their missing mother another chance to return and tend to them. Place them in a carrier or cardboard carton to keep them warm, safe and secure.
 
3. Try to determine the age of the kittens. Are they newborns with their eyes closed and weighing less than 8 ounces? Or are they 8 weeks old, weighing 2 pounds, and resembling miniature cats? Not to mention every age and weight in between. Each age brings with it a different set of criteria as to their proper maintenance and care. If they’re newborns, contact local rescue groups or no-kill shelters ONLY that may be willing to take them in immediately.
 
4. Are they feral (part of a colony of cats born to live and survive outdoors) or domestic kittens born to a family’s lost companion cat? Once again, this will determine the steps you take next.
 
5. If it’s either too hot or too cold outside, raining or snowing, bring the kittens indoors and confine them to a clean, quiet and small room -- whether a spare bedroom, bathroom or laundry room. Leave them in their carton or carrier with the door open, and provide them with a high-quality kibble, fresh water and cat litter.  If the kittens are too young to feed themselves, you’ll need to bottle feed them every couple of hours. Should you choose this course, either contact a local vet or rescue group for advice and guidance.
 
6. Within a few days, decide whether you want to temporarily foster them, bearing in mind that socializing them as quickly as possible will improve their chances of ultimately being adopted.
 
7. Although adorable and impossible to resist, kittens do have little claws and sharp teeth. To protect yourself from unnecessary “battle scars”, wear gloves until the kittens grow comfortable with being handled.
 
8. If you have other pets, keep them separated from the kittens to minimize the risk of their transmitting either parasites or infections to them.
 
9. To make fostering the kittens easier, speak with the volunteers at the rescue group you’ve already contacted and ask for their advice – on all matters from A to Z.
 
10. When it’s time for the kittens to “leave the nest”, either contact your vet, one who operates a re-homing center that will welcome yours if there’s room, or the rescue group. Relinquish the kittens into their care where they’ll be spay/neutered, then set on the right path towards finding their fur-ever homes.
 
By your actions, compassionate and caring, you’ll have not only saved several small lives, but you’ll have shared in an extraordinary experience, one you’re unlikely to ever forget.

by Nomi Berger
 
The problem of cat overpopulation is a global one and requires a solution on a global scale. But like every journey that begins with a single step, this particular journey must begin with every cat owner in every community, town and city in the country. Those conscientious owners who act responsibly by spaying and neutering their cherished family pets.
 
Spaying (ovariohysterectomy) is the surgical removal of a female cat's ovaries and uterus, while neutering (castration) is the removal of a male cat's testicles. To minimize discomfort and pain, both procedures are performed under general anesthesia. Most cats are back to their “normal” selves within a few days, the surgery site usually heals within two weeks, and any skin stitches removed by your vet at a follow up appointment.
 
Did you know that in seven years, an unspayed female and unneutered male cat (and their offspring, if none are spayed or neutered) can result in the births of a staggering 781,250 kittens?
 
And the inevitable outcome? Hundreds of thousands of cats being euthanized each year through no fault of their own. Why? Because they are the tragic, but avoidable, results of over breeding and overpopulation. Why? Because there are too few shelters to house them and too few homes to either foster or adopt them. Why? Because there are still too many cat owners unwilling to spay and neuter their family pets.
 
Both intact male and female cats may try to escape their homes in order to roam outside. Neutering your male will eliminate roaming, urine spraying, and fighting with neighborhood cats. Spaying your female will eliminate the estrus or “heat" behavior of yowling that attracts and invites mounting by roaming males.
 
Despite some owners’ fears, spaying and neutering will not alter their cat's basic personality – except many males will be less aggressive and more docile. Their playfulness, general activity levels, excitement, and vocalization will remain the same. Although neutered males and spayed females may gain weight due to decreased roaming and other sexual behavior outdoors, keeping them active indoors and managing their weight through diet will keep this potential problem under control.
 
Spaying and neutering cats before the age of six months is growing in popularity and the benefits to their health and well being are well documented. Spayed females are less likely to develop breast cancer and won’t be at risk for either ovarian or uterine cancer. Neutered males won’t develop testicular cancer, and without the need to roam, their risk of being injured or infected by other cats is drastically reduced. And males neutered prior to puberty (six months) won’t develop the large head and thick skin of intact males. Early spaying and neutering may also prevent problem behaviors before they occur and may either eliminate or reduce certain behaviors in older cats.
 
Imagine if every conscientious cat owner in every community, town and city in the country took responsibility for spaying and neutering their family pets. Imagine what we, as part of the global community, could accomplish then.

by Nomi Berger
 
For far too long, colonies of feral cats have been a blot on the landscape of far too many communities.
 
But there’s a solution that benefits both these communities and the colonies that live in them. It’s called Trap-Neuter-Return or TNR.
 
Endorsed by such august groups as Alley Cat Allies, the ASPCA, the American Humane Association, and the Humane Society of the United States, TNR is considered to be the most humane, effective and financially sustainable method of controlling the growth of free roaming cats, estimated to be in the tens of millions throughout the country.
 
TNR entails humanely trapping all of the feral cats in a specific colony, having them spayed, neutered, and medically treated if needed, then returning them to their original locations, where their community “caretakers” can continue to provide them with regular food, water and shelter. If these locations are no longer feasible, appropriate or safe, the colonies can, hopefully, be relocated to farmyard homes.
 
Kittens still young enough to be socialized and friendly adults may find placement with local rescue organizations, placed in foster homes for continued socialization and training, spay/neutered, micro chipped and brought up to date on all vaccines. Then they are adopted out to loving homes as well adjusted pets and companions.
 
There are many advantages to Trap-Neuter-Return. The most significant one is that, when practiced on a large scale, it greatly decreases the number of kittens and cats flooding the thousands of shelters countrywide. This, in turn, results in lower euthanasia rates and higher adoption rates for those kittens and cats already there.
 
On a community level, TNR swiftly stabilizes the size of each returned colony by eliminating new litters. In urban areas, in particular, the returned cats continue their natural control of the rodent population. The “nuisance” behaviors associated with feral cats -- the yowling and fighting that come with mating and the odor of intact males spraying to mark their territory -- are dramatically reduced. And finally, the returned colony now guards its territory, preventing intact cats from moving in and starting the cycle of overpopulation and problem behaviors all over again.  
 
To date, TNR is not just the best method of managing feral cat populations, it is the only one that works.

by Nomi Berger
 
With the approach of the holidays, everyone’s thoughts turn naturally to the happy chore of gift giving to those nearest and dearest to them. While some people opt for the tried and true, hoping another gift certificate isn’t too impersonal or another sweater or tie, scarf, box of chocolates or bottle of perfume isn’t too predictable, they’re much safer choices than those being considered by others: a kitten!
 
The gift of a kitten is not the same as the gift of a small, stuffed plushy toy. More often than not, wrapping a red and green ribbon with a matching bow around the neck of a living, breathing animal signals only one thing: trouble. Animals are not toys and should never be anyone’s holiday surprise. Unlike other holiday purchases, there are no refunds or exchanges on kittens, only serious, possibly dire consequences. Although the idea of a kitten as a present may seem thoughtful, it is, in reality, thoughtless. 
 
Why? Because the gift of a kitten means someone else must accept responsibility for that kitten. (Grandparents, parents and “empty nesters” come quickly to mind). Because the gift of a kitten means a potential commitment of 10 to 15 years or more on the part of these recipients. What you consider an act of generosity may, unfortunately, be seen instead as an imposition. If they want a kitten, it’s up to them to make that choice.
 
The same holds true when considering a kitten for your own family. And it must be a carefully considered choice. An informed decision made by everyone involved. Does anyone suffer from allergies, particularly to cats? Does everyone even want a kitten? Does everyone understand what it means to share in the many responsibilities of raising a kitten? Because adding a kitten to your family not only involves time and money, it means providing that same innocent kitten with a loving and stable home – forever.
 
Children should never be presented with a kitten at any time of the year. Typically, they will be charmed by this small, furry plaything that leaps and jumps, purrs, meows and nips, runs here, there and everywhere, and gets into all manner of appealing and amusing kitten mischief. Until the novelty wears off and reality sets in. The reality of actually caring for their cute little bundle of undirected energy. Kittens are not so cute when they have to be patiently taught proper kitten manners – not to bite fingers, pull hair or scratch skin, not to scratch furniture and not to jump up on counters.
 
Kittens must be trained how to properly and politely use a litter box, respond to their name when called, and eat and drink out of their designated bowls. Kittens must be kept creatively occupied to both burn off their exuberant energy and strengthen the bond between them and their family. Kittens must be provided with the means to keep themselves constructively occupied when left on their own – from cat trees and cat towers to cat tunnels and puzzle toys.
 
Long before that kitten matures into a cat, you, as the well-intentioned gift giver, will, in all likelihood, be that same kitten’s full-time caregiver. And, unfortunately, some of you won’t be prepared for this eventuality. If the result isn’t a poorly trained, ill-mannered and destructive pet, the alternative is even worse. Another well-intentioned but misguided “gift” either dropped off at a pound or surrendered to a shelter, potentially to be euthanized.  
 
In lieu of a kitten, consider a holiday “gift” that keeps on giving in the most paws-itive sense of the word by supporting an animal organization like ours! Make a one-time tax-deductible donation to us in the name of your grandparents, parents or “empty nesters.” Make a monthly donation to us in your name and/or the names of your children.
 
In short, to ensure that your own holidays are both happy and harmonious, ensure that your gift list never includes pets.

by Nomi Berger
 
Have you ever been in the position of finding a litter of kittens and wondering what to do next? To keep or not to keep, that is the question.
 
Here, then, are some answers -- together with more questions.
 
1. If you find a litter of kittens on or near your property, quickly assess their health. If they appear healthy, watch them, but don’t move them. Their mother is likely nearby. Stay far enough away – several car lengths – that you’re not considered a threat by their mother if she’s feral. If, however, the kittens seem distressed or are very vocal, and if their mother hasn’t returned by the end of the day, she may NOT be returning.
 
2. Unless they're in danger, however, it's best to give their missing mother another chance to return and tend to them. Place them in a carrier or cardboard carton to keep them warm, safe and secure.
 
3. Try to determine the age of the kittens. Are they newborns with their eyes closed and weighing less than 8 ounces? Or are they 8 weeks old, weighing 2 pounds, and resembling miniature cats? Not to mention every age and weight in between. Each age brings with it a different set of criteria as to their proper maintenance and care. If they’re newborns, contact local rescue groups or no-kill shelters ONLY that may be willing to take them in immediately.
 
4. Are they feral (part of a colony of cats born to live and survive outdoors) or domestic kittens born to a family’s lost companion cat? Once again, this will determine the steps you take next.
 
5. If it’s either too hot or too cold outside, raining or snowing, bring the kittens indoors and confine them to a clean, quiet and small room -- whether a spare bedroom, bathroom or laundry room. Leave them in their carton or carrier with the door open, and provide them with a high-quality kibble, fresh water and cat litter.  If the kittens are too young to feed themselves, you’ll need to bottle feed them every couple of hours. Should you choose this course, either contact a local vet or rescue group for advice and guidance.
 
6. Within a few days, decide whether you want to temporarily foster them, bearing in mind that socializing them as quickly as possible will improve their chances of ultimately being adopted.
 
7. Although adorable and impossible to resist, kittens do have little claws and sharp teeth. To protect yourself from unnecessary “battle scars”, wear gloves until the kittens grow comfortable with being handled.
 
8. If you have other pets, keep them separated from the kittens to minimize the risk of their transmitting either parasites or infections to them.
 
9. To make fostering the kittens easier, speak with the volunteers at the rescue group you’ve already contacted and ask for their advice – on all matters from A to Z.
 
10. When it’s time for the kittens to “leave the nest”, either contact your vet, one who operates a re-homing center that will welcome yours if there’s room, or the rescue group. Relinquish the kittens into their care where they’ll be spay/neutered, then set on the right path towards finding their fur-ever homes.
 
By your actions, compassionate and caring, you’ll have not only saved several small lives, but you’ll have shared in an extraordinary experience, one you’re unlikely to ever forget.

by Nomi Berger
 
Have you thought of adding some new and different resolutions to your traditional New Year’s list?
 
Have you ever thought about getting involved in the world of cat rescue, but didn’t quite know how?
 
Here then, are twelve different ways – one for each month – for you to resolve to make a difference in the lives of rescue kittens and cats this year. Even if you choose only one, that choice will make all the difference in the world to them.
 
1. Contact a local cat rescue and ask to volunteer for them. Since volunteers form the backbone of every nonprofit organization, no group can function successfully without them, and there are many ways (it varies from rescue to rescue) to help out.
 
2. Refer ONE feline-loving friend to the same rescue to volunteer alongside you.
 
3. Click onto their web site and make a monetary contribution to them online either as a onetime payment or as recurring monthly payments.
 
4. Purchase and donate items to them from the “wish lists” featured on their site such as Amazon and Chewy.
 
5. Follow their Face Book page, “like” them, “comment” and “share” their postings on a daily basis, and vote for them in every online competition.
 
6. Respond with donations to as many pleas for funds as possible – from one kitty’s medical needs to GoFundMe appeals.
 
7. Instead of accepting birthday gifts this year, ask your family and friends to make contributions to the rescue in your name.
 
8. Host a small fundraiser (bake sales, garage sales and yard sales are among the most popular) and donate the proceeds to them. You will receive not only their gratitude, but a tax receipt as well.
 
9. Sign petitions calling on your city to ban the sale of cats in all pet stores unless they’re from animal shelters, rescue groups or people surrendering them for free.
 
10. Sponsor a kitty.
 
11. Foster an available cat. Learn precisely what’s required of you, then welcome one very needy and deserving animal into your home temporarily, until he or she can be placed in a permanent home.
 
12. Adopt a rescue cat and save two lives – the life of the one you’re adopting, and the life of the one immediately taking his or her place.
 
As for next year? Either continue working your way down this list, or resolve to draw up a list of you own.