Thanks to Susan S. and Justin for the bit of free press, courtesy of Diablo Magazine!

Click here to see us in Diablo Magazine!

Crazy Cat Lady. The phrase conjures up images of women (usually old) wearing baggy sweaters, funky skirts, tennis shoes with mismatched knee socks, and a disgruntled look that could curdle milk. And of course, cats. Lots and lots of cats. 

I don’t know if my colleagues in CC4C would consider themselves Crazy Cat Ladies, but we are all 100% committed to taking cats out of bad situations and putting them into good ones. One of the ways we place our cats is by asking questions of the people who visit our adoption sites. Lots and lots of questions. Of course we have desired answers in mind, but really we just want some assurance that the kitty you are interested in will be cared for and loved for the rest of its life. We work hard to take them off the streets and rescue them from places with no food, no shelter, no warmth and no love. We crawl into storm drains swimming with spiders. We go under houses baited with rat traps. We get up early and stay up past midnight listening to hear if the trap has been sprung on a starving kittenA young cat under 1 year of age.. We scruff scrawny kittens, rassle with ferals, get pooped on, bitten, and clawed, and more than one of us has needed stitches or antibioticsMay be prescribed by a veterinarian to treat eye infections, ear infections or urinary tract infections. to make sure the damage a cat does isn’t going to kill us.

Who knows? Maybe we are Crazy Cat Ladies. We’ve heard worse names too. We know we make some people angry and we feel bad about that, but we’re in it for the cats. We are compelled to look out for them, and we only want the best for the cats we’ve gone to great lengths (and expense) to rescue.

One such cat was Marmalade. It was July of 2010 when someone called our hotline to report a cat in a field out somewhere out in Antioch or Brentwood. The cat was assumed to be pregnant and the caller wanted us to come out and catch her. By the time we got there, the cat had been snatched up and taken to the Martinez Animal Shelter. We followed her to the shelter (something we don’t normally do) and learned she had given birth to 8 babies. Unfortunately, while we were waiting to get Marmalade out (there’s a process for such things), one of the babies died. But we got her out, and Marmalade and her 7 kids were delivered to a foster home. However, the foster was not as attuned to the needs of a mama cat and her babies, and another one of the infants got sick and died before we could effectively intervene. So, Marmalade and her six kittens were placed with me. Time passed, the kittens got older, Marmalade (who was totally tame, by the way and a sweetheart of a cat) and her brood came and went to adoptions, and they were eventually adopted. It took 9 months but they all found good homes.

Almost.

The woman came in with her daughter. She held a respectable profession, the child was well behaved, and the woman presented herself as thoroughly committed to providing for the needs of a young adult cat that had weathered a few rough spots in its life. The woman spent at least an hour loving the cat, petting her, talking with me, and I was sold! What a perfect home for Marmalade! I checked in with the family the next night and was told, happily, that Marmalade had settled in to her new home, slept on the bed that night, and was perfectly content. “We adore her”, the new mom wrote to me the next day. Those words still sing in my head. Marmalade was in a good home, right?

Wrong. Sadly, sadly, wrong. Recently CC4C learned that the supposed adoration they had for Marmalade wore off. The information we received was that the owner departed for a week’s vacation and only left a bowl of water and a bowl of dry food on the porch. When the cat did not return, she assumed the cat “wanted to live someplace else” and was not all that concerned. We also learned that my beautiful Marmalade was hit by a car and is now dead after who knows what kind of lack of care.

There are two sides to every story, so perhaps some of what was shared with us was inaccurate or embellished. The one fact is that a 2 to 3 year old cat who should’ve been living inside was actually living outside, was hit by a car, and is now dead.

So, if you think we’re crazy cat ladies, if you think that we are rude, hostile, overly-protective, or not interested in adopting out the cat you want, think of Marmalade. After three separate rescues—field, shelter, poor foster home—Marmalade, who seemed destined to live, has died.

Maybe we’re not that crazy after all.

See the attached video link view Marmalade, may she rest in a warmer, more caring place in peace.

For a limited time, CC4C has discounted our adoption fees to help find homes for fosters. Kittens are $100 for the first and $75 for the second, if you adopt a pair. Cats (over 1 year of age) are only $50 for the first and $35 for the second, if you adopt a pair. (And who wouldn’t want a pair of loving kitties?)

Mr. Bootsie - 2-4 year old, male, super easy going kitty that loves big labs

Our adoption fees still cover the following:

• FELVFeline Leukemia Virus, FeLV, is a retrovirus transmitted between infected cats when the transfer of saliva or nasal secretions is involved, for example when sharing a feeding dish. The infection is responsible for more deaths among cats than any other infectious disease. There are three main types of the virus and FeLV-positive cats can be infected with one, two, or all three types including: FeLV-A causes severe immunosuppression or a weakened immune system. FeLV-B causes neoplastic disease (tumors and other abnormal tissue trowths). FeLV-C is the most rare and causes severe anemia. The virus replicates in the body once infected, then spreads via the bloodstream to other parts of the body, namely the lymph nodes, bone marrow, and intestinal tissues. (leukemiasee FeLVFeline Leukemia Virus, FeLV, is a retrovirus transmitted between infected cats when the transfer of saliva or nasal secretions is involved, for example when sharing a feeding dish. The infection is responsible for more deaths among cats than any other infectious disease. There are three main types of the virus and FeLV-positive cats can be infected with one, two, or all three types including: FeLV-A causes severe immunosuppression or a weakened immune system. FeLV-B causes neoplastic disease (tumors and other abnormal tissue trowths). FeLV-C is the most rare and causes severe anemia. The virus replicates in the body once infected, then spreads via the bloodstream to other parts of the body, namely the lymph nodes, bone marrow, and intestinal tissues. – Feline Leukemia Virus) testing
• Spay/neuter
• Flea treatment
• Deworming
• FVRCPA vaccine shot that protects against FVRFeline Viral Rhinotracheitis, FVR, is a severe upper respiratory infection of cats caused by feline herpes virus Type 1 (FHV-1), of the family Herpesviridae. It is most severe in kittens and older cats, and is one of the most serious upper respiratory diseases seen in cats and kittens. It is also known as feline influenza. FVR is airborne and highly contagious. Cats with this infection are lethargic, and exhibit signs of respiratory suffering with sneezing and coughing. There is usually a discharge from the nostrils and eyes, and a high temperature. Some cats develop pneumonia and sometimes ulcerations in the eyes. Infected cats don’t want to eat or drink because their nostrils are plugged and throat is sore. Dehydration and weight loss are common. Feline Viral Rhinotracheitis (FHV-1), FCV Feline Calicivirus and FPVFeline Panleukopenia, FPV, is more commonly known as feline distemper is caused by the feline parvovirus, a close relative of canine parvovirus. It is not related to canine distemper. Panleukopenia is primarily spread through contact with an infected cat’s bodily fluids, feces, or fleas. Feline Panleukopenia. (distemper) vaccinations

Click here to see a list of our Available Cats!

This past weekend, despite the downpour of rain, 46 of our cats—adults, special needs, seniors, and kittens found new loving homes all thanks to the annual Maddie’s® Matchmaker Adoptathon. This marks the second year for the Adoptathon that helps raise money and awareness for 46 shelter and rescue organizations in 70 locations throughout Alameda and Contra Costa Counties.

More than 2,200 shelter and rescue dogs and cats were adopted during the past weekend, and more than 2 million dollars will be donated by Maddie’s Fund to all the participating organizations for their adoptions. This is CC4C’s biggest fundraiser of the year and it provides vital support for our continued rescuing of homeless cats; spaying and neutering; providing medical care; and finding new homes—all year long.

With so many adoptions, many of our foster homes now have some space to help the many homeless mama cats and kittens that are out there in desperate need of being rescued. Prior to the Adoptathon our foster homes were filled to the brim, especially with litters of kittens that had recently been found at local businesses, in parking lots, backyards, gas stations, and regional parks. We are contacted daily by people across the county desperate for our help and support in trapping, spaying and neutering, and fostering these vulnerable and often starving mamas and their litters—but unfortunately, we can only rescue them when space is opened up in our homes.

Here are some pictures of the cats and kittens that found new homes during the Maddie’s Matchmaker Adoptathon. We are truly thrilled so many found their loving forever homes. We are always in need of support to continue doing the work we do, so please help a homeless cat or kittenA young cat under 1 year of age. with your donation.

If you’re considering adopting a new best friend—this upcoming weekend, June 4 and 5, could be a very important weekend for you! The 2nd annual Maddie’s Matchmaker Adoptathon has arrived and Community Concern for Cats will be showing all of our adoptable cats and kittens at our adoption sites in Lafayette and Pleasant Hill at Pet Food Express and in Walnut Creek at PETCO. Adoptions will take place on Saturday, 12 noon to 5 pm and on Sunday 12 noon to 4 pm. This is our biggest fundraiser of the year and we will be featuring cats of all ages—senior cats, kittens, and even special needs cats that are looking for their special home. Adoptions will be free to qualified homes.

The goal of Maddie’s® Matchmaker Adoptathon is to find loving homes for every cat and dog in Alameda and Contra Costa County’s shelters and rescue groups. Last year, Maddie’s Fund sponsored and organized their first adoptathon in the Bay Area that saved the lives of almost 2,000 dogs and cats. The event marks the largest collaboration of animal shelters and rescue groups in Alameda and Contra Costa County coming together for a two-day pet adoption event.

Maddie’s Fund®, www.maddiesfund.org, is a family foundation, which is funded by Dave Duffield and his wife, Cheryl to help create a no-kill nation where all healthy and treatable shelter dogs and cats are guaranteed a loving home.