The first Internet Cat Video Film Festival was premiered by The Walker Art Center in Minneapolis, MN, on August 30, 2012. Ten thousand Internet cat videos were nominated from around the world, and 79 were chosen and edited to a 75-minute feature that was shown on a large screen. People came from across the country, and even from overseas, packing the museum lawn to enjoy the event. What began as a crowd-sourced social experiment at a leading art center, resulted in national and international media attention with an international audience.

After the Walker Center showed the film, Scott Stulen (WAC Project Director) received 160 requests to screen it. He chose only a few winners. May 11th the Great Wall of Oakland drew over 2,500 attendees for their street screening. Walker Art Center has generously chosen to share their updated version with Community Concern for Cats (CC4C) for their September 7th, 2013 screening at Heather Farm Park.

CC4C will share this honor with numerous other local nonprofits and has invited over a dozen other animal rescue groups, as well as local artisans, theatrical performers, and musical groups. Great food will be available including catering from Diablo Valley College Culinary School’s students. The East Bay Vintners Alliance will be pouring from numerous area wineries and Pyramid Ale House will provide beer.

The event will begin in the late afternoon. Admission is only $10 at the gate. At sunset the feature 75-minute video from Walker Art Center will be shown on a large screen in the beautiful park setting of Heather Farm. More details will be provided as we get closer to the event.

For more information, contact event planner: Ann Fox @ 925-588-5885 or cc4ccatfilmfestival@gmail.com.

For more information about becoming a Sponsor for the event, please go to our Sponsorship page.

Check out our Facebook Event Page and let us know if you’re coming!

for FREE CAT ADOPTIONS!

Saturday, June 1, 12 noon – 5 pm
Sunday, June 2, 12 noon – 4 pm

Community Concern for Cats (CC4C) is participating in a gigantic weekend adoption event to find qualified homes for our many rescue cats and kittens. Free CC4C adoptions will be offered throughout the weekend at the following locations:

• Walnut Creek  PETCO, 1301 S. California, Walnut Creek (Map)
• Pleasant Hill Pet Food Express, 2158 Contra Costa Blvd., Pleasant Hill (Map)
• Lafayette Pet Food Express, 3610 Mount Diablo Blvd., Lafayette (Map)

This is our biggest fundraiser of the year and we will be featuring cats of all ages—senior cats, adults, kittens, even special needs cats that are looking for a great home. The goal of Maddie’s Fund® is to find loving homes for every cat and dog in Alameda, Contra Costa, and San Francisco County’s shelters and rescue groups. The event marks the largest collaboration of animal shelters and rescue groups in the three counties coming together for a two-day pet adoption event. Maddie’s Fund has set aside $4 million to provide shelters and rescue groups with an adoption stipend per pet adopted during the event. Stipends range from $500 to $ 2,000.*

Maddie’s® Pet Adoption Days is being held to increase awareness of shelter animals, boost adoptions, and support the shelters and rescue organizations in the eight participating communities. The event honors the memory of the foundation’s namesake, a miniature schnauzer named Maddie.

Please visit the Maddie’s® Pet Adoption days website  and Facebook Page for more information about additional locations and participating shelters.

* Maddie’s Fund will pay organizations $500 for each young and healthy animal, $1,000 for each adoption involving a dog or cat who is 7 years of age or older or who has been treated for one or more treatable medical conditions, and $2,000 for each adoption involving a dog or cat who is 7 years of age or older and who has been treated with one or more treatable medical conditions (list is available at http://adopt.maddiesfund.org).

ABOUT MADDIE’S FUND®

Maddie’s Fund®  is a family foundation endowed by the founder of Workday® and PeopleSoft, Dave Duffield and his wife, Cheryl. Maddie’s Fund is helping to achieve and sustain a no-kill nation by providing solutions to the most challenging issues facing the animal welfare community through Maddie’s® Grant Giving and Maddie’s Institute SM.  Maddie’s Fund is named after the family’s beloved Miniature Schnauzer who passed away in 1997.

As of May 6th, three have been adopted (two males and the female Himalayan). There are still 11 females and 2 males that need homes. All are spayed/neutered, vaccinated, combo tested (two tested FIVFeline Immunodeficiency Virus, FIV, is commonly known as Feline AIDS and is a lentivirus that affects domesticated housecats worldwide. FeLV and FIV are in the same biological family, and are sometimes mistaken for one another. However, the viruses differ in many ways. Although many of the diseases caused by FeLV and FIV are similar, the specific ways in which they are caused also differs.+), and given any other meds they need. Half are about 4 years old, the others are about 10-12 years old. Six of the older cats are having dental work done. And six require professional grooming due to severe matting. These cats are wonderful companions very sweet, a few are shy but they do come out for petting and brushing.

If you can help foster or are interested in adopting, please contact me! These sweet kitties need a new home urgently! Thank you to the Lamorinda Patch for posting for them! Thank you to several of our Facebook friends for sending in donations– the kitties thank you!

And a very BIG thank you to Dr. Laurie of Theater View Vet in Orinda– her assistance in this rescue operation has been invaluable!

One of these bloggers who is doing just that is Savannah, whose blog can be found at Savannah’s Paw Tracks. In her blog she says, “I hope I Can Be The Change For Animals every day of my life.” Savannah has also started working with and supporting us at CC4C. Thank you Savannah for your support and mentioning us on your blog! In Savannah’s blog post she highlights the debate about feral cats killing wildlife. It’s a contentious debate with many recent articles published demonizing stray and feral cats for killing birds and other wildlife.

This is one reason why we at CC4C are such staunch advocates for always keeping cats indoors, and why we spend so much time trapping, spaying and neutering, and feeding stray and feral cats–to reduce their population and breeding. But killing them does not solve the problem. Killing one animal or species to save another animal is not rational thinking in this case, nor a moral solution. And killing them doesn’t make the problem go away. It’s only cruel, inhumane, and unethical. But a good trap-neuter-release policy presents a sound, humane solution, and when coupled with daily feeding, provides long-term care and support while reducing the potential cat population.

Sure, little kittens are cute, but they outgrow that phase quickly. With adults and older kittens, what you see is what you get. No surprises (well, not many. We are dealing with cats here, after all!) Real satisfaction comes when your cat is old enough to relate to you as a companion, not a chew toy or human cat climber.

CC4C has many warm armfuls of love that have been overlooked for months while the kittens bounced around our adoption sites. These cats have been passed by through no fault of their own — only because they weren’t little and cute. But kittenA young cat under 1 year of age. season is over (for a while). Now is the adults’ time to shine!

Is your ideal companion playful or peaceful? Lap-sitting and bed-snuggling? Decorative and independent? Sedentary, speedy, funny or fearless? Sleek or super-fluffy?

CC4C’s current stock of adults and older kittens is sure to include the right fit that will have you saying “yes to the cat!”

If you can’t adopt a cat yourself, you can help the waiting adults get the loving homes they deserve, in several ways:

Foster an adult or older kittenA young cat under 1 year of age. — or two — or encourage a friend or family member to do so. Some adults blossom better when away from the multiple cats in CC4C member homes.

Spread the word about the positives of adult cat adoption, and the excellent examples waiting at our adoption sites.

Financially support the expenses involved in spaying/neutering, vaccinating, testing, treating and healing these rescued cats — as well as the costs of our ongoing efforts to find and save the ones still out there looking for a second chance.

SAVE THE DATE!  Sept 7, 2013 for our first-ever Internet Cat Video Film Festival!

Donate and buy goods at our well-stocked thrift store — Rescued Treasures – in its new, larger Walnut Creek location. Please visit our newly relocated thrift store:

RESCUED TREASURES

1270 Newell Avenue, Walnut Creek (the San Miguel Center, one block east of Whole Foods), 925-937-3201

The proceeds from the clothes, furniture, collectibles and décor items you donate (or purchase) will increase our ability to help homeless cats.

Or, visit www.communityconcernforcats.org for photos and stories of some of the wonderful pets we have available.

Or, come to our weekend adoption sites at these locations:

• Lafayette Pet Food Express, Sat. & Sun., 12 – 4
• Pleasant Hill Pet Food Express, Sat. & Sun., 1 – 4
• Walnut Creek Petco, Sat. & Sun., 1 – 4

Thank you for your steadfast support of CC4C. We take seriously the confidence you show in our ability to prevent cat homelessness in Contra Costa County — as we have for more than 25 years. With your help, we’ve placed many thousands of cats and kittens in loving homes. And with your continued aid, we’ll help many thousands more in the years ahead.

P.O. Box 3795, Walnut Creek, CA 94598 (925) 938-CATS Tax I.D. 94-3037122

One day, one of CC4C’s feeders went to feed her ferals. She was feeding in a field that she regularly visits and saw something scurry under the bushes. There she saw three kittens–so she ran to get her trap and trapped them all and luckily found an available foster home where they could be cared for. However, one of the kittens, Ayla (aka Hudson), was not doing well in the foster home, so Pam, the feeder, brought him back with her and started working with him and in no time at all–he turned into a big love! He was adopted soon after and CC4C recently received an update on Hudson and his new family.

“We lost touch with you after we adopted Hudson (Ayla), but I wanted to let you know just how much we all love him. As you can see in the attached photos, Ruckus and Hudson are inseparable. What a wonderful pair of buddies they are. Hudson has developed into just a great cat. He is quite tall, long, and lean, and very beautiful and affectionate. He spends a great deal of time trying to get Ruckus to chase and play with him. When Ruckus goes outside, Hudson sits at the door and cries for him until he comes back in.  One time when I took both of them to the vet together, Ruckus totally dug his heels in and would not go with the technician until they came back and got Hudson and took them back together. TOTALLY BONDED!

I hope all is well in your world. Hopefully, we can get together sometime so you can see Hudson again. We really do love him. Thank you for bringing him into our lives.”

Bubba and Boo came to CC4C in 2011–trapped from two different locations. They came together under one roof in their foster home and became fast friends. It took over a year to find the right place for them, trying to keep them together. Then, one lucky day–a wonderful couple came to the adoption site, and Bubba and Boo found their forever home! A year later, on Christmas, we heard from Bubba and Boo’s adoptive parents about how they are doing …..

This is our story…

My first kitty was rescued from an animal hoarder.  Fiona was a nine year old sweetheart forced to live with nine other cats and five dogs.  She was fighting for food and clean water every day.  When I rescued her, she was incredibly anxious and scared.  She would even over groom herself to the point where her skin would bleed.

Over the course of about a year, she and I slowly began to accept each other into our lives.  I was finishing my last year of college and had a pretty stressful time myself.  She became attached at my hip and our routine life eventually calmed her down (and me too!).  I figured that because she was so sensitive, I would never successfully introduce another animal into my house.

After about six more months, I first saw Homer at the Petco in Walnut Creek.  CC4C was having adoptions that day.  He was a small, white kitty with a few black markings and beautiful eyes.  He was around 6 mos. old and was with his sister, Sally.  I left that day and could not stop thinking about that pretty little man!  After a really long week, I decided that I had to at least try and see what Fiona could handle.  I went the next weekend to adopt Homer.

He and Fiona did not get along at first.  I kept them separated for a long time; they both seemed happy without each other.  Although Homer was very curious, Fiona just didn’t act like she had the time or energy for a young, spunky kittenA young cat under 1 year of age..  As time went on, the two learned to tolerate each other, but never became close friends.

After I adopted Homer, I learned that one of my co-workers was a part of CC4C.  Dana and I hadn’t ever really spoken at work until she found out that I adopted Homer.  He and the CC4C organization were the foundation of our friendship.  Dana does a lot of work in our community fostering, fixing, and loving rescue cats and ferals.  After about another year, I  confided in her that one day I’d like to adopt special needs cats; I felt like it was my calling.

It was through Dana that I then learned about Polly.  She emailed me a couple pictures and said “You’ve got to check this little one out.  I think you would be perfect for each other”.  So I took the bait.  I looked at her photos and read a sweet bio about a four month old, blind polydactylMeans to have one or more extra toes..  She was the sweetest little thing!  She suffered from a severe infection as a kittenA young cat under 1 year of age..  Her whole litter was found under a bush, teeming with bacteria (one of her brothers didn’t make it, the infections were that bad). With complete corneal damage in one eye and a deformation in the other, she was going to need a little bit of extra care.  I fell in love almost instantly.  She was the smallest in the litter as well, such a fighter!   Needless to say, she came home with me after we met.

The best part of the story is: Polly has brought Fiona and Homer together in a way I never thought possible.  All three of my cats sleep together, groom each other, and play together.  My tiny, blind kittenA young cat under 1 year of age. (who plays and eats and walks as if she has no disability!) has bonded my anxious old lady and my hyper young kitty.  Homer and Polly are best pals and love chasing each other!  When Homer moves too quickly and Polly loses sense of him, he chirps for her so that she can continue the game.  Fiona grooms everyone like they were her own.

It just goes to show that adopted animals can be the greatest companions.  Three is not a crowd in my home!  I never thought that my animals would be this close, living in a happy and healthy house with each other.  I am so blessed to have each of them in my life.  Our community is blessed to have CC4C, working tirelessly to find these animals the love and prosperity they truly deserve.  Thank you so much to each of you that helped and facilitated both of my adoptions. 

I don’t know what I’d do without my furry babies!

By Julie Schmoll

An adult cat waits for a new family at a recent adoption event KittenA young cat under 1 year of age. season is upon us once again, bringing an abundance of wiggly kittens vying for new homes. Sounds great, right?What could be so bad about kittens?

Maybe more than most of us realize.

Due to Lamorinda’s mild climate, kittens are born year-round and an un-spayed cat may have up to four litters of kittens a year, according to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals’ (ASPCA) website. The organization estimates the number of kittens an unspayed cat and her offspring could produce in seven years could reach more than 91 million.

Local rescue groups such as Community Concern for Cats (CC4C) focus on adoption and trap-neuter-return programs for feral cats to keep the population down. “Lamorinda is a dangerous place for kittens in the wild. Coyotes, hawks, owls and raccoons all prey upon them day and night,” says Moraga resident Candace Olsen, long time CC4C volunteer.

CC4C sometimes get dozens of calls to their hotline each week, says CC4C Board of Directors member Jennie Richards. “We usually get between three to ten calls a day. We never want to turn away cats in need, but we just don’t have enough people available to foster.”

Overcrowding in shelters sometimes results in adoptable pets being euthanized, but like many rescue

foundations, CC4C never euthanizes animals, except in extreme medical situations, says Richards. “When the cat is suffering and dying, there’s no question that it is the best thing to do.”

When kittens flood the shelters, older cats are overlooked in favor of the new kittens. “We are able to adopt out one adult cat a week,” says Richards. “Families just like to start new with kittens.”

Richards recommends becoming a foster family, or adopting a pet. “It’s a great way to help out if you aren’t ready or willing to make a 20-year commitment to a pet. It’s fun for the family to have a kittenA young cat under 1 year of age. or two in the home and it allows the cat to grow before being adopted. We try to pair people with a cat that fits their household’s needs. People with young children should get a slightly older kittenA young cat under 1 year of age. because they are less vulnerable and fragile,” Richards added.

“Many Lamorindans have adopted these homeless little ones,” says Olsen. “It’s fun to drive around Orinda, Moraga and Lafayette and remember: ‘An adopted cat lives there’ or ‘I placed two kittens in that home.’ It’s a great feeling to know I’ve helped turn around the lives of these animals and added a loving presence in these homes.”

The main way people can help is to spay and neuter their pets, says Richards.

Olsen says a situation in Orinda got out of control because one female cat was left un-spayed. “When we were called to help the yard was overrun with that female’s offspring: three adult females and ten kittens,” she says. “Community Concern for Cats trapped and fixed the adults and found homes for all the kittens.”

If you’re interested in adopting a cat or kittenA young cat under 1 year of age., the rescue holds adoptions in three locations every Saturday and Sunday from 1 to 4 p.m. at Petfood Express in Lafayette and Pleasant Hill, and at Petco in Walnut Creek, or you can contact the organization directly.

“I personally don’t mind people coming to visit a cat in my home,” says Richards. “Our number one goal is to find every cat a loving home.”

Copyright: Lamorinda Weekly, Moraga CA