Giving Your Extra Pet Stuff Saves Lives, Helps Families #GivingTuesday

Ok, so more the spirit of #GivingTuesday

Carl and Billie Bean live in separate households, four or five blocks apart here in Manchester on Pittsburgh’s Northside. They are both cats, both female, and both went missing from their homes.

We jumped into action when we learned about Carl, lending a heated bed, a trail camera, and related items to Carl’s human. I monitored the trail cam and saw multiple other cats visit. It took a few days, but Carl took herself to a neighbor’s feeding station and was reunited with her family.

On Sunday, Billie squeezed her way out in the cold of a Steelers Sunday. When I saw the post, I reached out to her human and offered the same supplies. When I was filling the bag, something led me to toss some catnip in a ziploc – not something I would normally do. I gave her the stuff, tried to reassure her, and mentioned the catnip.

She went home, set it all up, and texted me to make sure everything was okay – while sprinkling cat nip. Then she gasped and said “She’s back.” Sure enough Billie meowed and was home.

A few weeks earlier, one of our caretakers who also lives nearby reached out because her colony cat was in distress. Marie and I rushed over, coraled her into a carrier, and headed to the urgent care vet. Sadly, Charlotte was very sick so had to be euthanized. But she spent her final hours warm, cuddled, and safe. She was purring as the meds were administered. We cried for her, then went to tell her caretaker where we cried again.

This past week, two cats in our colony showed signs of illness. They were trapped and taken to that same urgent care. One was released, the other went into short term foster. Both needs dentals. One should be fine, the other we don’t know.

We run a pet food pantry, not a rescue. But we have tools like trail cameras, heated beds, even catnip. We can show up and try to help. We are not the only local resource. But we are here.

Our equipment isn’t what matters, it is giving people hope and direction and comfort that matters.

Giving Tuesday is about support nonprofits in your community. It could be part of your holiday or end of year giving. It could be tied to a feeling or nostalgia. It might even be simply because you can.

I ask you for money A LOT. And you show up. Our pet food pantry is growing, but donations have slowed down. We may face some hard choices, so yes – your donation will be very helpful.

You know what else is helpful?

The heated cat bed our neighbor Cathy gave to us. It is easy to sanitize, portable, and durable. It is a great tool in a situation like a missing cat.

The trail cam M bought and donated when we found his missing cat at our cat colony four years ago. Sadly, that camera was stolen. But we replaced it.

The reusable AA batteries someone sent from our wishlist and the charger. It took me five minute to ready the trail camera.

The large blankets someone donated – one is a Pitt rally blanket – that I grabbed to cover the traps to help Oksana and Callie calm down.

The grocery store plastic bags you put in our donation bin for our caretakers to pick up as they like. I grabbed one to wrap the camera in the rain.

The catnip was all my doing. I buy it regularly for the colony cats – I mix it with some of the Purina food we give to our resident house cats to create a ‘treat’ I can distribute that’s actually good for them.

The sturdy tote bags, the paper bags with handles, the clean gently used towels, the partial packages of pee pads, the jars of baby food and cans of food your snooty cat won’t eat.

All of these things you give to us on Tuesdays and every day – they brought Carl and Billie home, they comforted Charlotte to her next home, and they are giving Oksana and Callie a chance.

The things you give to your neighbors have an unimaginable impact. No one sees the blanket or the bag, but I do.

Thank you for giving to us all year round.

Here’s a list of gently used items we can rehome with our caretakers. Everything should be cleaned and in good working order, of course.

Pet crates, carriers, and traps – all sizes, clean, good working order
Towels and blankets – clean, no holes, material that won’t snag nails. No comforters or pillows.
Grocery store type plastic bags – clean, no holes. All of our caretakers need these for litter and poop bags.
Toys – without chew marks, clean, fun guarantee
Leashes, collars, harnesses – no fraying or tears, all sizes. We do not distribute retractable leashes or any sort of choke collar.
Trail cameras – unlikely, I know but worth asking
Rechargeable AA batteries and a charger
Dishes and bowls, especially stoneware or ceramic
Paper plates, paper bowls, and paper towels
Cat and dog food
Cat nip
Dental treats to reduce future trips to the vet
Chemical hand warmers

You can give these items to our caretakers via our donation bin – the GPS address is 1440 Faulsey Way Pgh, PA 15233. It is a backyard so there is no number sign. Look for the organge Land Rover, the yellow #PghCatFolx yard signs, and the multiple patio bins.

Here’s what we cannot take

Cat trees unless they are in pristine condition. If the sisal is frayed, we can’t take it.
Litter pans unless they are brand new from the store, same with scoopers. I’d really like to have a word with the folx who continue to dump dirty litter boxes in our space. It is a slap in the face of our caretakers that you can’t even clean out a donation. They and we are not trash.
Pillows and comforters – no one takes pillows, You have to throw them away. Comforters should go to community groups and resale shops.
Any sort of medication, prescription or OTC. Anything opened or used.

Our wish lists are:

Thank you for all that you give. Please don’t hesitate to call if you need support. We can’t promise, but we can try.