This Christmas, Victorians are being urged to help give the gift of life to cats in need, as shelters prepare for a surge in abandoned and surrendered cats and kittens over the summer.

The Cat Protection Society of Victoria is encouraging the community to support its Nine Lives Emergency Fund to help manage the rising number of vulnerable animals arriving at its shelter.

The fundraising campaign provides life-saving care for sick, injured and abandoned cats who arrive at the shelter needing critical treatment to survive and eventually become adoption-ready.

Rising admissions during kitten season

CPSV Marketing and Communications Manager Rachel Bitzilis said the Society usually sees a sharp increase in admissions to its shelter located in Greensborough over the festive period through to March.

“We call this ‘kitten season’ and those born during this period will account for more than 40% of our total (yearly) adoption figures – and each one will need to be desexed, microchipped and vaccinated prior to leaving the shelter with their adoptive families.”

The cost of giving cats a second chance

Rachel explains that with their shelter reaching capacity, there’s serious concern about being able to afford the rising costs of delivering the urgent care each cat deserves.

“On average, it costs more than $1,000 to provide each cat taken in by the shelter with the basics to prepare them for adoption. But so many arrive needing far more: the fragile, the elderly, the chronically unwell, the ones who can’t survive on the basics alone.”

That’s why the Society has introduced the Nine Lives Emergency Fund, to make sure that no cat is ever denied a second chance when they need it most.

Life-changing stories

Rachel says cats like Cloud and Thumbalina are excellent examples of the importance of the fund.

“We recently had a 14-year-old cat named Cloud who had to be surrendered after her family could no longer manage mounting vet bills. Cloud received extensive medical treatment through our Nine Lives Emergency Fund and is now thriving in foster care while she waits to find her forever home.”

During the holiday season, CPSV’s foster care program reaches full capacity, with cats like Cloud needing extra time, care and compassion before they’re ready for adoption.

“As a not-for-profit organisation, we rely on the generosity of our community to continue making a difference in the lives of cats and their families. A $50 donation allows us to pay for life-changing medication, giving a cat the Christmas miracle they deserve. Every donation, no matter the size, helps us say ‘yes’ to every cat who comes through our doors, no matter how sick, scared or fragile they may be.”

With more than 75 years of service to the Victorian community, CPSV has provided refuge and rehomed more than 85,000 cats, helping them find their happily ever after.

Among the many cats who have been given a second chance thanks to the Nine Lives Emergency Fund is Thumbalina, a tiny stray who arrived at the shelter severely unwell, suffering from infections, dental disease and breathing difficulties. Following a complex surgery costing around $7,000, Thumbalina is now healthy, affectionate and ready for adoption.

“Good news survival stories like Thumbalina show us why donations from compassionate Victorians to the Cat Protection Society are so important. The kindness and charity of the community means we can give every cat the best chance to heal, thrive and live all nine of their precious lives.”

To learn more, head over to the Cat Protection Society of Victoria.

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