After an 8-month-old kitten named Ben injured his hip, he was in pain, having trouble walking around, and declining quickly. Ben’s person Brandy got an appointment for corrective hip surgery with the Oregon Humane Society Community Veterinary Hospital. But even with financial help from family, the cost of the procedure was out of Brandy’s reach.
Unsure how to pay for Ben’s lifesaving surgery, Brandy started asking around for resources and ideas. That’s when they learned about the Keeping Cats in Homes program at Cat Adoption Team. Luckily, our team was able to move quickly to make funding available for Ben to have his urgent surgery within the week.
Brandy is thrilled — and relieved! — to report that Ben’s surgery was a success: “He has a long recovery, but the veterinarian says his prognosis is great! Thank you so much for all your help!”
Stories like this are why the Keeping Cats in Homes fund at CAT exists. This fund is available to help cats and people in our community stay together and stay healthy.
How does the fund work? Let’s dig in.
What is the Keeping Cats in Homes (KCIH) fund?
Keeping Cats in Homes is a special, limited fund at CAT that provides one-time assistance when financial hardship prevents cat owners from providing essential care to their pet cats. It’s part of our CAT Helpline program, which aims to keep cats and people together.
What types of situations does KCIH cover?
Through this fund, CAT can help with things like veterinary care and medical supplies, emergency cat boarding, pet behavior consultations, pet-related moving costs (such as pet rental deposits and animal transportation), and cat care supplies.
Sometimes, CAT can provide services directly, such as emergency boarding and veterinary care. But we also distribute funds to help cover costs at other veterinary clinics/hospitals or to pay for other services or supplies.
Although KCIH is typically unable to assist with urgent requests, cat owners or vet offices can reach out for special circumstances. Typically, we respond to requests for help with 2-days’ notice.
How much funding is available?
To stretch KCIH funding to help as many cats as we can, we portion it out monthly and have a limit of up to $1,000 per cat. The average amount we spend on each cat is about $400, but it ranges widely.
Who qualifies for funding?
This support is available to assist those experiencing financial hardship, domestic violence, or housing instability. We work with clients and cats living in the Portland metro area and extending to Washington, Multnomah, Clackamas, Yamhill, and Marion Counties in Oregon, as well Clark County in Washington state. Some clients may be able to help cover a portion of the costs, while others may not. You’ll discuss needs and options with our program coordinator.
How do I apply for funding?
To apply for help through the Keeping Cats in Homes Fund, we encourage you to contact our Helpline directly by sending an email to [email protected].
