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Thread: Special Matching Funds Opportunity

  1. #1

    Special Matching Funds Opportunity

    Hello all,

    Tuesday, November 30 is "Giving Tuesday". This year, Network For Good is going to 100% match the first two million dollars of donations given to all charities that are running fundraisers on Facebook on 11/30, starting at 8 AM EST (7 CST, 6 MST, 5 PST). This means any donation to a charity fundraiser while the matching funds are still available will be DOUBLED.

    As you may know, since 2009 I've been co-managing a cat rescue operation and struggling to continuously raise the necessary funds to meet the needs of the animals. (We take in the occasional dog and domestic rabbit, too.) At this time the need is greater than ever due to rising costs of goods and services e.g. cat food, litter, flea meds, vet services, etc.

    So, once again I am asking you good folks who may be able to afford a small contribution to please chip in what you can. No amount is too small. Use the link below -- preferably just when the second hand of the clock on your device (synced to the atomic clock, we hope) reaches the top of the correct hour in your time zone, since the matching funds will most likely be claimed within a minute or so of the opening bell.

    Incidentally, Paypal is shown as an option on the donate page, at
    https://www.facebook.com/donate/8039...8306424916615/

    Rescued kitty care is a year-round affair, which makes recurring donations (if you are able) most welcome! Remember, too, that all U.S. donations are tax-deductible.

    If you are UNABLE to donate at this time, yet still would like to help, the very BEST thing you could do would be to leave a COMMENT on this personal Facebook post. The more comments it receives, the more people will see the post, and our chances of seeing more donations goes up. That's how FB works!

    Thank you so much -- even if you did nothing more than read this topic. Remember also that a comment here in this topic will bring more attention, too. And please do comment on that FB post if you donated and have a moment to spare.

    I know some of you are boycotting Facebook. If that's the case, or if you just haven't used it before, and you'd still like to help the cats, you can visit https://www.kittysafehaven.org/donate for other options (and bump this topic)!

    Thanks again!
    Last edited by Suzu; 11-29-2021 at 10:22 PM.



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  3. #2
    HOLD!!!

    Rescuing is hard work.


    h/t cat gif thread at timelessauthors
    Last edited by cjm; 11-29-2021 at 07:07 PM.
    “Democracy is the theory that the common people know what they want and deserve to get it good and hard.”

    H.L. Mencken

  4. #3
    @cjm nah, that's not how we do it. Not even close!

  5. #4
    Everyone understands that donations to Kitty Safe Haven are tax-deductible, right?

  6. #5
    Quote Originally Posted by Suzu View Post
    Everyone understands that donations to Kitty Safe Haven are tax-deductible, right?
    Yes, but we’re supposed to wait for 8am EST, right?
    “Democracy is the theory that the common people know what they want and deserve to get it good and hard.”

    H.L. Mencken

  7. #6
    Quote Originally Posted by cjm View Post
    Yes, but we’re supposed to wait for 8am EST, right?
    Please do! And thank you for caring!

  8. #7
    I give up. I promoted the bejeezus out of this fundraiser and so did two other people, and not one single donation was made this morning. @cjm is correct; cat rescue is hard work. It is particularly so when there's no money.

  9. #8
    Quote Originally Posted by Suzu View Post
    I give up. I promoted the bejeezus out of this fundraiser and so did two other people, and not one single donation was made this morning. @cjm is correct; cat rescue is hard work. It is particularly so when there's no money.
    All of my "donation" budget each year is "donated" to the government, for them to decide how to allocate.

    Have you applied for Federal Grant money?
    It's all about taking action and not being lazy. So you do the work, whether it's fitness or whatever. It's about getting up, motivating yourself and just doing it.
    - Kim Kardashian

    Donald Trump / Crenshaw 2024!!!!

    My pronouns are he/him/his



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  11. #9
    9 lives.

    Thanks for donating $9.99 USD to
    Kitty Safe Haven No-Kill Shelter, Inc.
    Share and inspire others to make an impact
    Transaction ID: 208481*****048285
    “Democracy is the theory that the common people know what they want and deserve to get it good and hard.”

    H.L. Mencken

  12. #10
    Quote Originally Posted by TheTexan View Post
    All of my "donation" budget each year is "donated" to the government, for them to decide how to allocate.

    Have you applied for Federal Grant money?
    No. The federal government doesn't make grants to small charities. Even if it did, I wouldn't want to apply. The less involvement I have with the federal government, the better!

  13. #11
    "You must spread some Reputation around before giving it to cjm again."

    Thank you!!!

  14. #12
    Bump?
    “Democracy is the theory that the common people know what they want and deserve to get it good and hard.”

    H.L. Mencken

  15. #13
    Quote Originally Posted by cjm View Post
    Bump?
    The fundraiser has $345 as of now. It will be up for another 12 days. The goal is $1500 -- which would buy enough catfood for about 3 months.

    The only things that got us through since the start of the non-pandemic has been a substantial food donation from Best Friends Animal Society (NW Arkansas branch), the "economic impact payments" and about $2k in donations from the public. The rest has come from the very small monthly pensions Dave and I get. Dave is 80 years old now and I'm pushing hard on 70. In some respects I still feel like I'm half my real age, except there's no chance of a woman my age doing what I'd like to do about those feelings.

  16. #14
    Quote Originally Posted by Suzu View Post
    The fundraiser has $345 as of now. It will be up for another 12 days. The goal is $1500 -- which would buy enough catfood for about 3 months.

    The only things that got us through since the start of the non-pandemic has been a substantial food donation from Best Friends Animal Society (NW Arkansas branch), the "economic impact payments" and about $2k in donations from the public. The rest has come from the very small monthly pensions Dave and I get. Dave is 80 years old now and I'm pushing hard on 70. In some respects I still feel like I'm half my real age, except there's no chance of a woman my age doing what I'd like to do about those feelings.
    Wow! $500 per month on cat food. You must be rescuing a lot of cats.

  17. #15
    Quote Originally Posted by GlennwaldSnowdenAssanged View Post
    Wow! $500 per month on cat food. You must be rescuing a lot of cats.
    It's not hard these days to spend way more than that for the number of cats in our care. If we fed the highest quality food, we'd burn through a lot more money. We try to find bargains and at least a decent quality rather than the junky cheap "food" that's full of stuff that cats were never meant to eat. A diet of junk food doesn't save money in the long run; it results in more illness, which means expensive veterinary care. We try to strike a balance. It's akin to walking a tightrope, budget-wise.

  18. #16
    How many cats are in your care? Where are you located?



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  20. #17
    Quote Originally Posted by GlennwaldSnowdenAssanged View Post
    How many cats are in your care? Where are you located?
    The number varies. There are 21 adult cats, presently, and a fluctuating population of ferals that we help as much as our funding allows. We don't have a central facility where people can see all the cats, like you can at a local humane society (where they kill any animals who don't get adopted within a short time); they are all in foster care, spread around in various private homes in Douglas County (MO). Some are non-adoptable due to temperament and/or health issues. For instance, Ms. Mimi, who was so physically damaged and traumatized by abuse in her past that she only trusts one human now -- the one who nurtured her back to health after her initial rescue.

    Locally, the general public doesn't know we exist. Some of our friends do -- those we can trust not to publicize what we do. That's deliberate, because this is dog country; cats around here are discarded constantly and we would be absolutely inundated with unwanted kitties. We already have too many people dumping cats on us just because they know we love cats. They literally dump them... like some idiot scumbags who left three newborn kittens (and their mom) on my porch in the middle of the night without even a cardboard box on a cold night. It's heartbreaking to wake up and find a desperate and terrified mamacat in a totally unfamiliar (to her) new environment who has managed to find a spot warm enough to survive the cold night with one kitten. Trust me, you don't want to hear the horror stories of abuse and neglect that we've dealt with.

  21. #18
    Perhaps you should open a bird shelter. Feed the birds with cheap pellets.

    Then feed the cats with the birds
    It's all about taking action and not being lazy. So you do the work, whether it's fitness or whatever. It's about getting up, motivating yourself and just doing it.
    - Kim Kardashian

    Donald Trump / Crenshaw 2024!!!!

    My pronouns are he/him/his

  22. #19
    If we lived close by you would probably want my cats confiscated. I acquired free kittens that were already fixed. I let them go outdoors when they want. We have a couple acres that back up to many acres of woods where there are fox, bear, coyote and all sorts of predators. But the cats really like to go outside. For food, every morning I open 2 cans of Meow Mix and pour one bowl of tender centers kibble. I determined this amount because 3 cans do not get eaten and the kibble pretty much get gone. None of my cats are skinny. My wife when she gets home gives them a few temptations kibble treats. They are offered leftover meat sometimes. The Meow Mix is purchased at big box BJ warehouse for $17 for 48 cans so with tax let's say $0.75 per day and the kibble lasts over a month and also costs $17 let's call that $0.60 per day. Total is $1.35 per day for 3 cats. Oh for litter I purchase Fresh Step for $10.50 a big bag. I get the non-clumping. I have a wire mesh screen that has 1/2 x 1/2 holes. This screen covers the entire litter box and when I need to clean the litter I just dump it over the screen into another litter box and back and forth and screen out the feces. I use these very strong black totes with yellow tops for litter boxes. I have 4 of them. I used an angle grinder with metal cut off wheel to cut holes in the yellow tops. One bag of kitty litter is enough to put litter in all 4 containers. About once per week I sift the litter and sometimes I throw away a little wet litter sometimes not. Sometimes I top off with a little fresh litter sometimes not. Sometimes I throw it all away and start with new. My guess is 1 bag per month. I do not do vaccines or any vet care. Once a cat we had came home tore up and we did bring him to get stitched. He healed without issue but a couple weeks later he went off again to never return. These cats get free food and shelter and have cat towers they can lay on if they want. They can sleep anywhere they want but have to navigate around 5 Doberman Pinschers. The cats get brushed often and come for attention when they want it. I like my cats and they keep the mice and chipmunks under control. I have lost at least 2 cats over 7 years. I do not feel bad about that. They live the life they want and IMHO they live in luxury. If I were a cat breeder of some exotic breed that retails for thousands of dollars, I might have a different approach. But, the way I look at my relationship with my cats is we pretty much just coexist together. All in not counting cat towers, hair brushes, temptations or that type thing we have 3 cats for $1.7 per day or less than $0.60 each. Even with my numbers, that averages out to $365 per month for 20 cats. $1.7 per day seems insignificant when weighed against the joy of the cats but, $365.00 per month would be a serious commitment.

  23. #20
    @GlennwaldSnowdenAssanged we use the horse pellet bedding from Tractor Supply as cat litter. It's compressed pine sawdust that keeps odors down and absorbs urine well. The pellets gradually dissolve as they get used up. By the time the box is all sawdust, it has begun to smell bad, and it's time to dump the whole thing. In between changes, we remove the solid wastes. The 40-lb bags are $5 each, and one bag will fill at least a dozen litter boxes. The entire box gets changed about once a week. If you have 4 litter boxes, you probably wouldn't have to change all of them once a week, because the pellets last much longer than any clay litter. You could be spending $5 every 2-3 months instead of $10/month and could use the savings to upgrade their food. Meow Mix is the lowest-rated catfood due to having the most carbs of any brand. Cats don't digest carbs at all, and the protein in MM is by-products dressed up with artificial flavoring. Sure, the cats like it. Most people like junk food, too, but a steady diet of it doesn't make for longevity. Your kitties are able to supplement what you give them with freshly killed prey, but KSH cats are kept indoors. The ferals do get cheaper food (not MM) because our budget is always stretched to the max.

  24. #21
    Quote Originally Posted by TheTexan View Post
    Perhaps you should open a bird shelter. Feed the birds with cheap pellets.

    Then feed the cats with the birds
    How would that be a bird shelter?

  25. #22
    Quote Originally Posted by Suzu View Post
    @GlennwaldSnowdenAssanged we use the horse pellet bedding from Tractor Supply as cat litter. It's compressed pine sawdust that keeps odors down and absorbs urine well. The pellets gradually dissolve as they get used up. By the time the box is all sawdust, it has begun to smell bad, and it's time to dump the whole thing. In between changes, we remove the solid wastes. The 40-lb bags are $5 each, and one bag will fill at least a dozen litter boxes. The entire box gets changed about once a week. If you have 4 litter boxes, you probably wouldn't have to change all of them once a week, because the pellets last much longer than any clay litter. You could be spending $5 every 2-3 months instead of $10/month and could use the savings to upgrade their food. Meow Mix is the lowest-rated catfood due to having the most carbs of any brand. Cats don't digest carbs at all, and the protein in MM is by-products dressed up with artificial flavoring. Sure, the cats like it. Most people like junk food, too, but a steady diet of it doesn't make for longevity. Your kitties are able to supplement what you give them with freshly killed prey, but KSH cats are kept indoors. The ferals do get cheaper food (not MM) because our budget is always stretched to the max.
    So if MM is no no what is the least expensive approved alternative?

  26. #23
    Quote Originally Posted by GlennwaldSnowdenAssanged View Post
    So if MM is no no what is the least expensive approved alternative?
    Well first off I don't know where you live, so I don't know what stores might be nearby. Some stores have decent store-brand petfoods at reasonable prices. Aldi's is okay at 37 cents (currently) for 5.5 ounces. Krogers' is decent and I don't know the price anymore because they closed all the local stores. You don't say the size of the containers you buy at $17/48. At that price I'm betting they are in the 2-3 ounce range. The Walmart brand "Special Kitty" would be the next step up from MM, I would say. It (currently) runs 38 cents for the 5.5 ounce cans and 72 cents for the 13-ounce can.

    For dry food, choose any that doesn't have corn, soy, wheat or other grains. Read the label, make sure it doesn't have ethoxyquin, BHA or BHT. Protein should be at least 32% and up 40%. We always soak the dry food in an equal amount of water for 10-15 minutes ahead of feeding, otherwise (over the long haul) they develop urinary tract issues and, eventually, kidney failure. If you really want to understand the problem with kibble, read https://catinfo.org/

  27. #24
    Quote Originally Posted by Suzu View Post
    Well first off I don't know where you live, so I don't know what stores might be nearby. Some stores have decent store-brand petfoods at reasonable prices. Aldi's is okay at 37 cents (currently) for 5.5 ounces. Krogers' is decent and I don't know the price anymore because they closed all the local stores. You don't say the size of the containers you buy at $17/48. At that price I'm betting they are in the 2-3 ounce range. The Walmart brand "Special Kitty" would be the next step up from MM, I would say. It (currently) runs 38 cents for the 5.5 ounce cans and 72 cents for the 13-ounce can.

    For dry food, choose any that doesn't have corn, soy, wheat or other grains. Read the label, make sure it doesn't have ethoxyquin, BHA or BHT. Protein should be at least 32% and up 40%. We always soak the dry food in an equal amount of water for 10-15 minutes ahead of feeding, otherwise (over the long haul) they develop urinary tract issues and, eventually, kidney failure. If you really want to understand the problem with kibble, read https://catinfo.org/
    I was mistaken about the canned cat food. We have been using 9Lives with gravy. They are 5.5 ounce cans and 48 per box. Price without discounts about $20.50 per box = $.0427 per can. Last time we had $3 off. Price used to be $17.99 until recent price hike. Aldi brand here in CT costs $0.45 per can.



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  29. #25
    Quote Originally Posted by GlennwaldSnowdenAssanged View Post
    I was mistaken about the canned cat food. We have been using 9Lives with gravy. They are 5.5 ounce cans and 48 per box. Price without discounts about $20.50 per box = $.0427 per can. Last time we had $3 off. Price used to be $17.99 until recent price hike. Aldi brand here in CT costs $0.45 per can.
    Aldi's is still a step above 9 Lives.

  30. #26
    The Facebook Fundraiser has closed. The goal was $1,500. We got to $365. That won't get us very far at all.

    I am hoping that a few more people will want to donate a little bit. The Paypal address is donations@kittysafehaven.org. When you choose "Send to friends and family" there's no fee for us receiving the funds.

    Many thanks!



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