Did you know spring kicks off a phenomenon known as kitten season? From April through October, rescues like Ten Lives are inundated with pregnant cats and kittens in need of help. Unfortunately, there are not enough resources, and too many kittens are born outside. Only a small number of these kittens, including two-year-old Feyre and her kittens (pictured), will have the opportunity to thrive indoors as family members.
Sadly, this means that many kittens will be born outside and will never receive the services they desperately need. You can help increase positive outcomes by supporting our spay/neuter fund.
Cats can start reproducing as young as four months old. Typically, cats can have four to six kittens per litter, and can have multiple litters every year. This means that the cat population increases rapidly every year. We know that the best way to reduce overpopulation and suffering for cats in our community is to increase access to spay/neuter services.
Since 2018, we have spayed/neutered more than 2,000 cats and distributed over 500 low-cost spay/neuter vouchers! We are committed to further reducing barriers and increasing positive outcomes for cats in our community, but we need your support.
Our Life-Changing Programs
Foster Program
Our foster program is the backbone of our rescue and has helped cats since 2018. Every year, our volunteer fosters care for nearly 350 cats. Every foster cat receives comprehensive veterinary care, including spay/neuter services and vaccinations.
90% of the cats in our foster program arrive in need of spay or neuter. Without the services provided by our program, they would contribute to overpopulation and be prone to numerous health issues.
Community Cat Program
In 2020, we established our Community Cat program to reduce overpopulation and support caregivers. To date, we have helped over 500 community cats!
From Woonsocket to Westerly, our team collaborates with community members to provide free spay/neuter and vaccination services to community cats. These services help community cats live healthier lives and works to break the cycle of reproduction.
Every cat who receives services from our Community Cat program is assessed to determine if they are potential candidates for our Forgotten Feline program. This program provides the support and resources needed for under-socialized cats to thrive and be placed in adoptive homes.
Spay it Forward
We believe that every cat deserves vet care. Our Spay it Forward program provides low-cost spay/neuter vouchers to community members in need. In 2020, we established the program to further reduce barriers to low-cost spay/neuter services. Funded in part by a grant from the Rhode Island Foundation, recipients are able to obtain a voucher for $25, which covers spay or neuter and vaccinations.
To date, we have distributed 530 vouchers! In 2023, we provided 172 vouchers to community members thanks to generous supporters. We anticipate that our voucher program will reopen in Fall 2024. Stay tuned for the announcement!
How Can You Help?
We believe that transformational change is possible when compassionate and dedicated individuals work together. You can help reduce overpopulation and increase positive outcomes by donating to our spay and neuter fund.
