I worry every day about what will happen to all the cats at the Duncan Home For Wayward Cats should I become unable to care for them or become incapacitated or pass away before we can find homes for them all.
In the event of my unplanned absence, what will become of the cats we have not yet found homes for?
I am not being morbid, just practical, and seeking to plan for the benefit of the cats.
Empathy and sympathy alone will not feed or provide care for all these cats. Action and dollars are required to do that.
The uncertain fate of animals that find themselves caught up in the unfortunate circumstances of losing their caretaker and/or their home is constantly on my mind because of the abandoned colony of cats that started this whole adventure.
Next was the neighbor down the street who unexpectedly had to go into a nursing home leaving behind eight cats with no care and they had grown dependent upon her care.
I have been feeding them daily for months while socializing them to trust a new person unknown to them and seeking to find homes for them.
Then there were also the three cats and three dogs left behind when both of their owners died.
Blue, Scott, Lady, Puff, Cookie, and Sweetie had no idea why their owners were suddenly missing and they had no one who wanted to care for them.
Unexpectedly being unable to care for one's animals means that those who the animals are left with are faced with providing for them – or not.
Whoever is responsible for them may need to take them into their own homes or find new homes for them.
Unfortunately, rather than care for them or seek to find homes for them some may just release animals outside to fend for themselves.
Others may contact shelters and rescues to take them in only to find that all of those organizations are over-flowing and may not be taking new intakes.
Understandably, shelters and rescues may be unable to take in dozens of cats at one time from the Duncan Home For Wayward Cats.
The majority of shelters that would take in that many at one time may euthanize many or all of them.
Sadly, some people may choose to ask vets to euthanize animals that are unexpectedly left in their care rather than provide for them or go to the trouble to rehome them.
The point is that because no one else may care about an animal as much as a responsible pet owner or caretaker, the animal's fate is uncertain in the sudden absence of the owner or caretaker.
Even if an owner leaves a bequeathment in their will for the care of the animals they leave behind, SOMEONE must still perform the daily care of those animals, even if they are getting paid to do it. Additionally, a suitable place is still needed for the animals to live.
When the number of cats is over sixty, a spare bathroom will not work; 🙂 however, your garage or guest room or, spare bathroom WILL work for JUST ONE CAT.
Sooooooooooooo here is my latest request from cat lovers and contributors who are following the adventures of the Duncan Home For Wayward Cats.
Please Become A Kitty Advocate For Just ONE Cat
A Kitty Advocate does not need to do anything except pre-select a cat.
No other action is needed until or unless I suddenly become unable to care for them or become incapacitated or pass away, then each Kitty Advocate would be notified of the need to take possession of their pre-selected cat.
ONLY in those dire circumstances would those who agreed to become Kitty Advocates be called upon to take in the cat they had pre-selected.
Being a Kitty Advocate means that you will take in and/or find a home for the cat you pre-selected should I unexpectedly become unable to care for them.
Think of it as insurance for cats whose caretaker or owner is suddenly absent. In such circumstances, Kitty Advocates will provide care for, and seek a home for, the ONE cat they pre-selected and will actively seek to find THAT ONE CAT a loving home.
Because the number of cats at the Duncan Home For Wayward Cats may always be significant, arranging in advance for many individual cat lovers to take care of ONE CAT EACH rather than all of the cats together, makes the task much more manageable for those who care enough to help.
A Kitty Advocate only needs to help ONE cat if the need arises.
You can still be a Kitty Advocate even if you cannot promise to take in a cat because you are allergic to cats or because of housing restrictions (no pets allowed, etc.) or other untenable circumstances. You can do so by asking your circle of family and friends to find a person who can assist should you need them to.
Let them know that you will only need their assistance when it is a potentially life-or-death situation for the cat you have pre-selected.
Multiple Kitty Advocates can select the same cat.
More than one advocate selecting the same cat provides redundancy for the cat's well-being in case the Kitty Advocate 1st in line is absolutely unable to fulfill their promise for some unforeseen reason when called upon, then the next in line can be called upon.
Should the cat you pre-select be adopted BEFORE you are called upon, then you will have the opportunity to pre-select another cat.
Fosters take physical possession of an animal at the time they become a foster and care for the animal on behalf of a shelter or rescue organization. Fosters have the backing of a Rescue or shelter that is actively working behind the scenes to find adoption opportunities for the animals they have placed in the care of fosters.
Kitty Advocates DO NOT take physical possession of the cat(s) that they select UNTIL AND UNLESS dire circumstances require it. Kittys who are suddenly left alone and taken in by a Kitty Advocate will not have anyone working behind the scenes to find them a home. That task will belong solely to the Kitty Advocate who selected that particular cat.
As a kitty advocate your job will be to take possession and care for it while you do everything you can to find it a loving home. A Kitty Advocate will actively reach out to friends, relatives, co-workers, social media acquaintances, and anyone else who might provide a loving home for the cat the Kitty Advocate selected.
Each Kitty Advocate is asked to focus your support on ONE specific cat and to find a home for it.
I am seeking your agreement that should I become incapacitated or pass away that YOU will become an advocate for a cat that you have pre-selected.
Does that seem like a reasonable request given that the cat's well-being will be at stake?
I hope you understand the need that hapless cats have for an advocate to find them homes should these circumstances occur and I hope that you are willing to pick just one cat for whom you are willing to become a Kitty Advocate.
Should the dark day that I dread come before we have found homes for all the cats in our care, then with your help I hope the news and social media posts might read something like the following.
Henderson man leaves behind many unattended cats without a caretaker and then this happens. Dozens of Good Samaritan cat lovers showed up to each take home ONE cat. Each person had previously agreed to be a Kitty Advocate for ONE cat and find it a loving home.
ONE CAT.
That is all I am asking you to promise to help and you will only need to do so should the darkest of circumstances occur that put the cat's life at risk.
JUST ONE CAT.
Readers and contributors following the adventures of the Duncan Home For Wayward Cats have probably noticed that we have modified our fundraising platform so that contributions can be made for specific kittens and cats.
This allows contributors to know exactly how many dollars are needed for each cat's circumstances and how many dollars have been contributed for each. We want you to know that every contribution benefits the hapless cats under our care and helps provide for them while we seek to find them homes.
When you become a Kitty Advocate, you are agreeing to do the same for ONE SPECIFIC CAT when I am no longer able to.
Please Do It
Your selected cat's name will display in the list below five minutes after submission. Multiple Kitty Advocates can select the same cat. Each Kitty Advocate may also select more than one cat if able to do so.