Every month we donate resources to a nominated ‘Animal Rescue of the Month’ to support their important work in our community. This month, we are supporting Gutter Kitties.
"Gutter Kitties is Auckland’s largest no-kill cat rescue organisation, guided by an ethos that all animals are worthy of compassion"
Run by volunteers, Gutter Kitties is Auckland’s largest no-kill cat rescue organisation, guided by an ethos that all animals are worthy of compassion, irrespective of whether they are old, unsocialised, impaired, traumatised or ill. Gutter Kitties offer safe refuge for street cats, and rescue and rehabilitate timid, anxious and unsocialised cats at their Paw Pad. Importantly, Gutter Kitties advocate for and educate the public on responsible cat guardianship. At Enriched Animals, we offer an opportunity to support our Animal Rescue of the Month by adding a donation to any order, with 100% of donations sent directly to Gutter Kitties at the end of the month. With ongoing costs including veterinary treatment, desexing, microchipping, vaccinations, flea/worm treatments, food, litter and toys, Gutter Kitties rely entirely on donations to make a difference for cats in need. If you would prefer to donate directly, you can do so through the Gutter Kitties Givealittle page. You can also support Gutter Kitties’ fundraising initiatives at their shop.
"Cats that have not been desexed are an important contributing factor to the stray cat population in New Zealand, with thousands of cats abandoned each year"
Cats are the most popular companion animal in New Zealand, with at least one feline in almost half of New Zealand households – that’s about 1.1 million domestic cats! With that being said, there are also a considerable number of stray cats in New Zealand, with estimates around 200,000. The number of feral cats is less clear, but it is estimated that it could be as high as 2.5 million. Cats that have not been desexed are an important contributing factor to the stray cat population in New Zealand, with thousands of cats abandoned each year as a result. Along with negative welfare consequences, this also leads to biodiversity impacts and the euthanasia of healthy cats. In recent years, cat desexing rates have increased through more widespread public education and community-based desexing initiatives. However, there are still far too many unwanted and abandoned cats in New Zealand. The easiest way to help prevent unwanted cats is by desexing, and supporting the desexing initiatives of animal rescue shelters and other community organisations. Of those who have not desexed their cat, one of the most common reasons cited is cost. If you, or someone you know, is struggling with financial hardship and unable to afford the cost of desexing, to follow are just a few organisations that can offer support:
Nationwide
Humane Society of New Zealand
Northland
Mog and Dog Desexing Clinic
Auckland
Great South Vets
Lynfield Vets
Waikato
Waikato Animal Outreach Trust
Wellington
Cats Protection Wellington
Canterbury
Cats Protection League - Feline Fix Program
For those who are looking to enhance the lives of their feline companions, we have carefully-curated The Cat Edit collection to enrich lives and support the welfare needs of cats through a variety of methods. In an earlier blog post, we offered suggestions for some fun DIY enrichment projects for your feline companion. Our Enriched Home™ collection also offers purpose-built environments to enrich your cat’s home by reducing stress, increasing confidence, and encouraging exploration and play behaviour.
Together we can be a part of the solution.
Enriched Animals
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