They’re cute, they’re cuddly, they’re ‘Toe Beans’! The nickname for cats' adorable paw pads comes from their similar appearance to jelly beans.
Cambridge Homeless Cat Rescue has launched ‘Every Toe Bean Counts’ a fundraising campaign to help homeless cats living in cat colonies across Waterloo Region.
The rescue is looking for 200 people willing to donate $10 a month to the campaign.
Donations directly impact cats living on the streets that are at risk of disease, wild animal attacks, being hit by a car, or trying to survive the winter months.
Cambridge Homeless Cat Rescue is a non-profit volunteer-based animal welfare program dedicated to rescuing homeless cats in Waterloo Region.
The organization began operations in September, offering Trapped, Neutered and Released programs (TNR), trapping and adoption services.
Since then, Cambridge Homeless Cat Rescue has saved about 62 cats from the streets and found adopting families for over 60 in the region.
“With our trapping, TNR and socialization work, we make sure every ‘Toe Bean’ counts, said Sue Parsons, co-founder of Cambridge Homeless Cat Rescue.
Funds raised will help decrease the outdoor feral cat population and help place adoptable pets into forever homes.
“We’ve been contacted about a few colonies in Cambridge where there are roughly about 20 cats per colony,” Parsons said.
“We are working with Kitchener Waterloo Humane Society, and they have given us a lot of surgical space to use for the month of April and May to support the Every Toe Bean Counts campaign."
The best way to help cats living in colonies is to stop them from reproducing and vaccinate them.
“Being sick under veterinary care isn’t pleasant. But to be sick and homeless, and trying to survive, look for food, and fight off predators, is difficult. And some diseases can be spread to humans,” Parsons said.
“So, it is important that we try to control the population and at the same time keep cats that are out there as healthy as we possibly can.”
The majority of the cats will be released, except for kittens and those cats that might be able to be socialized.
The average lifespan of a cat living on the streets is three to five years according to Cambridge Homeless Cat Rescue. This includes stray and feral cats.
Stray cats, with some time in a foster home and with medical care, are adoptable. Feral cats will never learn to live indoors but to help control the pet population, they need to be spayed or neutered.
“Cat colonies are made up of cats that are multi-generational and born on the streets. They are not dumps or runaways. These are cats whose grand parents grew up in the colony These cats have no human interaction. They live together in large groups, usually close to where there is some kind of shelter that they can use and people who are feeding them,” Parsons said.
Colonies really aren't too difficult to find if you know where to look.
“Dumpsters behind restaurants and hotels are popular, and in neighbourhoods if people are willing to feed them. We cleared out one living under someone's garage where about five different nearby households were putting out food. Apartment buildings are popular too,” Parsons said.
“You will find cats in these little communities, trying to survive, reproduce, hunt, and keep warm.”
Parsons said many cat colonies have been established for a few years.
“We get called when people are concerned. People who are feeding them will see that the numbers are getting out of control and then they start seeing them get sick and injured and they realize this is getting out of control and these cats need help,” Parsons said.
On Mother’s Day weekend, Cambridge Homeless Cat Rescue is partnering up with Rens Pet Depot in Cambridge to host a "kitten shower."
Parsons said the campaign collects supplies in advance of the spring kitten season.
"Kittens are coming. We have to make sure that there are foster homes, and that we have formula, blankets and kitten food,” she said.
“For anyone concerned about homeless cats in the community, we want them to know that we are here, and we are ready to help.”
For more information about Cambridge Homeless Cat Rescue, visit here.
