Kittens who need formula will grow into bigger cats who need lots of playtime and enrichment, and you helped one rescue provide both this year!

Animal Friends in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, was feeling the weight of kitten season, with many of their tiny charges arriving without their mothers. That puts their survival in jeopardy because kittens rely on the nutrients in their mother’s milk to live and grow in the early weeks of their lives. When they’re orphaned, they require humans to provide round-the-clock care and warmth, which staff were ready to provide. Thanks to your clicks, trivia participation, shopping for a cause, and direct donations, we worked with our charitable partner Greater Good Charities to provide them life-saving kitten formula.

Animal Friends says, “These vulnerable babies depend on dedicated foster caregivers who provide the love and attention they need to survive and thrive. Another essential part of their care is Kitten Milk Replacer (KMR), a lifesaving formula for motherless kittens. Thanks to a generous donation from Greater Good Charities, we received 10 five-pound bags of KMR. Half of this invaluable supply is helping kittens here at our shelter and in foster homes, while the other half has been shared with smaller cat rescues throughout the Pittsburgh area, ensuring even more kittens get the chance they deserve to grow up big and strong like Jin Jin La Rue." (pictured above)

Those bigger and stronger cats also benefitted from enrichment items we worked with GGC to provide. Animal Friends explains that they tend to get much more dog-oriented supply donations than cat-oriented ones, meaning they tend to lack toys and treats to use in community outreach. People in their community, across income levels, really like to have these items to make their cats’ lives the fullest they can be.

With your help, we were able to supply the rescue with cat toys and treats that they distributed at their regular summer vaccine clinics.

Animal Friends says, “We host multiple community vaccine clinics throughout the summer where we provide free vaccines, pet food, and supplies. At these clinics, we average 400 animals vaccinated and 1,000 pounds of food distributed. The clinics allow us to bypass transportation and cost barriers that interfere with folks receiving the essential services and items they need for their pets. Typically, we only have cat food at our clinics, but because of Greater Good Charities’ generous donation, we could also give away cat treats and toys. Folks were very excited to receive these items, and it was one more way that we could ensure that our events are resource rich!”

These pet owners, and their feline friends, can have more smiles and fun in their lives, thanks to you! If you’d like to continue to provide enrichment items to pets in need, click below!