Feral Cat Coalition Holds Showcase of Kitty-Friendly Outdoor Play Enclosures

Feral Cat Coalition Holds Showcase of Kitty-Friendly Outdoor Play Enclosures

by | Jul 24, 2021 | Events, Features, News, nonprofit, Smile, Upcoming Events

Portland, OR. The Feral Cat Coalition of Oregon (FCCO) is holding its ninth-annual “Catio” Tour in September. “Catio” is a portmanteau of “cat” and “patio,” which describes outdoor enclosures for pet cats to climb and play in safely, without risk of the animal escaping. To adjust to pandemic restrictions, FCCO has converted the tour to include both in-person observation and virtual self-guided tours of this year’s selections around the Portland metro area.

Catios come in all shapes and sizes, often containing ramps to climb, perches to rest on, and toys to play with. Following a year when many spent extensive time at home working on DIY projects, the trend of creating safe outdoor spaces for cat recreation has increased in popularity.

After many submissions, the nonprofit has selected all Portland-based catios to showcase. Registration for the event is now open here, for all interested in watching cats explore innovative constructions designed for their leisure. The 2021 Catio Tour event will take place on September 11th, 2021. The in-person self-guided tour is $10 and virtual tour access is $15.

The Feral Cat Coalition of Oregon has already announced that the event will be happening in 2022, and invites all catio creators to prepare for application. The FCCO has posted additional information online detailing what catios are and can be, as well as a list of resources for Portland residents interested in having their own catio. The list includes Portland-area construction businesses that design and build catios, as well as information and instructions for those who wish to build their catios independently, from scratch.

The 2021 Catio Tour event comes as part of a partnership with Portland Audobon society, as part of their Cats Safe At Home campaign, which aims to “reduce the number of cats living outdoors in the Portland metropolitan area in a humane and environmentally responsible manner.” Catios can assist with this initiative by providing outdoor time to pet cats, while ensuring safety from outdoor hazards, protecting wildlife from cat predation, and preventing cats from running away from their owners.

From The Feral Cat Coalition of Oregon:

The Feral Cat Coalition of Oregon is a Portland-based nonprofit that offers spay and neuter services to Oregon and SW Washington. Their services are free for feral, stray, and barn cats, but unfortunately due to the pandemic, The FCCO is unable to offer cheap services to pet cats as they usually would. In addition to spay/neuter services, the organization also coordinates a “kitten caboose” program which has successfully relocated over 1,300 feral kittens into adopted homes. You can support the Feral Cat Coalition in its mission of housing cats, and keeping them safely off the streets on its website.

 

Feral Cat Coalition Leads “Season’s Feedings” Holiday Cat Food Drive

Feral Cat Coalition Leads “Season’s Feedings” Holiday Cat Food Drive

by | Dec 5, 2020 | Events, Features, Fundraisers, News, nonprofit

Portland, OR. Feral Cat Coalition of Oregon (FCCO) has launched its annual Season’s Feedings Holiday Cat Food Drive. The food gathered during the drive goes to feral cat caregivers to help feed their feral cats and organizers say the need this year is greater than ever.

5,049 pounds of food were donated during the Season’s Feedings Cat Food Drive in 2019

This year the following local businesses are collecting between November 1st and December 31st. Supporters can also purchase food online to be shipped directly to FCCO.

Happy Tails – Milwaukie: 4370 SE King Rd, Ste. 250-260, Milwaukie. Offering 20% off all food purchased for donation!

Healthy Pet – Lake Oswego: 16140 Boones Ferry Rd, Lake Oswego

Healthy Pets NW – Multnomah Village: 3612 SW Troy St, Portland

ROAR: Due to Covid-19, ROAR has shifted to online-only, but is accepting food donations at their local pick-up site just off Alberta Street (request address) and cash donations toward food online.

*Sellwood Pet Supply: 8334 SE 17th Ave, Portland. *They are collecting cash donations toward food.

As a part of the Season’s Feedings cat food drive, the FCCO is offering free cat food through December and January to caregivers of feral cats that bring cats in to get spayed or neutered. FCCO offers a program to safely spay and neuter stray, feral, and barn cats at no cost or for a suggested donation of $40, and at a small price for pet cats. At the moment because of the Covid-19 pandemic, services are unavailable for pet cats for safety reasons, and appointments must be made to get cats spayed and neutered. All surgeries are done by licensed veterinarians at the FCCO’s South Portland clinic. Along with offering to spay and neuter cats, the organization also offers vaccinations, flea and ear mite treatment, and an eat-tip. FCCO also has a program called Kitten Caboose that works on finding kittens brought in homes to be adopted into.

Just a fraction of the food generously donated by Feral Cat Coalition of Oregon’s community.

This year the organization celebrated 25 years since its inception in 1995, and has spayed and neutered over 100,000 cats since then. Through the Kitten Caboose program, more than 1000 kittens have found homes.

From FCCO:

“Every cat deserves a little holiday gift this year, especially the outdoor feral and stray cats lucky enough to have someone looking after them. Many local businesses are participating in collecting food and generous individuals are purchasing food and donating directly to us.”