For the Love of Strays (and Sardines)

A Backyard Rescue Mission — Helping Local Stray + Feral Cats

Hi! I'm someone who’s always had a heart for animals — especially the forgotten and overlooked ones. Over the years, many of you have supported me as I’ve fundraised for causes like the Animal Humane Society’s Walk for Animals. But this year, I’m shifting my efforts closer to home — literally.

Over the past few months, I’ve unexpectedly become a one-woman rescue operation for a handful of stray and feral cats right outside our door. I’ve been feeding them, building shelters, trapping, getting them vetted, and even fostering — and I’d love your help covering some of the costs so I can continue this work.

How it started

A few months ago, during a very early morning (courtesy of toddler sleep training), I looked out the patio door and saw a pair of big eyes peeking in. A large gray cat was watching our indoor cats from the snow-covered yard.

I put out some food… and soon realized we had multiple cats stopping by regularly.

Thanks to a kind local cat lady and the wonderful folks at Pet Project Rescue, I was able to borrow humane traps and get started. I also built two insulated tote shelters to help them stay warm through our bitter cold snaps. We had a few mishaps with raccoons and oppsums, but we all survived. Lol.

Who I’ve helped so far

Big Gray Boy: I trapped him, had him neutered, microchipped, vaccinated, and FeLV-tested. He was very much a feral cat (read: not a fan of people), so I released him back into his familiar territory. He still comes by for meals and seems to be doing well!

Tortie Girl: I suspected she was feral, but after winning her over with sardines (classic), I realized she was actually a stray — sweet, affectionate, and clearly used to human interaction. She had no microchip and wasn’t listed anywhere as missing. I’m now fostering her through Kitty Revolution, and we’re hopeful she’ll be adopted soon!

Next, I hope to trap another gray cat who may also be a stray based on his behavior. From there, I plan to continue helping local strays and ferals as they show up — especially now that we have the gear and experience!

What your donation supports

Pet Project Rescue helped me access low-cost services (and they are amazing), but I still paid for additional vet care, supplies, and need a trap of my own to continue helping future cats.

Here’s what your donation will help cover:

Expense Amount

Food, Bedding, Litter, and Supplies $197.38

Neuter, Microchip, Vaccines & FeLV Test (Feral) $137.60

Spay, Microchip, Vaccines, Wellness Check & Deworm (Stray) $291.54

One Humane Trap (for ongoing rescue efforts) $85.75

Total Goal $712.27

Any extra funds?

If we go over the goal, every additional dollar will be donated to Pet Project Rescue so they can continue supporting people like me and saving vulnerable outdoor cats across our community.

Thank you so much

If you’ve ever donated to one of my animal fundraisers in the past — thank you. And if this is your first time supporting, welcome! Every dollar makes a difference for these cats, and I’m so grateful for your help.

They may not be able to say thank you, but I promise they feel the love (and probably taste it in the sardines and churus ).