In our peaceful Portuguese village, many stray cats wander the streets - hungry, thirsty, abandoned, sick, injured, without a safe place to stay.

We have been helping these stray cats for quite a long time by ourselves with cooperation with Ourique municipality vet. But there are so many stray cats and it is not in our capacity to provide more help. We deeply care about animal welfare and we can not ignore this situation.

That’s why we are starting this community project to build a shelter and feeding station to provide food, water and basic protection for cats.

The shelter will serve as a protected cat colony, a place where stray cats can find regular food, protection, and care in a monitored environment while living freely but safely from the dangers of the streets. It requires a community involvement and volunteers to monitor the cats, ensure the cat‘s weell-being and stabilize the situation.

By donation you will help:

• Build a small, safe shelter in Garvão, Alentejo region, Portgual

• Provide food, water, regular deworming,parasites prevention and vaccinations

• Veterinary care the stray cats

• Create a stable care for cat colony

• Sterilization

• And love for the stray animals

WHY:

• To prevent cats from starving and dehydration

Starvation and dehydration weakenes immune system which cause of illnesses, infections, spread of harmful bacterias, spread of worms, parasites.

• Keept the cats healthy and prevent the spread of disease

• Internal and external parasites can lead serious health issues, to avoid transmission and spread of worms, parasites and illnesses among the cats.

• Wet and cold weather stress immune system.

It‘s important to ensure they have a safe and warm place to retreat to, particularly during periods of extreme cold or heavy rain. Extreme weather weakens their immune system and potentially leads to health issues. Cats, especially kittens, older cats, and those with pre-existing health conditions, are more susceptible to the negative effects of cold and wet weather. Cold temperatures can stress a cat's immune system, making them more vulnerable to illnesses and infections.

• Sterilization

Trap-Neuter-Regurn (TNR) = Trapped safely, sterilized, returned to their original colony. It is compassionate long-term solution supported by Ourique municipality and vet.

This human approach and community involvement help preventing overpopulation while enhancing their overall wellbeing. During the steriization, the cat will also receive a vaccination a microchip, and be registered in the municipal vet database. We have already had some cats sterilized.

Most of cats suffer premature mortality from disease, starvation. Sterilization help to prevent abandoned kittens, starving to death, prevents certain health issues, reduces behavioral problems can contribute to a longer and healthier life. It also helps minimize the number of homeless animals. If one unsterilized cat would have 4 kittens, in 16 months there will be 36 kittens. Consider this as a chain reaction.

Thank you so much for any kind of help!

Ali & Petra

and a lot of cats...