*** I have edited this request, to correct the veterinarian office, I somehow, just horribly misnamed

Many apologies for my typographical error. I absolutely meant specifically to thank Sharon, Dr Rick Suter, and all the fantabulous staff at VCA Companion Animal Hospital, on Eureka Way in Redding. Proceeds of this fundraiser will be remitted to VCA Companion Hospital, as we achieve the level of each kitten's rates, ie, "Carmen San Diego", fundraiser achieved, "x" dollars (approximately $400+/-) will be remitted to VCA Companion Hospital to pay for "Carmen San Diego ", for instance, then we move on to next most critical kitten in line.

I am currently awaiting the invoices, but with feline checks, vaccinations, reduced [thank you] spay/neuter fees, I imagine the cost per kitten to be somewhere around $400+/-, based on sex).

Huge thank yous and apologies to VCA Companion Animal Hospital. Thank you for helping us keep the stray population in check.

Without veterinarian hospitals such as yours, we all would be in a less kind, gracious, humanitarian and community-oriented County! Thank you to VCA Companion Animal Hospital, Sharon and Dr. Rick Suter ☮

Edit finished...fundraiser continues below:

Our plea -

On July 28, 2023, while I was outside feeding the 3 strays we have cared for the past 10 years, four new cats suddenly materialized!

One very young queen, clearly very pregnant. Another queen who I discovered later, had recently had kittens, and two juvenile kitties, one, so teeny-tiny, she must have only been maybe 7 weeks old, the other a male, maybe 3 months old -- all bedraggled, very thin...and all ravenous.

I learned later they had been dumped in early July a road over from us, and they had somehow, miraculously, made their way to our yard!

So, again, our first sighting was July 28th, and I continued to provide as much food as they would eat, but they would not get within 10 feet of me to be able to capture them to transport to Haven Humane. I was not having much luck with the Queens, but the little kittens were beginning to get closer. I was able to finally captured those two, but Haven Humane said they were overrun by stray cats and kittens and refused to take them. Sigh.

Then, on August 5th, I was awakened at 3:30am by the tiny very pregnant Queen, yowling at the top of her lungs. She had followed our kitty inside the house! She wouldn't let me near her, but she had zero problem breaking in and demanding assistance!

No sooner did I give her a basket, than the first kitten was born! She had eight all told, one stillborn, and another died 3 days later, I believe from starvation. It broke my heart. Mama kitty didn't have much milk after 3+ weeks on her own with little to no food, so I commenced supplemental bottle feedings round the clock for 3 weeks until she finally had enough milk to support all the kittens.

I contacted Haven Humane on multiple occasions, and they were still overflowing, or they had a ringworm outbreak, or, or, or, but "thank you for caring for all those strays". I contacted all the other rescues in our area and they, too, were just overrun and not accepting any new Queens with litters, again with a "...but, thank you for feeding and caring for those kitties..."! I was pretty upset, 23 cats is a lot to provide for on a fairly fixed income! They are not Our cats, we are just the beneficiary of some heartless person's unconscionable actions. How cruel and heartless to dump two pregnant housecats (how were they supposed to get sustainence for themselves and their unborn kittens, while almost too pregnant to move quickly enough to capture a bird?), and two baby kitties, what were they to eat?

Now the indoor kittens are 5+ months old and they Must be spayed, neutered and vaccinated asap.

So, again, yesterday I went to Haven Humane's website to schedule low-cost spays/neutering, and just like they've stated since the beginning of November, when I first started checking for appointments, until this morning, when I rechecked availability, Haven has posted the following statement:

"In order to meet the needs of our shelter animals, we are currently pausing spay & neuter services for the public and are unable to make any new appointments. We look forward to resuming public services in the new year. Thank you for your patience as we prioritize our shelter animals during this period of high need and overcapacity."

Well, we are in the New Year, and this is still posted, and we just cannot wait any longer. Time is critical right now.

The cost to spay one kitten at a reduced rate (thank you VCA Companion) and also have suggested and required vaccinations at a veterinarian's office runs nearly $400. I have SIX indoors (4 girls, 2 males) from one litter, alone, that need these services, immediately.

They began to be sexually active at 4 months old (!!), which means I must keep the brothers and sisters separated from one another, because otherwise I'll have 4 baby kitties having babies themselves and even MORE to be worried about.

I/we, my husband and myself, didn't ask for animals to be unceremoniously dumped in our neighborhood, but once they showed up, we HAD to feed and care for them as much as we could.

I'll be frank. It has been a heavy financial burden having our cat population jump by 17, basically overnight. (Remember the other Queen? Well, the outside Queen finally brought her kittens into our front yard when they were ready for solid food, and she had SEVEN kittens!). When this started, we already had six cats: three indoors, three strays outdoors. So, by ourselves, we have been feeding and caring for 23 cats in total.

It has been a financial burden to provide first supplemental bottle food, and now solids for 17 additional cats...with zero assistance from any community organizations, and refusal by Haven to take them in (we are outside Redding city limits, which evidently makes a huge difference in the assistance given by Haven). But we have somehow managed.

We have repeatedly attempted to find homes for these kittens and the two Queens, but we only found one kitten a home. Everyone, it seems, has stray cats and kittens they are trying to find homes for! Thus, other than the one kitten who has found a new home, we have basically been unsuccessful in that regard, and so we shall continue to provide for their basic needs until and unless we are successful at rehoming these super sweet babies.

We find cannot, however, cover the exorbitant expense of all these spays, neuters and vaccinations that must get accomplished.

We have tried everything!

I repeat, we have repeatedly reached out for assistance from Haven Humane, to no avail, and they continue the pause in their low-cost spay/neuter clinic, keeping it closed to the public for *at Least* the last 3+ months!

We are left in a huge pickle.

I have spoken with VCA Animal Hospital, and they have unbelievably and graciously agreed to assist with spaying and neutering these stray kittens, in batches, at a reduced rate! But, we just do not have the funds, even at reduced rates, to pay for *all* these spays and neuters.

Thus, we are now forced into having to ask for private party assistance knowing times are tight for everyone, with inflation high, but still, we must seek assistance, so we turn to you, our local community, for help, if you at all can. No donation is too small ~ ALL get added together, and many little donations become large☮

Would you please help and make a donation today in *any* amount?

I found out this morning from VCA Companion, that the first "batch of 4", three girls, one boy (at our vet's request), have been scheduled for spays/neutering/vaccinations on Thursday, January 25th, 2024, so time, really, is of essence, and for one and all we are grateful.

Thank you for your consideration, and THANK you for your donation, no matter the size!

THANK you again for your kindness ~ Thank you for your hearts ~ THANK you for your donation!

With heartfelt appreciation,

Lyn and Pat Murray

ps Of course, all the kittens are available for immediate adoptions! Six of these kittens have been bottle fed and are just super sweet babies (the girls even friendlier than the boys!), licking and giving kisses, even, and would make someone such lovely furbabies!