Cats start to reproduce at a very early age and can have up to four litters per year. Many of these cats end up as feral cats with a very short life-span or in shelters only to be euthanized due to overflowing shelters and not enough adopters. The sad fact is that 6-8 million cats and dogs enter shelters each year and 3-4 million of these cats and dogs get euthanized by shelters each year
When Margie Schwartz found Caring for Cats in 2003 her mission was to help reduce the overpopulation of stray and feral cats and to offer a low cost spay/neuter program for cat owners in the Upper and Middle Keys. Thanks to supporters and volunteers Margie has been able to follow through with her mission and it does not stop here yet.
Caring for Cats' dream is to have a spay/neuter unit and to travel throughout the Florida Keys to offer a low cost spay/neuter program to the Upper, Middle and Lower Keys communities and to help reduce the cat overpopulation. A spay unit is like a veterinary office on wheels and something similar to the Red Cross Blood Mobile. Caring for Cats already has all the necessary medical equipments. All that is needed now is a bus to convert to a spay unit and veterinarians able to travel throughout the Keys to perform spay and neuter services for Caring for Cats.
Fundraisers like The Fur Ball, the Rummage Sale and 100% sales proceeds from Me & My Sisters, Inc. in addition to donations from various sponsors and supporters help Margie to come closer to her dream of a spay station as well as to cover some of the expenses related to the trapping and spaying/neutering of feral and stray cats, medical supplies and providing care for the adoptable cats until they can be placed in permanent homes.
Another dream of Caring of Cats is to have a facility to call its own. Currently, all adoptable cats are in foster homes until adopted into permanent homes and available for adotpion at the Island Pet Company and Me &My Sisters, Inc.  Â
There are two main reasons why there are so many stray and homeless animals: Breeders and pet owners not taking spaying/neutering of their pet serious enough. There are ways to stop the euthanization of healthy animals and reducing the number of homeless pets and these ways don’t cost you anything. All it takes is to get the word out about the importance of spaying and neutering and not to buy pets from breeders or pet stores but adopt from local shelters and animal rescue groups. No matter if you are looking for a specific breed or personality or age or size, you can find your perfect furry companion at shelters and rescue groups. And best of all, you know that once you adopted a pet, you saved its life. What can be more wonderful than that?
Help Margie and Caring for Cats to come closer to the dream of a spay station and adoption facility by becoming volunteers and sponsors and taking part of benefits and fundraisers.
Let’s work together on the mission to reduce the number of homeless pets, stricter laws about spaying/neutering, adopting from shelters and rescue group to eliminate euthanization and stopping animal abuse and neglect. Let’s spread the word!
