FOCA Rescues 34 Cats in Monroe Home; Seeks Donations
Friends of Companion Animals, Monroe’s only all cat rescue and adoption center, recently came to the rescue of 34 cats at a single location in downtown Monroe. Although they have done smaller multi-feline rescues in the past, this recent endeavor is the largest that the all-volunteer, nonprofit has faced since its establishment in 2011.
It all started when a concerned mail carrier contacted Monroe County Animal Control (MCAC). They witnessed cats on the roof of what appeared to be an abandoned home along their route, according to Shelter Director Penny Bly. She explains, “Animal control instructed the mail carrier to contact us and after coordinating with MCAC regarding who will take the lead in this endeavor, FOCA volunteers jumped into action and secured the first initial batch of cats, which included seven felines.“
According to Bly, originally the property owner stated there were about 15 cats, but they later clarified that it was probably closer to 30. In truth, the total ended up being 34, which are all now secured at the Friends of Companion Animals rescue located in front of Detroit Beach in Monroe.
“As you would imagine, a number of these felines require serious medical attention. For example, two felines appear to have a genetic mutation where their front claws are growing abnormally so they will require a declaw to alleviate their pain. While another required a partial tail amputation due to exposed bone,” states Bly. “Others are battling vision issues, upper respiratory infections, and other ailments you see often with colony cats who are left without medical treatment.”
As for what will happen to the property owners for having these many cats in their possession without proper care, Bly is unsure. She says that’s a question for local law-enforcement and adds, “FOCA‘s main priority from the start is caring for the cats. We need to make sure that they are taken care of medically and then for those who are friendly we want them in loving homes. For those who might not be that friendly, because of lack of human interaction, we will place them in our barn cat program so they too can have an enjoyable life.”
Director Bly mentions that if readers would like to contribute financially to this project it would be extremely welcome. She states, “FOCA has set up fundraisers on our Facebook page and each day we are releasing images of the cats with links to make a donation for their care. All the funds raised through these programs will go towards making sure these cats are taken care of properly. For those not on Facebook, they can also make donations on our website www.friendsofcompanionanimals.org/donate.”
Bly mentioned that she’s extremely proud of her volunteers who worked in harsh conditions to secure these cats so they could have a better life. She’s also grateful for the help she’s received from all the volunteers who have been contributing their time to this case, whether it’s been data entry, medical procedures and fundraisers, just to name a few.
“This case is a prime example of how rapidly cats can reproduce and why we stress the importance of spaying and neutering pets, including outdoor feral cats, to alleviate unnecessary suffering. It literally does take a village to make Monroe a little brighter, so we are grateful to residents of the city and the surrounding areas who helped make this first leg of the rescue possible. Now that the cats are secure, the second and third legs begin which include medical care and fundraising, respectively. We already have the medical appointments so now it’s just a matter of generating the funds to cover those procedures. So again, all donations, no matter what size, will benefit our mission.
