Most people associate Cadela Carlota with dogs, but we have another less well-known side to our care – cats.
At the moment, our cats are housed in a building on land belonging to the city of Lagos. But over the past few years, we have had to look after so many more cats – and the building is now bursting at the seams. Our volunteers have heroically battled with this situation, but now the City of Lagos wants to redevelop this area, and we need to find another home for our 70 cats within the next year. There is no time to lose.
You may remember that last year we raised enough money to buy the parcel of land on which our dog shelter was situated. This was a major undertaking, but all our volunteers and well-wishers, including Tomorrow magazine, made a huge effort and we now own the land. Our dogs are safe. Fortunately, this piece of land was more than adequate for our present needs, and we are now able to use part of the land to re-house our cats. But for the first phase, we need to construct a building to:
- House up to 100 cats.
- Provide indoor and outdoor spaces to care for injured, sick and recently spayed cats, as well as mothers, kittens and healthy cats waiting for adoption.
- Provide separate quarantine areas for contagious diseases to avoid the spread of disease.
Having received estimates from local contractors, we need to raise 75,000 euros in order to do this. With this aim in mind, we have launched a GoFundMe page (details below).
If you are reading this magazine, you are no doubt aware that it is truly a magazine which serves the needs of the community. At Cadela Carlota, we have been fortunate enough to benefit from the Tomorrow ethos on many occasions. And now, as we launch our Cat Rehoming Appeal, Tomorrow has stepped up to the mark to help us yet again. We, together with the bombeiros, will share the proceeds of the Charity Tropical Party held in June. But we still need to raise a lot more.
If you are able to do so, please make a donation to this worthwhile cause. Look out for the collection tins at Pom Pom Bagels, The Collab Bar, The Coffee Studio – and many others, all situated in Lagos. If any of these venues are one of your usual haunts, please think about leaving a donation (after settling your bill, of course!).
All of us who have the privilege of owning cats or dogs know how much joy and companionship they bring into our lives. My personal mission when becoming a volunteer was to repay them, in some small way, for all they have given me. With your help, Cadela Carlota will be able to continue to do this too.
Feline Blood Donors
Earlier this year, in cooperation with the Portuguese Animal Blood Bank, ten of our cats became blood donors.
The maximum amount of blood a cat can donate is about 50ml and the procedure is very similar to that used for humans. A vet and two nurses came to the shelter to make the collection and also to ensure that no cat was put under undue stress while the donation was taking place. This blood will help to save the lives of many more cats.
So, if you own, or have owned a sick cat, maybe your special friend has been saved by this invaluable service. If you own a cat or a dog and a blood collection takes place, once the blood is used, you will be notified, with a special thank you to your pet for saving another animal’s life.
Visit bsanimal.pt for more information on animal blood donations.
