The tiny kitten in the photo is Fara.

Fara means mouse in Arabic. She weighed 94 grams when we found her on the side of a busy road in Beirut. She was a few hours old, placenta still attached. The Pepsi bottle-cap is for scale. Fara is now a healthy, super cuddly, 8 month old kitten.



Fara is one of 18 neonatal kittens that I have bottle fed in the last 2 years. 17 out of the 18 survived, despite the high mortality rate in kittens (especially orphaned ones). Many were adopted and some were added to our ever increasing cat-family.

In total, we have rescued and re-homed over 50 cats (and a few dogs) in the last few years.



Last Autumn, not counting our own 10 cats and dog (all rescues), we spent more than US$1,165 on rescued kittens. This pays for antibiotics, re-hydration fluid, kitten milk replacement formula bottles, syringes, first stage kitten food and Royal Canin mother and baby cat, deworming and flea medication, and vaccinations. This amount does not include any food after the first two months (as we assume hopefully that most will be adopted after that time.) This also does not include any urgent medical - for instance when a kitten needs x-rays, or IV treatment for things such as feline parvovirus (a deadly, life-threatening virus very common in young kittens found on the streets). It also does not include the redbull and coffee consumption needed to bottle feed kittens every 2-4 hours around the clock!!! lol

For the last two years a large litter of kittens is thrown like garbage in a plastic bag over the wall of where my husband works. Unfortunately this is not a rare occurrence in Beirut. All summer long kittens and puppies are found in garbage dumps and in plastic bags on the roadside. Animal welfare is dire and the NGOs are all at capacity, so unable to help unless the case is extreme and gives them media attention (to increase their own donations). Animals are abused, over bred, sold, dumped, illegally poisoned by individuals and municipalities, used for bait in dog fights... and so much more.

Good adopters are extremely difficult to find because of the above reasons, and many people care more about their living room furniture or their flower beds than innocent animals. And a lack of education and money often means many pets are abandoned due to pregnancy, sickness, religion, or relocation.

To feed, provide litter for, vaccinate, deworm and deflea our own cats each year it costs us roughly US$3,520. This assumes no injuries or accidents. And doesn't include our dog. For this money we could rent a very nice 3 bed apartment for 6 months in Lebanon. This amount is approximately 4 months of a teacher's starting monthly salary.

I am asking for donations so we can continue to help more kitties!

We wish to continue to spay/neuter the cats in our neighbourhood to prevent overpopulation, as no government program exists, despite the dire need for it!

Acquaintances, friends, and colleagues are beginning to identify my husband and me as "the cat people" who you call if you need to save, relocate, bottle feed, adopt, or just ask a question about a cat.



We want to keep helping, but we need your help! So please donate. Just $10 will feed one cat for a whole month. $5 will buy a bag of cat litter (we use 4 bags a week!) Shout out to my amazing husband who ALWAYS scoops the litter. He is a hero. I love you Zade! <3







P.S. Here is a list of our current and favourite cats, just for fun. :)

Permanent residents at our house:

Carla Koala



Dolly



Meepo



Omni



Edward Scissor Paws (Eddy Beddy)

and his sister

Ewok



Moona (and our dog Cersei)



Brownie

Pudge

Fara

At the office:

Valentino

Leo

Mujdi

Wujdi



For adoption:

Erica

Bugalugs

Toona



:)



*The above list is valid for the next 5 minutes. All lists WILL be subject to change at very short notice. They always get bigger. Less than 5 years ago the list was simply "Carla Koala" <3