Donate items
The following items are very useful to us. If you would like to donate one, please email us at cowcatrescue@shaw.ca to make arrangements, and we would be grateful to receive it and put it to use.
We should note that we do not have much use for used cat scratching posts, used cat beds, covered litter boxes, or used cat toys. Although, if you want to sell the item and donate the payment to us, we would be happy to use that.
Wire dog kennel for barn cats
We need wire kennels in the 42 inch long (large dog) or 49 inch long (extra large) size.
These wire kennels are vital to our ability to hold feral cats while they are awaiting transfer to their new barn home, and to contain them at their new barn home for the month of lockdown while they get to know their new feeder and learn that this is where they live now (so that they don’t become runaways upon release). If a potential barn home doesn’t have a tack room/workshop/garage or similar type of escape-proof room where their new ferals could live for the first month, and if we can’t provide them with a wire kennel for this purpose, then we can’t give them cats. We are always needing barn homes, so to lose one on account of not having suitable equipment is hard.
Also, if anyone has just the plastic tray of a 42 or 49 inch kennel, we’d gladly accept that in case one of ours breaks or we are offered a tray-less kennel.
Wire dog kennel for foster kittens
Smaller wire kennels are useful to us to contain kittens while they are in foster care if they are sick and need to be quarantined or are not yet sociable enough to enjoy their own room without hiding.
Cage sizes that are useful for this purpose range from 36-40 inches in length.
Small digital scale
In our foster homes, a scale is used to weigh foster kittens daily until they hit 1 kg and can be spayed/neutered. Daily weighing also helps the foster carer track a kitten’s progress - weight loss signals illness. Any donations of small digital scales like this one will be greatly appreciated.
Styrofoam boxes
If you are in a position to receive large styrofoam boxes that you don’t need, we would be grateful for the opportunity to take them off of your hands and put them to good use. They have to be large enough for at least one cat to sleep comfortably inside, preferably at least two cats because we always place them in pairs in barn homes. The bigger the styrofoam cooler, the better.
Humane automatic traps
In terms of automatic traps, our preference is for the type that has a backdoor that can slide up and down. This kind of trap can be used in conjunction with a drop trap, whereas a trap that only has the trapdoor cannot (because the door protrudes out of the trap and it can’t line up flush against the drop trap’s door).
Easy-set traps can’t be used in conjunction with a drop trap, which makes them much less versatile. We have also found that they are less reliable because if the wire doesn’t slide over the plastic rim at the base of the door like it is supposed to, then the door is not locked and then the cat escapes. Nevertheless, any type of trap (that is working) will be happily accepted if you have one that you are no longer using.
We use smaller traps to catch kittens, so that size suits our needs too.
Space blankets (mylar) or flexible items that feature a space blanket
This is a photo of a heatshield for a vehicle’s windshield. It cost 50 cents at a thrift store. We can use it as insulation inside a cat shelter. If anyone has an item like this, with that heat-reflective thin plastic sheeting, or has run a marathon recently and simply has a leftover space blanket (also known as a Mylar blanket, first aid blanket, emergency blanket, thermal blanket or weather blanket) we would be delighted to put it to good use when we make cat shelters.
Plastic bins
We make use of large plastic bins as the outer shells of cat shelters. They must have lids and be intact.
Clips/screws/bolts salvaged from pet carriers
Often we get cat carriers that are missing some of the clips, screws, or bolts that hold the top and bottom halves together. Then we have to use zip ties to keep the cat carrier intact. If you are about to discard an old cat carrier of your own, please save the clips, screws, or bolts for us so we can add them to our collection of replacement hardware.
Bird food dishes
Dishes of this style are great for use in wire kennels. Secured to a kennel wall rather than placed on the floor, they don’t get knocked over and it is easy to sweep underneath them.
Bottles and nipples
These are used in fostering unweaned kittens. As a kitten’s teeth come in, it will unavoidably destroy some bottle nipples, and therefore we require a steady supply of them.
Cat litter
Natural, non-clay based litter is what we use for kittens, so that type is especially useful to us. It could be made from corn, wheat, or walnut shells, etc.
Any type of litter would be greatly accepted, even non-natural litters,
which we would designate for adult foster cats.