About Outcast Cat Help
Outcast Cat Help is a 501(c)(3) California Public Benefit Corporation dedicated to helping the community humanely control and care for the stray and feral cat population. We are 100% volunteer operated with no paid staff.
Outcast Cat Help is a TRUE no-kill organization. We believe in letting cats live their lives and only in cases of terminal and painful illness are cats compassionately euthanized because there is no reasonable alternative.
Outcast Cat Help treats all cats equally while prioritizing each cat’s individual health needs. We believe that every cat is entitled to the same high quality veterinary care, regardless of age, amicability, ownership or health issue.
Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) is the most humane and effective way to control the stray and feral cat population at this time. Cats are trapped, spayed/neutered, vaccinated, eartipped and returned to where they were trapped. Compassionate humans (caretakers) provide food and fresh water daily. Those caretakers monitor the cat population for new cats so that those cats can be spayed/neutered. Caretakers also monitor the health of the cats in the event that medical attention is required. Overtime, the cat population is reduced by fewer births and through natural attrition. TNR is used by numerous animal rescue organizations and individuals in all types of communities across the United States and internationally.
Puma's Happy Ending
Story by Alexandra Birnbach
A few weeks ago, my flatmate and I were looking for a buddy for her two year old FIV+ cat. Our search on petfinder for a special needs cat yielded several touching stories, but none as memorable as Puma, a 2 year old, FIV+, all-black cat with gorgeous green eyes and three legs.
Three months or so ago, Puma had been found wandering around with a badly injured back leg. A kind samaritan contacted Outcast Cat Help who picked Puma up and took him to Martinez Animal Hospital, where they discovered that his leg had been broken for so long that the best option was to amputate. On top of it all, they discovered that he was FIV+. Puma successfully underwent the operation and was placed into a loving foster home.
We met Puma and after one look (and several forceful headbutts), he had our hearts. We brought him back, and within a day or two, he was hopping up on my bed and gently headbutting my hand for pets as I'd fall asleep.
Puma is an amazing cat; he gets along well with our other cat, he plays for hours by himself with whatever toy he can find, though his particular favorite is the Kittenator, and he'll hop up on the sofa with us and lean against us, stretching out until he falls asleep. He never uses his claws or bites, and stretches out a paw if he wants attention. He's been through a lot but you'd never know it from his easy-going, comforting nature.
As I write this, he's resting his head on my arm and a paw on the laptop, as if to say that everything is alright. He's a fantastic cat, and having three legs hasn't slowed him down a bit. We can't thank Outcast Cat Help enough for giving Puma a chance and bringing this awesome guy into our lives.
