Sunset Felines has recently discovered a colony of cats that need to be rescued. These are not feral cats, but shy little ones that were abandoned by the owner and have now produced several litters. We need people who live or work in the West Columbia area that would like to volunteer to help with this rescue effort. We need feeders, people that can help trap, and foster homes for these beautiful cats to recover after vet care, and wait for their forever homes. This is a time sensitive situation as Animal Control is aware of these cats and are threatening to start trapping to kill. We have rescued several and they are very healthy and have become quite social once they were settled into cat friendly homes with other cats. We have no shelter and must find foster homes if we are going to save them. We must act fast since many are females about six months old. Please call Ms. Johnson at 803-794-5686 or e-mail Sunsetfelines@Hotmail.com.
Volunteers Needed!
We are in search of volunteers with event planning and/or marketing experience to work with us on events to promote our cats for adoption as well as support for the colony. If you or anyone you know would like to make a positive impact on the welfare of these very special cats, please call us or send an email!
Know a cat that needs a home?
Lots of people contact us about cats that need homes, either because they're moving and can't take their cat with them - OR - they've spotted a nursing mother cat on their property or near the dumpster at their favorite restaurant.
If you are dealing with either of these situations, please understand that we are not a shelter and are unable to take your cat(s) off your hands. As much as we would like to, our operation depends heavily on foster homes which tend to stay full due to the massive cat overpopulation in this area.
The answer is simple: spay and neuter!
If you think you've stumbled upon a colony and want to do something to control the population without having all the cats trapped and put to sleep, we will gladly provide assistance in implementing a program in your area. Just call the number below for more information, or check out the resources available on the Alleycat Allies website.
Euthanasia is not the answer!
Who We Are
We are a Columbia, SC area group dedicated to managing a feral cat colony near Lexington Medical Center. Our eight-year anniversary was in August 2009. Our program started with one lady
who was out running errands and saw a mother cat with two nursing kittens and took them in, thinking those were the only cats in the area...until more started showing up. We've been trapping, spaying, neutering and feeding ever since!
Feral cat colonies can be found all over the city, and in the unmanaged ones, overbreeding leads quickly to the spread of diseases like feline leukemia and feline AIDS. Competition (i.e. fighting) among tomcats for food and mating rights are one of the ways that these diseases are spread. We address these problems through a method called
trap/neuter/return, or TNR. We humanely trap the cats and take them to be spayed/neutered, vaccinated and treated for any other illnesses or injuries. After assessing how the cats will adapt to indoor living with people and other pets, the cats are either socialized and placed in loving homes or returned to the wild, where they can live "among their own" and enjoy a life free from the stresses of overbreeding and disease.
We're not a shelter
Our activities depend in large part on the generosity of citizens who
are willing to make donations of food or money, or provide crate space in their homes to foster the cats while they recover from the spay/neuter. If you are able and willing to temporarily (4-7 days) provide a quiet, light-traffic area in your home where a feral cat can be crated and cared for in a way that is safe for you as well as the cats, then we would love to hear from you! (See link below)
Adopting a friend
We have a number of young adult cats who are excellent candidates for adoption. With some exceptions (see listing), most will do best in homes without small children or inside dogs. Adoption fees are negotiable for the right cat parents; our main concern is finding all of our cats a forever home. Take a look at some of our adorable cats for adoption. Since each cat has a different personality, we're sure that one of our kitties will be the perfect companion for you!
