Losing a cat is awful. There's a specific kind of dread that sets in when they don't come home at the usual time, and it gets worse with every hour.

We've been through this with our own fosters and fielded these panicked messages from adopters more times than we can count. So this post exists — one place to send people instead of typing the same advice at 11pm.

Get started with the most important thing to know.

Probiotics are powerful, but they work best alongside a high-quality diet. Premium foods rich in animal proteins, balanced nutrients, and minimal fillers support the gut microbiome naturally. Studies show that proper nutrition in cats can extend lifespan by a year or more, slow age-related decline, and dramatically reduce chronic disease risk. 

Cats like Blueberry—who come from inbred or hoarding situations—often have long-term gut imbalances that require ongoing support. But we have tools to help.

Learn how probiotics saved Blueberry from diarrhea.

Love, the Feline Way

Cats do not love loudly. They love deliberately. They choose a lap and return to it. They choose a home and defend it. They choose a person and build rituals around them.

This Valentine’s Day, pay attention to the quiet signals. The blink. The bump. The shadow at your feet. You might discover that the most faithful love story in your life has been unfolding in soft paws all along.

And if you are still waiting for that kind of love, adopt or foster to feel the love that only felines bring!

When winter arrives, outdoor and community cats don’t have the luxury of central heat or cozy blankets fresh from the dryer. What they do need is something simple, dry, and thoughtfully built: a proper winter shelter. Done right, a shelter can mean the difference between discomfort and survival.

Let’s walk through how to build one, and why straw is the only safe bedding choice.

Why Winter Shelters Matter

Cats are resourceful, but cold temperatures, wind, snow, and freezing rain take a heavy toll. Prolonged exposure can lead to hypothermia, frostbite, weakened immune systems, and increased risk of illness. A well-built shelter:

• Traps body heat

• Blocks wind and moisture

• Gives cats a safe place to rest and recover

• Helps community cats survive harsh winters

Click here to learn how to make quick and easy winter cat shelters! There are also prebuilt options for sale on Chewy, Amazon and elsewhere online.

When temperatures drop and daylight shrinks, it’s easy to think the breeding season is over. The truth is far more urgent: untreated cats continue reproducing year-round, and without intervention, those late-winter pregnancies turn into spring litters born into freezing, harsh conditions.

That’s where Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) comes in — and winter is one of the most impactful times to act.  Click here to learn more.

New Jersey is facing a crisis

And it’s happening in our shelters, our neighborhoods, and on our streets. Local animal shelters are overwhelmed, community cats are multiplying faster than they can be helped, and low-income pet owners are struggling to access affordable spay/neuter services. But we have a chance to change that — if we act now.

Senate Bill S261 / Assembly Bill A3635 — also known as The Compassion for Community Cats Law — is a long-overdue piece of legislation that could provide real, sustainable solutions. But after years of being stalled in committee, this bill needs a major push to reach the full NJ Legislature for a vote. 

Click here to sign the petition to pass this critical legislation!

Did did you know that raising a single kitten in isolation during its early weeks can lead to behavioral issues later in life?  Solo Kitten Syndrome, sometimes called “Single Kitten Syndrome,” refers to the set of behavioral and developmental problems that can arise when a kitten is raised without littermates. Kittens learn crucial life skills through play and socialization with their siblings—such as boundaries, bite inhibition, and how to interpret body language.

Without this essential interaction, solo kittens often grow up to display problematic behaviors like over-aggression during play, poor social skills with other cats and bothering older cats in the home, difficulty adapting to new environments, excessive vocalization or neediness, inappropriate biting or scratching; biting feet or ankles.

As explained by Hannah Shaw, also known as The Kitten Lady, “Kittens who grow up without the presence of siblings often lack the ability to play gently or understand feline boundaries.” Click here to learn more.

Springtime means blooming flowers, but some popular plants can be deadly to your feline friend. Easter lilies are one of the most dangerous — and even a small nibble can cause sudden, irreversible kidney failure in cats. Every part of the plant is toxic: petals, leaves, pollen, even the water in the vase. In fact, just licking a bit of pollen off a paw or chewing a single leaf can lead to acute kidney failure within 24–72 hours. Emergency treatment is critical — delay can be fatal. 

Although we always suggest consulting your vet first, sometimes a home remedy is the best you can do in the moment. It's always nice when that home remedy can help your cat, just as if you took it to the vet in the first place. In fact, a lot of vets will use activated charcoal in their offices to address this problem. Click here to learn more.

Training a barn cat is a rewarding process that not only helps your feline companion adjust to its new environment but also ensures they are safe, healthy, and capable of performing their natural hunting duties. The key to successful training is patience, understanding, and providing structure. One of the most effective methods is using an enclosure crate for the first few weeks, which gives the cat a safe space to acclimatize while developing the necessary skills and behaviors. In this guide, we'll walk you through the essential steps to train a barn cat, with a particular focus on crate training for the first three weeks. Click here to learn more.

One of the most important ways we can support the behavioral and emotional development of a kitten is to make sure they’ve got a friend. Despite the common belief that cats are solitary animals, they’re actually incredibly social beings who thrive when they have feline friends from an early age. That’s why we always recommend adopting two kittens, or adopting a solo kitten only if you already have another young cat in the home for the kitten to befriend.

It may come as a surprise to hear this, but two kittens are actually half the work of one! Giving your kitten a buddy will improve the lives of the cats while also making your life easier. Click here to read more!

There are many reasons to spay or neuter your pet, and there are also many false ideas that lead people to believe it’s not necessary. But it is actually one of the best things you can do for your pet — and animals everywhere. Plus it can save you money on vet bills in the long term by preventing health and behavior  issues. Click here to explore the benefits.

Spay and neuter can feel overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be. Our Spay/Neuter FAQ blog breaks it all down, from why it matters for your cat’s health and the community, to real-world costs, local low-cost providers, and what to expect before and after surgery. Whether you’re a first-time cat parent or just need straight answers without the judgment, this guide is here to help. 

Click here for our complete FAQ on spay/neuter surgery in our area.