Northstate Cat Coalition

07/08/2025

This Thursday! When we go personally we arrive at 3:30am for a spot. Thank you to the kind sponsor who makes this happen.

😸 Princess Memorial Community Cat Spay & Neuter Day is Thursday! 😸

On the second Thursday of every month, we will be spaying and neutering up to 40 cats. This service is free thanks to the generous donation of a local cat lover.

Our clinic opens at 7:15 but we suggest showing up earlier to get your spot.

➡️ More details here: https://www.havenhumane.org/tnr

07/04/2025

07/04/2025

Our temporary guests, Koala and Dancing Jack were chauffeured with Romeo in attendance, the navigator, to their new home this afternoon. It is always bittersweet, yet a tremendous reward knowing that these two are going to have a phenomenal life. Their options would’ve been nowhere near the same if we didn’t step up and help them. And we couldn’t have done that without your help. So thank you everybody who stands by us at the Northstate Cat Coalition. This rescue belongs to all of you❤️ and for these precious little kittens from a colony in Lake California to a fantastic new future, cheers to all!

06/28/2025

WHY SPAY DURING PREGNANCY CAN BE THE KINDEST OPTION

Spaying a pregnant cat, also called “spay-abort,” is never an easy decision. But in many cases, it’s made with care, compassion, and the greater good in mind.

Here’s why some caregivers and veterinarians choose this path:

PREVENTING FUTURE SUFFERING
While kittens are precious, the reality is that there are more cats than homes. Many kittens born on the streets or in overcrowded shelters don’t survive or end up in lifelong hardship. Spaying during pregnancy helps prevent more animals from being born into suffering.

PROTECTING THE MOTHER CAT
Pregnancy and birth take a physical toll, especially for young, sick, or malnourished cats. Spaying during pregnancy can protect her health and give her a better quality of life without the added strain of raising kittens.

GIVING EVERYONE A BETTER CHANCE
In rescue and Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) programs, caregivers are often overwhelmed with limited resources. Preventing just one litter allows fosters, shelters, and volunteers to focus on the cats and kittens already in need of homes and care.

A DECISION MADE WITH HEART
Every cat matters. Choosing to spay during pregnancy is not taken lightly. It’s often the most humane option to help control overpopulation and give existing cats the best chance at a healthy, safe life.

❤️ 🐾

THE EMOTIONAL SIDE OF SPAY AND ABORT DECISIONS

A compassionate perspective for pet owners and animal welfare advocates

Spay and abort procedures can be emotionally complex for the humans involved—whether you’re a pet owner, a rescuer, or part of an animal welfare team. These decisions, though often made with care and responsibility, can carry deep psychological and emotional weight.

EMOTIONAL RESPONSES
Many individuals feel guilt, sadness, or grief, especially when the procedure involves ending a pregnancy. These feelings may stem from a belief in allowing natural processes or from a deep emotional bond with the animal.

At the same time, there can be a sense of relief and purpose knowing the procedure helps reduce suffering and prevent overpopulation. It’s not unusual to experience conflicted emotions—both sorrow and reassurance.

IMPACT AND RELATIONSHIPS
Partners, families, or even rescue team members may hold different views on spay-abort decisions. These differences can lead to stress or disagreement.

Compassionate, open conversations—with space for empathy and understanding—are key to supporting one another through emotionally difficult choices.

LONG-TERM EMOTIONAL EFFECTS
In some cases, the emotional impact may linger. People may experience anxiety, sadness, or even depression, especially if the decision was made under pressure or in crisis situations.

Acknowledging these feelings is important—and you’re not alone in experiencing them.

HEALTHY COPING STRATEGIES
Talk to a trusted veterinarian or animal welfare expert for reassurance about the ethical and practical reasons behind the decision.

Join support groups or speak to a counselor who understands animal welfare work and the emotional toll it can take.

Connect with others in the rescue or TNR community—many have walked this road and can offer comfort, perspective, and solidarity.

OTHER CONSIDERATIONS
There’s no denying that spaying a pregnant cat is an emotional and difficult decision. It weighs heavy on the heart.

But so does watching tiny, innocent kittens be turned away because fosters are full, rescues are overwhelmed, and shelters have no space.

So does knowing those same kittens may end up growing up on the streets — without comfort, without protection, and without anyone to care for them. They face hunger, disease, predators, and danger every single day.

Sometimes, we must face one kind of heartbreak to prevent an even deeper one.

If you’ve ever seen a sick kitten with no one to help… or watched a shelter worker cry because they had to say no to just one more litter… you understand.

It’s not about choosing what’s easy. It’s about choosing what’s most humane, even when it hurts.

And while it may never feel “good,” it’s often the most loving, merciful choice we can make — for the mom, for the kittens, and for the many others still waiting for a chance at life.

YOU’RE DOING THE BEST YOU CAN
Every spay-abort decision is unique and deeply personal. If you’re making or have made this choice, it’s okay to grieve. It’s also okay to feel relief. What matters most is that the decision came from a place of love, care, and a desire to reduce suffering—and that deserves respect.

06/26/2025

Pets can heal families and bring them together. Beautiful story.

06/24/2025

Feral Fiesta is this Thursday! We recommend arriving before 5am to get a spot.

🐱🎉 Feral Fiesta Day Thursday! 🐱🎉

Bring your neighborhood feral cat to our Veterinary Hospital Thursday morning for Feral Fiesta Day! We will spay or neuter up to 50 cats.

Please remember this is for stray, non-pets ONLY. All cats receive an ear tip. Cats MUST be in a wire cat trap, —the minimum size is 12 " x 12 " x 32".

Note that we are out of 100% free vouchers for this program, however regular vouchers are still available, bringing the price down to $20-25 for most Shasta County residents. (Call for voucher details.)

➡️ More info: https://www.havenhumane.org/trap-neuter-release-program

06/17/2025

In this weather, never leave a pet in a car! Even with the windows down.

Hot weather can be dangerous for pets! ☀️

Never leave them in the car, keep paws off hot pavement, and watch for signs of heatstroke.

Check out these quick tips to keep your furry friends safe all summer.

06/11/2025

Romeo played a vital role in transporting trapped cats from Lake California to Haven Humane Society's clinic for spay/neuter and back home, marking significant strides in improving the lives of these cats and their community, a truly mutually beneficial outcome.

06/10/2025

Kitten Update: Wavy & Rosie 🌹

We’re thrilled to share that both Wavy and Rosie—two of the sweet Lake California kittens—are doing wonderfully and continuing to recover beautifully!

Rosie’s Journey 🌹
Rosie, the grey tabby lovingly named after the generous donor supporting her and her siblings’ medical care, came down with a nasty upper respiratory infection (URI). She spent a few days at Casa Recovery (co-founder Sarah’s home), receiving antibiotics and round-the-clock TLC. While the plan was to keep her there for the full 10-day treatment, Rosie had other ideas—she cried constantly, clearly heartbroken without her siblings. 💔

Since we couldn’t place her with Wavy (who hadn’t been vaccinated yet due to her small size), we consulted our vet and made the compassionate decision to reunite Rosie with her littermates earlier than planned. By that point, a few days of antibiotics had already made her less contagious, and the stress of isolation was doing more harm than good. As soon as she rejoined her siblings in foster care, she snuggled right in—and hasn’t stopped thriving since! Rosie has now fully recovered, and thankfully, none of the other kittens caught the infection.

Wavy’s Big Milestones 🐾
Wavy, the brown tabby, had her vet check-up yesterday and tipped the scale at a mighty 15 ounces—almost one whole pound! 🎉

While that’s still on the small side for a 9-week-old kitten (the average is 1.6 to 2.9 lbs), her consistent weight gain is a great sign, and the vet is very pleased with her progress. Best of all, she was finally big enough to receive her first FVRCP vaccine, a critical step in protecting her from deadly viruses like Panleukopenia (similar to Parvo in dogs).

Guess Who’s Eating Big Girl Food?
That’s right—Wavy is officially transitioning to solid food! While most kittens start around 4–5 weeks, our little late bloomer took her time—and we let her lead the way. She’s now happily slurping a mix of Ge**er Chicken Baby Food (yes, the kind made for humans!) mixed with kitten formula. She’s still taking a bottle too, but she’s eating more “big girl” food every day. We couldn’t be prouder! 🍼🍗

New Digs for a Growing Girl
Wavy also moved into a spacious new playpen, giving her more room to stretch her legs and explore. Huge thanks to one of our volunteers for gifting her this cozy new setup. Check out our Stories for adorable videos of Wavy settling in!

Can You Help Wavy Thrive?
Now that Wavy is starting wet food, we’re running low on supplies. Our previous generous donations have helped feed her 11 siblings—who are all doing great in foster care—but Wavy now needs her own stash of high-quality kitten food.

We’d love to feed her Royal Canin Mother & Babycat—one of the best choices for her stage of development. If you’d like to help, links to our Amazon and Chewy wishlists are below. Every can makes a difference! 💕

Amazon:
https://tinyurl.com/yxyht6a3

Chewy:
http://tinyurl.com/mtenw75k

Thank you for supporting Wavy, Rosie, and all of the Lake California kittens. Your kindness is helping them grow strong and healthy every day.