02/05/2024
Kzoo Cat Cafe and Rescue needs your support more than ever 💜 🐱
Real Rescue Talk ahead...
3 years ago... we were coming to the end of our old lease, and hit dead end after dead end in trying to finance a new space of our own. We were told over and over that our non-profit didn't have enough of a profit (because we spend it on the cats, you know - our mission??) to trust we'd be able to pay... until we ran out of time.
We thought the PURRfect forever home that we had found wouldn't be ours - but we were lucky enough to be working with one of the nicest, greatest, most supportive people of all time, who worked with us for the past 3 years to support our move, our mission and has actually BELIEVED in us.
In the last 3 years, we had to spend $14,695.87 on the 'site plan' for the new building (having to make alterations to the inside and outside of the building, including the $3k to draw it all, $7+ on the building itself, and another $3k on landscaping and on the parking lot), to be approved for occupancy from the city... $12,323.43 on property taxes because we couldn't apply for exception (which we now have) because we weren't approved for occupancy yet, PLUS 9 EXTRA months of paying rent on TWO locations while we completed this process... and we took care of it. All of it.
This year, it was time to move to traditional financing (which we weren't able to get 3 years ago)... and since just before new year, we've been jumping through hoop after hoop to PROVE that we are capable. Making phone calls, answering questions, dealing with the most ridiculous condescending and frustrating conversations, sending emails, providing both personal and business financial information... everything that was asked of us, and more, and we were finally approved. Kind of.
As a condition of our approval, 6 months of our monthly payments is being held in an inaccessible account for the first year, and the DAY before closing, we were told that the closing costs we were expecting, were actually MORE than double.
Essentially, our operating budget (money in the bank for the kitties) was completely slashed by about half in a matter of one week.
In July, Kzoo Cat Cafe and Rescue will be 7 years old. We made it through the first 3 years (which, statistically, most small businesses don't) - we made it through COVID, and we've made it through our big move and all the unexpected costs... and we've done 1250 adoptions to date. We've rescued and helped 1600+ kitties in the Kalamazoo community who have needed us most.
With all your support, we have had the privileged position of being able to help kitties who are in need without hesitation, help kitties that other rescues have turned away for not being 'adoptable' enough, help kitties anyway who's outcome we know won't be good, and provide what some may see as 'above and beyond' care to our cafe kitties while they wait with us to find their own forever home.
And we will not be able to continue to do so without your continued support. Now more than ever.
At this very moment, I've got a kitty on my lap (Goose, you may know him) who has had multiple vet appointments, ran blood work over and over, and other testing to figure out what is going on with him... and we still don't know... And next to me is a touch and go, 6oz 2+ week old baby kitten (Toaster Strudel) who has pnemonia and has to be tube fed every few hours because he can't eat.
Today we paid a $3,900 deposit at a specialty vet for a kitty who, after several vet appointments and attempted procedures already, needed a CT scan to figure out how to treat him moving forward (Barnaby)... and another vet visit today for a kitty (Dalton) who was attacked and had multiple injuries, including severe injuries to his foot which are badly infected.
It never stops.
In fact, summer is our BUSIEST rescue season, and we see the least number of visitors to the cafe, and the least number of adoptions in the summer months.
TL;DR - we NEED help. MEOW is the time.
Every time I think, ok phew we've jumped the last hurdle, now we can really focus on the cats - something else comes up. Having our operating budget slashed in half wasn't something we had planned on during our busiest rescue and slowest adoption season... but here we are. We have ALWAYS relied on the support of our amazing community.
YOU have gotten us this far. YOU have visited, YOU have donated, YOU have adopted.... and we need YOU more now than ever!!
PLEASE take a second to like, comment or share our story.
PLEASE donate if you are able. PLEASE come visit the kitties at the cafe. PLEASE consider adding a furry family member this summer if you are able. PLEASE attend one of our events! There are SO many ways to get involved and show your support.
We appreciate you. We need you. The kitties need you 💜
Thank you,
🐾 Abbey
Director,
Kzoo Cat Cafe and Rescue
