Press

Rescue Report:

On Sunday, I attended the 16th annual Cocktails for Critters fundraiser for Felines & Friends. I appreciated that Bobbi Heller, Felines & Friends executive director, invited me to be one of her guests.

It was a perfect afternoon as I sat on the patio at Zocalo Clubhouse. The trio, Swing Set, was playing “Mona Lisa” as I sipped a glass of white wine while enjoying a plate of heavenly appetizers provided by Coast2Coast Catering.

Felines & Friends is an independent nonprofit organization that is not funded by tax dollars or national organizations. Felines & Friends relies on the support of the community. Celebrating 24 years of rescuing cats in New Mexico, Felines & Friends has helped over 7,000 cats and several dozen dogs.

In the last 3 years, Felines & Friends has had more kittens in their care than ever before. In 2024, Felines & Friends took in over 380 kittens and adult cats and more than 390 were adopted from their locations at the Turquoise Teapot & Cat Cafe, Petco, Teca Tu, Santa Fe Cats, and those in foster homes.

As I sat at the table, I looked around at all the amazing people in attendance. If anyone has ever organized an event or a fundraiser, you know that it is not an easy task. Besides the wonderful music and food, a silent auction was available. Local vendors and businesses are to be commended for donating items to such a worthy cause.

“As Felines & Friends continues to evolve and grow, thank you to our hard-working Board,” thanked Heller. She also gave thanks to her volunteers. “Every volunteer task is important to the overall mission of providing second chances to cats in need. From trapping to bottle feeding to transporting to vets to daily cleaning at our adoption centers, everyone’s time and efforts are vital.” Adding, “I would like to also acknowledge all our hard-working volunteers who follow up on voicemails, process adoption applications, conduct “meet n greets,” finalize adoptions, and do hands on rescue. We are always looking for more volunteers to lighten the load.”

The community continues to rely on Felines & Friends as the primary resource for cats and kittens in need of a second chance. “Without donors and a great team of dedicated staff and volunteers, we couldn’t save so many lives,” states Heller.

The increased intake of kittens, abandoned cats with no home to return to and feral cats in need of trap/neuter/return continues to put an enormous strain on not only the Felines & Friends staff and volunteers at Santa Fe Cats, but also purchasing basic resources such as kitten formula, food, and litter. The costs associated with rescue continue to increase.

Felines & Friends has ongoing wish lists on both Amazon and Chewy for basic supplies and for the Fund-A-Need program which will continue throughout the year on their website.

Felines & Friends currently has over two hundred cats in their care, and over fifty cats in their long-term program, the Godpurrent program. Cats in this program are considered adopted, but F&F remains their legal owner and provides medical care for the rest of their lives. This includes medical care, prescription food, and other supplies. With the Godpurrent program, folks can sponsor a specific permanent foster's care with a monthly donation.

National TV Appearance on Animal Planet’s Puppy Bowl XX - January 30th, 2024