This month marks Cat Town’s ten year anniversary! We’re so proud of all we’ve accomplished together over the last decade, and we’re grateful that you have been with us for the journey. Over the past ten years we’ve focused on helping the cats who are most at risk of euthanasia, and have supported more than 2,850 cats. In that time, we’ve come a long way: from a euthanasia rate of 42% at the city shelter to less that 10% today. And at every step, you — our community — supported our vision, and our work.
When Cat Town started as an entirely foster-based organization in 2011, it was because volunteers opened their homes to help cats who became terrified when placed in a shelter cage. In doing so, we showed that these cats were not “unadoptable” cats who no one would want, as the current understanding had been at the time. They were simply reacting to an unfamiliar environment with fear — and Cat Town’s foster based model could help these cats!
“Our determined team pulled out all the stops — because you were there for us, helping us the whole time. Your support ensured that not only could we make it to the other side with our eyes to the future, but that our rescue work never slowed down.”
When Cat Town and the Cat Man of West Oakland partnered to launch the nation’s first cat cafe in 2014, we discovered that we could do even more — including teaching older kittens that humans are safe with the help of confident role model cats and targeted socialization work. A few years later, we doubled the size of our Adoption Center, making it more flexible for senior cats and cats with injuries or illnesses that required more specialized care. We also turned the cafe side of our operations over to our partners at RAWR, so we could put our all into helping shelter cats. All the while, our foster program has run strong, to ensure that no matter the need, we could find a solution to help as many cats as possible. We even shared our approach with rescues all over the country — helping organizations in more than 60 cities nationwide with the lessons we’ve learned.
Last year, Cat Town transitioned to a new Executive Director, and made it through the first year of a global pandemic. In spite of having so many firsts under our belts, 2020 pushed us to our limits. Our determined team pulled out all the stops — because you were there for us, helping us the whole time. Your support ensured that not only could we make it to the other side with our eyes to the future, but that our rescue work never slowed down.
Thank you for supporting Cat Town’s mission over the years, and helping so many cats find a second chance — your support makes everything we do possible!
2011
Cat Town was founded as an entirely foster-based organization. We helped our first cat, Lily, on March 19.
2013
Cat Town deepened support for senior cats.
2014
In October 2014, Cat Town and Adam Myatt partnered to open the nation’s first cat cafe, adding an Adoption Center to Cat Town’s operations.
2017
Cat Town doubled the size of the Adoption Center to help cats with more specialized needs, and RAWR coffee bar took over the cafe at Cat Town, so we could focus on what we love most: rescuing cats!
2018
Cat Town established an Emergency Medical Fund to help shelter cats in need of urgent care, and published a study to document that kittens as old as 10 months can be socialized in a cage-free environment.
2020
Cat Town transitioned to a new Executive Director and made it through the first year of a global pandemic, thanks to their amazing community!
2021
We’re on track to have helped 3,000 at-risk cats out of the shelter by the end of this year.