Flatbush Cats - Lionel Fund
Donation protected
About Lionel
Lionel was a tough street kitty we brought in as part of our trap, neuter and return (TNR) efforts to address the large feral and homeless cat population in Brooklyn, NY.
Even though he was well past the normal socialization window for feral kittens, there was something special about Lionel. And he needed medical care too, so we moved him into foster care for socialization and treatment.
Very soon Lionel was thriving, loving cuddle time, and charming people around the world with his turnaround story!
We were so excited to get him off the streets and into a loving forever home. Unfortunately only a month after his adoption, Lionel began experiencing symptoms of FIP (Feline infectious peritonitis) - a fast, unforgiving, and fatal disease that we still don’t fully understand. And because it strikes so quickly, he was gone in just a few days.
We're devastated and in complete shock that our sweet boy could be taken away like this. Our only solace is that his eyes closed on a world of safety, and comfort, and that he was loved by his family and friends all around the world.
We believe the best way to honor Lionel's memory is to help more cats like him, here in Brooklyn and beyond.
---
Our goal is to raise at least $3,000 to do three things: (1) save 10+ more cats from the street like Lionel, (2) help build a trap bank for rescue volunteers in Brooklyn, and (3) help to find a cure for FIP. The more we raise, the more cats we can help.
---
More detail:
1 - We're actively bringing cats like Lionel off the street every day, so funds raised here will support our rescue and TNR efforts in Brooklyn. This includes medical + emergency care, food and supplies for community cats as well as our rescue + foster network. Each cat we pull from the street costs us several hundred dollars in vet costs and supplies (and that's assuming there are no serious medical issues) - so for every $300 we raise, that's another street kitty we can save!
2 - We're also working with other rescue partners to create a local trap bank for new TNR (trap neuter return) volunteers who aren't able to buy or store their own equipment. Box traps are a safe, humane way to bring feral cats to the ASPCA for spay/neuter and vaccinations. We'll be investing in traps, dividers, and other basic supplies that can be used over and over again to help dozens - even hundreds - of cats. Traps will be located at a shared space in Crown Heights, Brooklyn and available to use at no cost for ASPCA certified caretakers. We also offer free mentoring, support resources, and a dedicated community/group for new volunteers to get help from nearby rescue experts.
3 - We'll be making a $500 donation to research dedicated to finding a cure for FIP. No parent should receive the devastating news that their previously healthy kitten suddenly has hours to live. Amazingly, recent research and clinical trials are showing great promise. We're proud to support the Bria Fund for FIP Research, part of the Winn Feline Foundation and a leader in the fight against FIP. We invite donors that have lost a pet to FIP to share their own dedication or memorial note with us below.
Why this approach?
Research is critical, and we do believe a better answer for FIP may be around the corner. But the longer we wait, the bigger the problem becomes. Our streets are filled with kittens, abandoned strays and feral cats that need help now. We believe pairing a research donation with resources for rescue and new volunteer support is the best way to help as many cats as possible, starting right away. Fewer unwanted cats and kittens on the streets means we can provide better care to the thousands of cats currently crowding area shelters.
About TNR
In a Trap Neuter Return program, community cats are humanely trapped (with box traps), brought to a veterinarian to be spayed or neutered, vaccinated, "ear tipped" (the universal sign that a community cat has been neutered and vaccinated), and then returned to their outdoor home. This is considered the most humane and effective way to improve community cats' lives while curbing the reproduction cycle. Friendly cats and kittens are socialized and adopted into homes, while unadoptable feral cats are assigned a community caretaker to make sure they are fed and as safe as possible.
About FIP
Feline infectious peritonitis (FIP), is a progressive, systemic and fatal disease resulting from a mutation in the coronavirus. While the coronavirus is common in cats, especially in multi-cat living environments, only about 10-12% of cases end in FIP. Although it affects less than one percent of all cats, it can affect cats of any age and is the largest killer of cats under three years of age. FIP is currently fatal in more than 95 percent of cases, and there is currently no cure. We worked with our vet to donate tissue samples from Lionel for research purposes.
About us (Flatbush Cats)
We're a husband and wife team running an all-volunteer TNR (trap neuter return) + rescue organization in Flatbush, Brooklyn. We got involved because we saw cats suffering on the streets everywhere around us. Every other rescue was already maxed out, so in our spare time we began doing TNR in our area. We've rescued and fostered many cats like Lionel ourselves, and are building out a community network so we can help even more. We're just volunteers with day jobs, but in our spare time we've already spayed/neutered 100+ cats and found forever homes for 40+ cats since early 2017. You can see our rescue stories on our Instagram (main channel), Twitter or Facebook. Although donations for this project are not tax deductible, we're currently in the process of becoming a 501(c)(3). More info about us and current adoption listings can be found at flatbushcats.com.
Thanks for your continued support.
Lionel was a tough street kitty we brought in as part of our trap, neuter and return (TNR) efforts to address the large feral and homeless cat population in Brooklyn, NY.
Even though he was well past the normal socialization window for feral kittens, there was something special about Lionel. And he needed medical care too, so we moved him into foster care for socialization and treatment.
Very soon Lionel was thriving, loving cuddle time, and charming people around the world with his turnaround story!
We were so excited to get him off the streets and into a loving forever home. Unfortunately only a month after his adoption, Lionel began experiencing symptoms of FIP (Feline infectious peritonitis) - a fast, unforgiving, and fatal disease that we still don’t fully understand. And because it strikes so quickly, he was gone in just a few days.
We're devastated and in complete shock that our sweet boy could be taken away like this. Our only solace is that his eyes closed on a world of safety, and comfort, and that he was loved by his family and friends all around the world.
We believe the best way to honor Lionel's memory is to help more cats like him, here in Brooklyn and beyond.
---
Our goal is to raise at least $3,000 to do three things: (1) save 10+ more cats from the street like Lionel, (2) help build a trap bank for rescue volunteers in Brooklyn, and (3) help to find a cure for FIP. The more we raise, the more cats we can help.
---
More detail:
1 - We're actively bringing cats like Lionel off the street every day, so funds raised here will support our rescue and TNR efforts in Brooklyn. This includes medical + emergency care, food and supplies for community cats as well as our rescue + foster network. Each cat we pull from the street costs us several hundred dollars in vet costs and supplies (and that's assuming there are no serious medical issues) - so for every $300 we raise, that's another street kitty we can save!
2 - We're also working with other rescue partners to create a local trap bank for new TNR (trap neuter return) volunteers who aren't able to buy or store their own equipment. Box traps are a safe, humane way to bring feral cats to the ASPCA for spay/neuter and vaccinations. We'll be investing in traps, dividers, and other basic supplies that can be used over and over again to help dozens - even hundreds - of cats. Traps will be located at a shared space in Crown Heights, Brooklyn and available to use at no cost for ASPCA certified caretakers. We also offer free mentoring, support resources, and a dedicated community/group for new volunteers to get help from nearby rescue experts.
3 - We'll be making a $500 donation to research dedicated to finding a cure for FIP. No parent should receive the devastating news that their previously healthy kitten suddenly has hours to live. Amazingly, recent research and clinical trials are showing great promise. We're proud to support the Bria Fund for FIP Research, part of the Winn Feline Foundation and a leader in the fight against FIP. We invite donors that have lost a pet to FIP to share their own dedication or memorial note with us below.
Why this approach?
Research is critical, and we do believe a better answer for FIP may be around the corner. But the longer we wait, the bigger the problem becomes. Our streets are filled with kittens, abandoned strays and feral cats that need help now. We believe pairing a research donation with resources for rescue and new volunteer support is the best way to help as many cats as possible, starting right away. Fewer unwanted cats and kittens on the streets means we can provide better care to the thousands of cats currently crowding area shelters.
About TNR
In a Trap Neuter Return program, community cats are humanely trapped (with box traps), brought to a veterinarian to be spayed or neutered, vaccinated, "ear tipped" (the universal sign that a community cat has been neutered and vaccinated), and then returned to their outdoor home. This is considered the most humane and effective way to improve community cats' lives while curbing the reproduction cycle. Friendly cats and kittens are socialized and adopted into homes, while unadoptable feral cats are assigned a community caretaker to make sure they are fed and as safe as possible.
About FIP
Feline infectious peritonitis (FIP), is a progressive, systemic and fatal disease resulting from a mutation in the coronavirus. While the coronavirus is common in cats, especially in multi-cat living environments, only about 10-12% of cases end in FIP. Although it affects less than one percent of all cats, it can affect cats of any age and is the largest killer of cats under three years of age. FIP is currently fatal in more than 95 percent of cases, and there is currently no cure. We worked with our vet to donate tissue samples from Lionel for research purposes.
About us (Flatbush Cats)
We're a husband and wife team running an all-volunteer TNR (trap neuter return) + rescue organization in Flatbush, Brooklyn. We got involved because we saw cats suffering on the streets everywhere around us. Every other rescue was already maxed out, so in our spare time we began doing TNR in our area. We've rescued and fostered many cats like Lionel ourselves, and are building out a community network so we can help even more. We're just volunteers with day jobs, but in our spare time we've already spayed/neutered 100+ cats and found forever homes for 40+ cats since early 2017. You can see our rescue stories on our Instagram (main channel), Twitter or Facebook. Although donations for this project are not tax deductible, we're currently in the process of becoming a 501(c)(3). More info about us and current adoption listings can be found at flatbushcats.com.
Thanks for your continued support.
Organizer
Will Zweigart
Organizer
Brooklyn, NY
Begin your fundraising journey
