Scratch This: Long Beach Community Cat Project spay/neuter clinic shuts off the faucets

Last week's Scratch This! column, titled “Claw-dy with a chance of whiskers,” covered the kindles of kittens born outside during the warm months and the impossibility for shelters and rescues to rescue them all. The article also focused on the one sure way to mitigate the millions of kittens who’ll wind up producing more kittens until they die an early death: TNR, or trap/neuter (and spay, vaccinate, all that stuff)/release — not just doing it cat by cat but colony by colony and en masse wherever community cats congregate.

“Fixing a cat here, fixing a cat there — you’re making a difference for that cat, but you’re not making a difference for that colony,” said Claudia Otis, founder of The Little Lion Foundation.

LLF is an all-volunteer-run nonprofit dedicated to saving and improving lives, with a focus on eliminating euthanasia in public shelters of healthy, at-risk or treatable cats in public shelters. Otis and her team founded LLF in 2016 in a spirit of dealing with everything that causes newborn kittens to suffer and die, working through partnerships, educating the public, and efforts such as TNR.

Along with other animal rescue and welfare organizations, LLF is an integral part of the targeted TNR effort in Long Beach that was the focus of last week’s article.

In 2019, in partnership with Helen Sanders CatPAWS, LLF set up a brick-and-mortar location in the California Heights neighborhood. The building was home to the Little Paws Kitten Nursery, which took in unweaned newborn kittens, nursed them to health, and found fosters and forever homes for them. When the two entities dissolved the partnership, LLF expanded its lifesaving efforts to increase adoptions, establish a wellness clinic, and focus on TNR.

The Long Beach Community Cat Project, in partnership that includes LLF, Long Beach Animal Care Services and Friends of Long Beach Animals, provides free spay/neuter procedures and vaccines for community cats in LBACS and by brought in by cat trappers. The project provides free spay/neuter procedures, vaccinations, flea treatment and ear tipping to trappers operating in LBACS’ service areas: Long Beach, Signal Hill, Cerritos and Los Alamitos. Services. The community is educated and engaged to take an active part in trapping.

“Cats (in general) are not being served by our city shelters and our communities,” Otis said. “Shelters aren’t taking in many unless they’re injured or neonates. The only way to end the suffering is a fix — less kittens being born, hopefully zero, and healthier cats. We’re doing that large-scale in Long Beach. We’re looking at the whole city of Long Beach as a colony!”

Otis wanted the TNR community to have a place where they can bring trapped cats without having to dig into their pockets for the copay from the LBACS voucher program. The vouchers are a welcome nip out of the cost of a vet visit, but most of the trappers handle the copay themselves. The out-of-pocket costs mount up, even with the low-cost veterinary options in the area. The nonprofit FixNation offers free spay/neuter procedures to TNR volunteers and will do several procedures from each trapper, but the cats have to be schlepped all the way to Sun Valley.

The Community Cat Project fills the service gap for independent trappers.

“We’re breaking down the barriers of accessibility and cost,” Otis said.

TNR hits targeted areas

Amanda Barajas does double duty as LLF’s community cat coordinator and at LBACS, where she also coordinates fosters for dogs.

“We have our own model — targeted TNR, which prioritizes the hot-spot areas in Long Beach ]where more cats are birthing kittens outdoors],” she said. “We plan on doing more outreach in those areas to get the community involved and get more cats fixed there. We’re doing all of Long Beach, but we’re using the data from the shelter to target those areas.”

TNR data sharing by LLF, LBACS and other TNR efforts will also be used to determine whether shelter intake from the targeted areas decline because of TNR. Otis said that ideally, results would be monitored quarterly for an indefinite period or, as shelter manager Dr. Melanie Wagner quipped, “there are no more kittens coming in.” Otis added that there wouldn’t be any defining results for about three years.

“I’m very happy that the shelter is onboard with this,” Barajas said.

With the number of community cats that are fixed every time there’s a clinic, which so far are Thursdays and Fridays, it could be sooner. The day before the interview, the clinic fixed 26 cats, 10 from LBACS and 16 from independent trappers. That was impressive considering that it had been raining the night before, which put a literal damper on trapping efforts.

The previous week, though, 35 came in each day, reaching the clinic’s intake limit. That’s a good effort as well as an indication of how severe the need is for such a program in Long Beach and anywhere there are unaltered outdoor cats.

“With proper funding, we’ll surpass our goal of 2,500 in 2025,” Barajas said.

Otis and Barajas want to extend the availability of surgery appointments after the ducks — cats, rather — are in order and things are going smoothly.

The spay/neuter procedures are free to the trappers but not to LLF.

“Little Lion funds everything above the $100 copayments from the vouchers,” Otis said. “We’re fundraising like crazy, and we’re begging from everybody.”

Supplemental funding is provided by Friends of Long Beach Animals and a grant program from Michelson Found Animals, but expenses still exist for the LLF team. Other partners in the area donate $20 or $30 per cat, and the vouchers from the city help as well.

LLF is opening a wellness clinic this Tuesday, continuing every Tuesday thereafter unless otherwise specified. The clinic will offer low-cost vaccinations, tests for disease, and spay/neuter procedures for owned cats and friendly community cats. All proceeds from the clinic will help fund the community cat spay/neuter program (see Tail waggin’ and nose-boopin’ events to make an appointment).

Residents of other cities contact LLF, saying that they are inspired by the Long Beach Community Cat Project and want to reach out to their own shelters.

“This program is going to be a model,” Barajas said.

“That’s our goal!” Otis said.

If you’re actively trapping cats and want to make an appointment at Little Lion for spay/neuter procedures, access this link.

Learn to bottle-feed newborn kittens on Saturday, March 15, 11 p.m.–3 p.m. at Pet Food Express, 4220 Long Beach Blvd., Long Beach.

Attend the clinic’s grand opening Saturday, March 29, 1 p.m.–3 p.m., 1179 E. Wardlow Rd., Long Beach.

YOURS DROOLY

Meet some of the little lions that are surely going to be rulers of their own prides, both human and anything other than feline (because they’re all kings and queens — ask any of them).

To adopt any Little Lion cat, access this link. While you’re on the adoption page, look at the other adoptables, particularly the adults. Lucky kittens who make it to shelters and rescues get adopted pretty quickly because of their irresistible adorableness, while their adult counterparts who’ve been awaiting loving homes are overlooked. Little Lion has plenty of grownup cats, so please check them out, too.

Claudia Otis is wincing from the love bite that 3-month-old Phoenix is gracing her with. Neighbors found this beautiful little ball of floof by himself when he was a struggling newborn, and Little Lion took him in and bottle-fed him. Now, Phoenix is playful and always ready to let anyone nearby know how he feels. He’ll be ready to take home in a couple of weeks!

Here’s more floof! This little guy cuddled by Amanda Barajas goes by the name of Quokka. He’s a Long Beach Animal Care Services alumnus, coming in at 2 months old. He’s about 3 months old now, and there’s sure to be a waiting list for him before he’s ready to leave. He’s playful and loves all his toys, is a glutton for dinner, and cuddles with his foster mom on a full tummy. He’ll be fine solo, with an accepting cat in the household, or adopted with another kitty! He’s too young to be in a home with toddlers, but people with kitty experience would be ideal. Just store anything that smells remotely like food in a safe place!

Becky Dolhinow is Little Lion’s volunteer surgery assistant and general factotum. She cleans out traps while cats are in surgery, keeps the clinic stocked, gives vaccines, fills out a ton of paperwork as early as 6 a.m. — whatever needs doing, she does. At the beginning of the interview, Dolkinow was bending over Firecracker’s kennel and baby-talking, “Ooo, you little sweetie! I want to take you right home with me! Wouldja like dat? Wouldja?” The least floofy of the floofs, Firecracker is certainly adorable and has soft, silky fur. He loves to explore and play with his littermates and foster humans. He also has an endearing little pot belly, a silly walk and a tail that wags like a dog’s. Firecracker is about 5 months old and ready to go home — if you can get past Becky!

TAIL-WAGGIN' AND NOSE-BOOPIN' EVENTS

Community Cat Project Wellness Services

The Little Lion Foundation begins its wellness program for owned cats and friendly community felines on Tuesday, March 18 and will continue weekly on Tuesdays. Services include low-cost spay/neuter (schedule for Thursday and Friday only), vaccines, microchips, flea and worm treatment, and FIV/FELV tests. Book your appointment and check the price list here.

The Community Cat Project Wellness Services takes place Tuesdays, 10 a.m.–3 p.m. 21, 5:30 p.m.–8:30 p.m. at 1179 E. Wardlow Rd., Long Beach

Kitten Shower fundraiser

Kitten season brings showers of kittens. TippedEars rescue is planning a shower for some of these kittens in the form of a fundraiser that will provide an umbrella for the organization as they deal with the downpour. Enjoy games, prizes and, naturally, the kittens. Presents for the kitties are welcome but not necessary.

TippedEars’ kitten shower takes place Friday, March 21, 5:30 p.m.–8:30 p.m. at Cool Cat Collective, 2741 E. 4^th St., C, Long Beach

Helen Sanders CatPAWS 12^th annual bowling fundraiser

Knock down some pins for the purrers at CatPAWS! This family-fun event includes two hours of bowling, shoes included; appetizer or pizza, with soft drink; and an opportunity drawing with great prizes. If you don’t want to bowl, you can sit on the fence in bowling pin posture like a veritable cat and cheer on your friends!

Proceeds will help feed, house, spay/neuter and vaccinate, and give any medical treatment needed to our adoptable cats. They will also help fund CatPAWS’ mobile spay/neuter clinic, which makes great progress in lowering the number of kittens born to the streets, who grow into unwanted, homeless cats.

The Helen Sanders CatPAWS bowling fundraiser takes place Saturday, March 29, 3 p.m.–6 p.m. at Westminster Lanes, 6471 Westminster Blvd., Westminster. Tickets available here, $45 general admission, $25 food only, spectator

Show Me Your Kitties: Cabaret variety show to sponsor Little Lion Foundation cats

Alley cats and kittens, come to the caberet for a decadent evening of cat-themed performances: burlesque, ballet, belly dancing (no belly rubs, please!), fire dancing, musicians, contortionists (just like your cat!) and pole purrrr-formers! The performers love to interact with the crowd, so arrive early to get the best seat!

We encourage our audience to dress up, whether it be your favorite cat-ears, leopard-print tee or glamourous gown! Not included but available are craft cocktails and a limited menu of delicious dishes from The Carvery restaurant.

Money raised from ticket sales will go directly to fund Little Lion’s brand-new on-site spay/neuter clinic for community cats. Enjoy a great show and help control cat overpopulation at the same time!

Show Me Your Kitties takes place Saturday, March 29 at the At the Top Club, 105 W. Broadway, Long Beach. Doors open 5:30 p.m.; show begins 6:30 p.m. Tickets from $35.60 at this link; early-bird special through March 1

Need a low-cost veterinarian, information about trapping community cats, places to volunteer, rescues and shelters to adopt from — anything pet related? Follow this link for resources. Please add your own ideas in the Comments section.