Cats with second lives

FOR THE RECORD: The Jan. 15 article “Cats with second lives,” incorrectly listed Deanna Shapiro as the founder of Second Chance Pet Adoptions. The nonprofit’s founder is Patti Heinly; Shapiro is the founder of the Cat Cause Foundation.***************

One local woman’s mission is to keep all felines from being euthanized at local animal shelters by giving them homes and preventing excess breeding.

Her organization, Second Chance Pet Adoptions, offers spay/neuter assistance, trap/neuter/release for feral cats, fostering and adoptions of unwanted cats and kittens, medical care for sick or injured cats, and community education on the proper care of cats and the importance of spaying and neutering.

“Second Chance is a true no-kill rescue organization,” founder Deanna Shapiro said. “We are a nonprofit 501(c)3, run by volunteers. We don’t receive any government assistance, and rely on donations and grants to provide for the cats and kittens in our care. One hundred percent of any money received is used for the cats.”

Shapiro founded Second Chance with a small group of cat lovers in 2001.

Currently, the organization is working to place more than 70 cats; during kitten season, they care for up to 120.

“We adopt between 200 and 250 cats and kittens a year,” Shapiro said.

Shapiro said due to superstitious stigma and a fear of dark fur shedding on furniture, black cats are the least adopted — and most euthanized, Shapiro said, although they lack the health issues of other breeds.

“Black cats and kittens get overlooked all the time for the more colorful ones,” Shapiro said. “It’s really sad, especially since black cats have the most wonderful personalities. They are always sweet and affectionate, and rarely have ‘cat-attitude.’”

Second Chance’s cats may be viewed at the Petco at 5961 Warner Ave. or PetSmart at 7600 Edinger Ave., as well as at their foster homes.

Second Chance’s current needs include funding, volunteers and foster homes for kittens and sick cats. Wish list items (see box) can be delivered to the two pet stores.

“We really need someone to focus on fundraising and grant writing,” Shapiro said.

The organization’s volunteers receive first availability to put their foster and bottle-fed cats in the stores.

When they have extra room, they accept cats from owners, and try to rescue cats from “death row” at area shelters as space allows.

Shapiro eventually plans to open a cage-free, no-kill cat shelter and sanctuary somewhere in Orange County, along with her larger goal to have all pets spayed or neutered by their owners before they breed.

“By working together with organizations like the OCSPCA and the Cat Cause Foundation, it might be possible,” she said. “For being one of the wealthiest counties in the country, it’s shameful that our local government doesn’t do anything to help.”

Shapiro fondly remembers two cats who spent more than a year at Second Chance. Diagnosed with cerebral tumors when they were 4 weeks old, the cats shook whenever they were scared or excited; their back legs wobbled when they ran.

“Blossom and Sierra always brought smiles to the volunteers’ faces, who saw these special kitties get overlooked by potential adopters all the time,” Shapiro said.

When they were fully grown, the cats only weighed six pounds each, but Shapiro said they were normal cats in all other respects.

“They would eat, use the litter box, play, climb and purr when held,” she said; their mother may have suffered distemper while she was pregnant, or the kittens may have been around drug fumes before they were rescued, which affected their neurological development.

The two were placed in August at a home in Orange.

“My inspiration comes from the cats,” Shapiro said. “It’s so rewarding to walk into the adoption center and have them all run to the front of their cages to get your attention. Seeing them play and having them cuddle and purr with you is heartwarming, especially when you realize that most of them would be killed if they ended up at shelter simply because of lack of space. The cats and kittens that come to Second Chance are the lucky ones.”

For more information, call (714) 715-3027 or visit secondchancepetadoptions.org.

SECOND CHANCE’S WISH LIST

?Science Diet or Nutro Max dry cat food: adult and kitten

?Canned cat food

?Non-clumping (clay) cat litter

?New cat toys

?Bath towels and mats, sheets, baby blankets

?KMR kitten formula and bottles

?Waterproof heating pads

?Cat condos

?Bleach, laundry detergent

?Paper towels

?Large plastic trash bags

CANDICE BAKER can be reached at (714) 966-4631 or at candice.baker@latimes.com.