When Butters arrived from Hayward Animal Services last week, it was clear he was lucky to be alive. The five-year-old kitty had been rescued from a house fire that left him with severe burns across his legs and body. Despite the trauma, he greeted our team with a spirit that refused to be broken.
Those first few days were an intensive effort to manage his injuries. He underwent chest x-rays to assess his lungs, received IV fluids for hydration, and endured multiple sedated procedures to remove damaged tissue from his wounds. Today, that crisis has shifted into a slow, steady recovery.
Butters remains in our care for around-the-clock monitoring and treatment. Each day, our team carefully tends to his wounds and the healing scabs that still spot his legs. It’s a meticulous task, but even the slightest progress makes every second worth it.
Despite the physical toll of his injuries, Butters hasn’t lost his spark. He doesn’t seem to realize he’s an injured patient — he just wants to be a cat! Even in his bright yellow bandage and “cone of shame,” he reaches out to paw at his toys, finding small moments of joy in the middle of a difficult recovery.
More than anything, Butters wants to be near people. He loves soft pets and cozy blankets, often rolling onto his side to request tummy rubs. As he makes happy air biscuits and gazes up with his brave blue eyes, he shows us exactly who he is: a gentle, affectionate, and profoundly sweet soul.
Butters still has a long road ahead, but we’ll stand by him every step of the way. Your support makes this level of specialized, lifesaving care possible. Please consider donating today to help Butters and others like him get the second chance they deserve.
Our new Furever Home is getting closer to opening its doors, and we are so excited to share the progress with you. To see how things are coming together, check out this special sneak-peek video of the construction currently underway:
Each day brings us closer to the moment we finally welcome cats and supporters into our new space. This facility will allow us to double the number of lives we can save, and as we prepare for this next chapter, we invite you to help shape it.
You can leave a lasting legacy by sponsoring part of our new home with a dedication to a loved one — furry or human, here or remembered. Gifts of any amount make a pivotal difference. Visit our Furever Home page to learn more about sponsorship opportunities and help us cross the finish line.
Together, we’re creating a future where even more cats get the second chances they deserve. Stay tuned — exciting grand opening plans are on the way!
Spay and Neuter Awareness
This Spay and Neuter Awareness Month, the message is more urgent than ever. What we once knew as “Kitten Season” — typically from spring through early fall — has stretched longer and become more unpredictable. Milder winters in the Bay Area mean we’re seeing kittens arrive well outside the traditional season, leaving thousands at risk.
More than 85% of kittens born outdoors do not survive their first year. It’s a heartbreaking statistic, but one we can change together. The most effective way to prevent this suffering is simple: spay and neuter cats before they can reproduce.
Our clinic provides expert care with affordable pricing to ensure every family can access these services. With the spring peak fast approaching, now is the time to act. Visit our website to book your appointment online and help us stop unwanted litters before they start.
A few weeks ago, a box was left outside our clinic doors overnight. Inside were six fragile kittens, barely five weeks old. Some weighed just over half a pound. They were dehydrated, flea-infested, and struggling to breathe; several had eyes sealed shut from infection. It was a heartbreaking sight.
The moment we opened that box, we mobilized. This wasn’t a standard intake — this was crisis medicine.
The recovery plan was intensive: fluids for dehydration, nebulization to help them breathe, and around-the-clock feedings for those too weak to eat on their own. Our team came in early and stayed late, reassessing these tiny patients constantly.
When kittens arrive this young and without a mother, we have no medical history and no idea how long they’ve been without warmth or food. In these moments, every minute matters.
Poor Zelda’s eyes were swollen and infected.
Because of this community, we were ready. Your support ensures we have the staff, medications, and foster network needed to act. Today, those kittens are gaining weight and responding to treatment in a loving foster home. They are alive because you believe in this work.
More “Legend of Zelda” kittens: Sheik and Navi (L); Ganondorf and Skull Kid (R)
Last year, we saved more than 750 kittens in our current buildings. It takes creativity, determination, and an incredible team to keep up in spaces that are simply too small for the demand we face. Our new Furever Home will give us the dedicated medical space and capacity to do so much more. Instead of constantly adapting to limitations, we’ll be able to help even more kittens when they need us most.
We are so close to opening our new facility, and we need your help to finish strong. Please make a gift today to help bring our Furever Home to life.
