Help Mama Find Her Forever Home

Thank you for a great year!

2025 was a great year at Gifford Cat Shelter! 490 (and still counting!) cats found their way to loving homes, and our food pantry fed more than 600 cats whose families were experiencing food insecurity, allowing them to remain in their homes.

As we approach the end of this year, please consider a donation — that will be matched $1-for-$1 —  and help us realize even more success stories in 2026.

Many cats arrive at Gifford ready to settle into their new lives. But there is another group we embrace: our special needs cats. They make up a smaller percentage of Gifford’s population, but can take up a larger portion of our resources. They are cats navigating physical disabilities, have survived physical or psychological trauma, or have lifelong medical conditions. These are the success stories that are especially meaningful.

Known only as Mama, a skinny, terrified white cat was brought to Gifford in June with her four 3-week-old kittens — Parsnip, Rufio, Sam, and Nog — after being trapped on a local street. Mama was FIV+ and all four kittens were as well.

Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV) impacts a cat’s immune system, but cats infected with FIV can live a long and happy life. Yet, cats who are FIV+ take longer to find their forever homes.

Many potential adopters visited the four FIV+ kittens for a few months, but no matches were made. Until August, when a young couple spotted them and immediately fell in love. Parsnip and Sam were adopted when the couple’s application was approved on the spot. A few months later, in October, a couple whose FIV+ resident cat had recently lost his best friend came to visit. Nog and Rufio melted their hearts and soon went to their first real home to meet their new big brother. As we approach the end of the year, Mama is still in a foster home, making slow but steady progress learning to trust humans.

Special needs cats often stay in our care longer than others, requiring more resources, patience, and, occasionally, additional vet visits. This is where your support can have a tremendous impact. Your donation, no matter the size, makes a world of difference in the lives of our cats and kittens.

Also, thanks to the generosity of long-time Gifford supporters, Dana and Cindy Mauch, every gift will be matched, up to $50,000, thus doubling its impact.

"It's a privilege to support Gifford. We believe in the mission and want to do what we can to help the cats". - Dana and Cindy Mauch

Please, act now; your donation directly supports our efforts to offer safety, care, and love to every cat who comes through our door, especially those with special needs.