December 17, 2021 – Seal Beach, CA – As we approach the time of year where families gather to celebrate, we wanted to share with you our excitement about what we playfully refer to as the CatPAWS Traveling Kitty Comfort and Therapy Show – our version of kitty therapy!
We had a dear friend of our rescue named Priscilla Maltbie, a talented writer and published author. She shared all our posts and was responsible for at least one kitty adoption; a friend of hers saw our post for an adoptable cat on her page. She lived her last years with limited mobility in an assisted living facility where she could not have cats, which she loved so dearly, of her own so a CatPAWS volunteer took her own cats to visit.
Our friend Priscilla was the inspiration for bringing cats to an assisted living facility. The human-animal bond can be so powerful, and animals can reach people in wonderful and profound ways. The health benefits of pets are well known, with lowered blood pressure, reducing stress, and increasing happiness!
We started first at a facility in Long Beach, Glen Park Healthy Living. Learning of these visits, an activities director at Sunrise Senior Living in Seal Beach approached us to ask if we could bring our furry band of merry makers to that facility and we happily agreed! Sadly, we had to suspend those visits of course in March of 2020 as COVID descended on us, but we have recently been able to resume them, to the delight of all. In fact, we will be adding another beautiful new facility in Cypress to the 2022 show tour dates!
Before we take these kitties, clearly the ‘stars’ of the show, on these heartwarming visits, we have to take them in, care for them, get them healthy and strong. That takes time, love, and money. Please help support our ‘talent’ – the kitties – with a donation or becoming a volunteer!
Words alone cannot express the smiles and joy that our kitties bring to these residents, often reaching them in ways human interaction does not. On our special holiday visit to Sunrise, we handed out calendars and cards! Our amazing volunteer team which enables these tender moments and the forward-thinking facilities that invited us have helped make these holidays joyous for folks.
As this program continues to grow, we will continue to share these magical moments that are so important in our local communities. Thank you for being part of our CatPAWS family – and for Saving Lives and Making Smiles alongside us.
About Helen Sanders CatPAWS
Founded in 2010 to continue the legacy of Helen Sanders, who practiced and advocated trap-neuter-return (TNR) for feral community cats ever since the 1990s. CatPAWS rescues at risk cats from public shelters, finds adoptive homes, provides support to the community with education, low or no-cost spay/neuter vouchers, traveling kitten therapy program, and the DIY kitten care project. Visit www.helensanderscatpaws.com, CatPAWS Facebook page, or call 562-280-4450 to learn more or get involved.