Fall?! Not at our Operations Centre. It’s still springtime at Ops! Spring, the kitten we first told you about last month, has had her ups and down, but the good news is she’s found a special friend.
Little Spring is still getting her share of human attention, as our staff and volunteers continue to help her with her troublesome kidneys. But now Spring has some kitty love too! Her new ‘bestie’ and health helper is Hamburgler, an eight-year old cat rescued by VOKRA back in June of this year.
Like Spring, Hamburgler had a bit of a rough time before VOKRA came into his life. As one of Vancouver’s many stray cats, Hamburgler was often hungry and sick. When VOKRA volunteers found him, he was crouched under machinery in a shed behind a MacDonald’s restaurant, covered in fleas and with a serious infection in one eye.
Both Spring and Hamburgler ended up at our Ops Centre where they’re getting the care and love they need, and then someone had a bright idea. The health of both cats was stabilizing, but they seemed lonely. Why not room them together?
At first, Spring wasn’t sure what to make of her new stepbrother. But Hamburgler immediately started nudging her to play and soon brought her out of her shell. It wasn’t long before the pair were tossing toys around, touching noses and snuggling up together.
The sight of the happy twosome cuddled on a cat tree is one of the highlights of a shift at Ops for many a volunteer and staff member. The coming months may still bring some cold weather for these kitties. Spring is not entirely well and most recently she took another bad turn requiring yet another emergency trip to the vet. She will be returning for another vet visit soon for an ultrasound as we continue to diagnose her issues. And Hamburgler could have more problems due to his years on the streets. But for now they keep each other warm with the help of everyone at VOKRA and each other.
Spring and Hamburgler are just two of the thousands of reasons why we Walk for the Kitties.
Each year, VOKRA rescues more than 1,400 homeless cats and kittens from around the Lower Mainland. Unlike many other animal rescue groups, VOKRA is a volunteer-driven, no-kill organization. Our work is made possible through the generous support of volunteers, adopters and people like you.
Medical care accounts for more than 50% of our annual budget. Without your support we wouldn’t be able to afford to rescue all these cats and kittens.
Walk for the Kitties is our largest fundraising event of the year. This 5k fun walk takes place at Jericho Beach and all funds raised go directly towards supporting our rescue efforts. Learn more here.
Can’t make it on September 16? You can still donate today!
Kittens, kittens and more kittens.
Kitten season may be the cutest time of the year, but it means a lot of extra costs and work for us here at VOKRA. Each year during kitten season we care for more than 600 kittens, and this year’s no exception.
As a volunteer-driven non-profit, we count on your support to be able to rescue so many kittens.
Kittens in our care have a chance at a happy, safe and healthy life. Kittens like these cuties who were found living at an industrial site out in Abbotsford. These little guys were lucky enough to be trapped by our dedicated volunteers and will now spend the rest of their lives in loving homes.
And, by taking these kittens off the streets and ensuring they’re spayed and neutered, we’re also breaking the cycle preventing more unwanted kittens from being born. It doesn’t take very long for five kittens to become 35, and for 35 kittens to become 105 and so on.
Kittens like these are just five of the thousands of reasons why we Walk for the Kitties.
Each year, VOKRA rescues more than 1,400 homeless cats and kittens from around the Lower Mainland. Our work is made possible through the generous support of volunteers, adopters and people like you.
Walk for the Kitties is our largest fundraising event of the year. This 5k fun walk takes place at Jericho Beach on September 16 and all funds raised go directly towards supporting our rescue efforts. Learn more here.
Without your support we wouldn’t be able to afford to rescue all these cats and kittens.
Please help this September 16 by joining us for Walk for the Kitties, presented by FirstMate.
Can’t make it on September 16? You can still donate today!
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Forget fall; it’s springtime all over again at our Operations Centre. Spring the kitten, that is. This little feline has been getting her fair share of attention here at Ops, with playtime and cuddles galore.
Sweet Spring’s mom was one of the many cats in Vancouver who aren’t spayed or neutered, leading to a lot of unwanted kittens for her owner. VOKRA staff and volunteers helped to spay Spring’s mom, and they’re now working hard to get Spring and her brothers and sisters ready for forever homes.
With her big amber eyes and attractive Bengal-like brown and yellow markings, Spring’s sure to be a hit when it comes time for her to be adopted. But there’s a problem. Spring’s the runt of the litter and she’s been having organ troubles. Her kidneys in particular show some congenital difficulties. Not so long ago, Spring was really nauseated and couldn’t pee or eat. Everyone at Ops spent a lot of time helping with her treatments and giving her some much-needed love.
Right now Spring’s back to her regular self. She loves to chase plastic ball toys around her kennel and afterwards scratch her small nails on her cardboard ramp or snuggle up to her many admirers.
As a no-kill rescue, our volunteers strive to give a fighting change to every cat, including kittens like Spring, whose health problems could have led to her euthanization at other centres. Everyone at Ops is hoping for a long and happy life for little Spring, with a loving friend to take care of her. There may be some colder weather ahead for this tiny kitten as she may still need some special care. But we’re all in her corner and won’t let her down.
Kittens like Spring are just one of the thousands of reasons why we Walk for the Kitties.
Each year, VOKRA rescues more than 1,400 homeless cats and kittens from around the Lower Mainland. Unlike many other animal rescue groups, VOKRA is a volunteer-driven, no-kill organization. Our work is made possible through the generous support of volunteers, adopters and people like you.
Without your support we wouldn’t be able to afford to rescue all these cats and kittens.
Walk for the Kitties is our largest fundraising event of the year. This 5k fun walk takes place at Jericho Beach and all funds raised go directly towards supporting our rescue efforts. Learn more here.
Can’t make it on September 16? You can still donate today!
Oshi’s a tiny kitten with a big heart.
He was born the smallest of his litter and was discovered living outside with his siblings. They were all very thin when they were rescued so the first task was to try and fatten them up. All the kittens quickly transitioned to eating out of bowls, but not Oshi.
Oshi’s development has been much slower than his brothers and sisters. At 10 weeks old, he’s half the size of his brother TJ and until recently he refused to eat on his own. Oshi also has trouble pooping so his foster parents need to keep a close eye on him and sometimes help him out. (This includes giving him a bath on a regular basis!)
If Oshi hadn’t been rescued it’s almost certain he wouldn’t have survived on his own. Kittens like Oshi are just one of the thousands of reasons why we Walk for the Kitties.
Each year, VOKRA rescues more than 1,400 homeless cats and kittens from around the Lower Mainland. Unlike many other animal rescue groups, VOKRA is a volunteer-driven, no-kill organization. Our work is made possible through the generous support of volunteers, adopters and people like you.
Without your support we wouldn’t be able to afford to rescue all these cats and kittens.
Walk for the Kitties is our largest fundraising event of the year. This 5k fun walk takes place at Jericho Beach and all funds raised go directly towards supporting our rescue efforts. Learn more here.
Can’t make it on September 16? You can still donate today!
Want more Oshi? You can follow him on Instagram at @DailyDoseOfOshi.
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Finn when she first arrived
Finn was trapped along with her mom Pumpkin and brother Henry at a trailer park in Langley. She arrived at VOKRA covered in fleas and with an infection that made her eyes all gooby. It was also immediately evident something was wrong with her back legs. We suspected she had swimmer syndrome, a developmental abnormality making her unable to stand.
Always a little trooper, Finn wouldn’t let her disability get in her way and would wiggle herself around our Operations Centre looking for cuddles, which, or course, she’d always get!
After several different vet visits, Finn was diagnosed with a spinal issue and it was discovered her right hind leg is significantly shorter than her left. To top it off, because she’s semi-incontinent she’s had to battle several urinary tract infections (UTIs), which isn’t uncommon for kitties with her condition. So today Finn lives with foster mom Corin and gets regular physiotherapy to help her get stronger so she can stand in her litter box and hopefully avoid future UTIs.
Finn gets regular hydrotherapy in the bathtub where she can now stand and take some steps. Corin also does both seated and standing passive manipulation with her to help train her muscles and Finn has some supports she uses to help her get around.
“Finn’s very clever and has figured our how to do pretty much everything without walking like other kitties,” said foster mom Corin. “She’s incredibly intelligent and only needs to see the other kitties in our home do something once and she mimics it.”
Along with her increased strength Finn’s litter box habits are improving so she’s currently UTI-free. If she can remain this way, she’ll head back to the vet to be spayed and will have additionally imaging done to better diagnose her issues. Then she’ll be able to start professional physiotherapy and even perhaps acupuncture.
The reality is only 25% of kittens who don’t receive human care survive. It’s a certainty Finn would not be alive today without help. Unlike many other animal rescue groups, VOKRA is a no-kill organization. This means we will always provide kittens like Finn with a chance at a happy life, no matter the cost.
“An empty lap is an invitation and Finn will fill it in seconds,” said Corin. “But behind those snuggles is a bit of a Rambo kitty. She fears nothing, not even the vaccum!”
Finn is just one of the thousands of reasons why we Walk for the Kitties.
Each year, VOKRA rescues more than 1,400 homeless cats and kittens from around the Lower Mainland. We’re volunteer-driven and our work is made possible through the generous support of people like you – our volunteers, adopters and donors. Walk for the Kitties is our largest fundraising event of the year and we rely on the funds raised to help pay for all the things like food, litter and veterinary care our kitties need.
Can’t make it on September 17? You can still help when you donate today!
You can also follow Finn’s adventures on her Instagram account at @felinefinntastic
WALL-E’s a typical feisty kitten who loves to run, jump and play. Except for one thing, he now only has three legs.
We were first alerted about WALL-E when we saw an advertisement for a kitten with a broken leg. Obviously we were very concerned so we checked things out and ended up taking him in when he was 8 weeks old. WALL-E’s left hind leg had clearly been broken at some point and had healed in a backwards position.
Here you can see WALL-E’s backwards hind leg
WALL-E didn’t let his leg slow him down one bit, but it was clear something would need to be done. After consulting with a veterinarian it was decided the leg had to be removed.
Today WALL-E’s recovering from his surgery and his foster mom Dawn is trying her best to slow him down. Sometimes she even succeeds! Soon his stitches will come out and he’ll be on his way to finding a forever home.
Kittens like WALL-E are just one of the thousands of reasons why we Walk for the Kitties.
Each year, VOKRA rescues more than 1,400 homeless cats and kittens from around the Lower Mainland. Unlike many other animal rescue groups, VOKRA is a volunteer-driven, no-kill organization. Our work is made possible through the generous support of volunteers, adopters and people like you.
Without your support we wouldn’t be able to pay for the veterinary care kittens like WALL-E need. Please help us help kitties like WALL-E this September 17 by joining us for Walk for the Kitties, presented by FirstMate.
Walk for the Kitties is our largest fundraising event of the year. This 5k fun walk takes place at Jericho Beach and all funds raised go directly towards supporting our rescue efforts. Learn more here.
Can’t make it on September 17? You can still donate today!
This adorable guy is Beamer and he’s blind. He was born on a farm and most certainly wouldn’t have survived on his own.
The reality is only 25% of kittens survive without human care and, being blind, little Beamer wouldn’t have stood a chance.
Today Beamer’s in a loving foster home where he’s getting all the care and attention he deserves. He’s visited an eye specialist and his health is constantly being monitored.
Beamer is one of the thousands of reason why we Walk for the Kitties.
Each year, VOKRA rescues more than 1,800 homeless cats in the Lower Mainland. Unlike many other animal rescue groups, VOKRA is a volunteer-driven, no-kill organization. Our work is made possible through the generous support of volunteers, adopters and people like you. Walk for the Kitties is our largest fundraising event of the year and we rely on the funds raised to pay for the expensive care kitties like Beamer need. Learn more here.
Be sure to register before the early bird deadline of September 13! After that the registration fee will increase to $40.
Can’t make it on September 18? You can still donate today!
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Long John Silver doesn’t let his injury stop him from being a scampy kitten
Tiny Long John Silver got his name because of his amazing silver fur. And because he’s missing part of his back leg.
He was rescued when a woman in Port Coquitlam spotted a mama and two kittens emerging from a carport. The kind Samaritan took the little family inside but the mama begged to be let back out. Once outside she went back to the carport and one by one brought out five more kittens.
We were called in and now the big family is safe and sound in foster care. Mom is very sweet and her mix of babies were likely no more than 4 weeks old when rescued. All the kittens are healthy except for Long John Silver who has a very damaged back leg and is missing his foot. The wound has been there for awhile and is infected, but with some TLC he’ll hopefully be able to live a normal life. He’s already made several trips to the vet though and the bills are starting to add up. But the good news is he’s healing really well and his wound is slowly closing over.
Long John Silver and his siblings
The reality is only 25% of kittens who don’t receive human care survive. The chips were stacked against Long John Silver and with his wound it’s certain he wouldn’t have made it without our help.
Long John Silver is just one of the thousands of reasons why we Walk for the Kitties.
Each year, VOKRA rescues more than 1,800 homeless cats in the Lower Mainland. Unlike many other animal rescue groups, VOKRA is a volunteer-driven, no-kill organization. Our work is made possible through the generous support of volunteers, adopters and people like you. Walk for the Kitties is our largest fundraising event of the year and we rely on the funds raised. Learn more here.
Can’t make it on September 18? You can still donate today!
 LJS loves boxes! |
 Here he is with his brother Mr. Smee.LJS is much smaller than his siblings |
Senior cat Polly was living under a vacant house when she was spotted by a letter carrier who asked us to help.
Suffering from a severe infection to her nose and left eye, poor bedraggled Polly was taken to our Operation Centre for treatment. She came in very dirty and skinny with broken teeth and many puncture wounds. We suspect she must have been attacked by another animal, but initially the vet couldn’t rule out cancer on her nose.
BEFORE & AFTER
To make matters worse, Polly is feral. This means she didn’t grow up with any human interaction so she lashes out when people come near. But this didn’t deter VOKRA co-founder Maria. She wouldn’t give up on Polly and everyday she patiently and slowly cleaned her face and applied antibiotic cream.
There was a point when Maria thought Polly’s nose would never heal, but suddenly one day new, pink skin began to grow. Today Polly’s nose is almost completely healed. After she has a couple of her rotten teeth removed, our hope is she’ll be able to live out the rest of her life in our feral barn sanctuary.
Polly is just one of the thousands of reasons why we Walk for the Kitties.
Each year, VOKRA rescues more than 1,800 homeless cats in the Lower Mainland. Unlike many other animal rescue groups, VOKRA is a volunteer-driven, no-kill organization. Our work is made possible through the generous support of volunteers, adopters and people like you.
Walk for the Kitties is our largest fundraising event of the year. Learn more here.
Can’t make it on September 18? You can still donate today!
On Sunday, VOKRA celebrated our sixth annual Walk for the Kitties, raising $50,000 for homeless cats and kittens in the Lower Mainland. Hundreds of animal lovers took part in the five kilometer walk at sunny Jericho Beach, making this the largest Walk to date.
Proceeds from the Walk will go directly to support our many initiatives aimed at ending cat overpopulation and homelessness. Each year more than 1,400 cats are adopted through VOKRA and now how a better chance at a happy and healthy life.
“Walk for the Kitties is such a special event for everyone involved. It’s a wonderful opportunity for the community to come together and be united by their love of cats and concern for their well-being,” said Maria Soroski, co-founder of VOKRA. “As a 100 percent volunteer-driven charity, this support is what allows us to continue to rescue homeless or abandoned cats, care for pregnant moms and orphaned kittens, and to help decrease and manage the feral cat population in the Lower Mainland.”
Each year for the Walk, we nominate spokeskitties that help represent the more than 14,000 cats and kittens our no-kill organization has rescued since it was founded in 2000. This year’s spokeskitties were:
- Tuffy, a sick feral cat now healthy and living out his days in comfort;
- Dino, a rescued kitten who needed surgery to save a broken leg;
- Latifah, an abandoned pregnant mom who gave birth to five kittens;
- Everest, a cat born without fully formed back legs who, after special therapy, was able to gain strength and mobility; and
- Arthur & Buster, two formerly feral cats learning what it takes to live in a loving home.
If you weren’t able to make the Walk it’s never too late to donate!
