3 Ways to Help Shelter Cats This Christmas

It's the most wonderful time of the year, but for cats in shelters waiting for their forever home, it's "just another day". Wouldn't it be wonderful to bring them a little Christmas too? On Friday I'll be telling you about a very special event that I participated in along with many other members of the cat blogosphere. In the meantime, here are a few ways to help shelter cats this Christmas with just a click of the mouse.

1) Santa Paws Drive. Now in their sixth year, Santa Paws Drive was the first "virtual toy drive" for pets! In the past, toys and treats were collected for shelter animals to have Christmas presents. This year, they're focused on helping give them the ultimate gift... a forever home!

Good Karma Cat Rescue in South Florida, and Cute Transport Network, work together to do something very special – they rescue homeless animals from high-kill shelters, and then transport them safely to partner no-kill rescues up North, who have the space and can find them homes quickly. In the past two years alone, the groups Santa Paws Drive 2014 is benefiting – along with their wonderful network of more than 800 volunteer drivers and fosters! -- have worked together to save more than 350 cats and several dogs from kill shelters! Their goal for Santa Paws Drive 2014 is to save 100 more.

The donations they are collecting are everything needed to save more animals and make these transports possible. You can donate to save one shelter cat or even a whole family! Or you can donate a carrier for them to ride in, toys and supplies for the ride, or sponsor a spay/neuter surgery. The more raised, the more lives they can save! You can track their progress by the widget on my sidebar.

For more information, please visit www.SantaPawsDrive.com. You can also find Santa Paws Drive on Facebook. 

2) PetSafe’s Joy of Toys Shelter Giveaway. PetSafe® brand, an industry leader in the development of innovative pet behavioral, containment, lifestyle product solutions and services, is helping share a little holiday joy to shelter pets across the nation this month. For every “Like” or “Follow” the brand receives on its Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest accounts accounts between now and Dec. 31, PetSafe will donate one toy to a pet in a shelter. PetSafe aims to provide up to 12,000 of its Busy Buddy® and FroliCat™ brand cat and dog toys to pets in shelters across the U.S.

3) Tabby's Place Christmas Virtual Gift Baskets. This is the coolest way to give someone a truly unique gift. You can choose gift baskets for diabetic cats, cats with heart disease, kittens, senior kitties, or special holiday-themed baskets. You make a donation in increments of $25 and choose your recipient. Tabby’s Place purchases the items for the cats and sends your loved one an e-card and/or a printed card.

I'm especially partial to the baskets for cats with diabetes and heart disease. After dealing with both of these health issues with Tara, I know how expensive caring for these special needs kitties can be, so these baskets will really help cats who need some extra attention and special care.

Choosing a $25 Happy Heart Gift Basket will give a needy kitty:
* Beta blocker: keeps blood pressure regulated by reducing heart workload
* Calcium channel blocker: helps treat hypertension and arrhythmia
* ACE inhibitor: helps treat hypertension and congestive heart failure

Choosing a $25 Feline Diabetes Gift Basket will give a needy kitty:
* Prescription dry and wet food: helps maintain blood glucose levels
* Disposable insulin syringes: to administer life-saving insulin
* Litter scoop: keeps litter box fresh even through diabetic kitties' frequent urination