Thirty Days of Kitty Love

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Cats provide us with unconditional love, lots of fun and funny antics, and maybe even some snuggles every day. If you're looking for ways to give back to kitties in your community and your own cat at home, take a month to try these ideas. There's even a printable 30-day calendar form at the end of the article, which you can print and cross off as you go.

Day 1

Volunteer at a shelter for an afternoon. So much work is involved in caring for cats and kittens in shelters waiting for homes. Not only are there always tons of cleaning, laundry, and care tasks to perform, but there is also a need for people to handle, pet, and play with the kitties to help socialize them so they'll fit in well at their new homes.

Day 2

Be a driver for a local shelter for a day. In addition to all the tasks that need to be done at the building itself, there is always a need for people to run errands for cat shelters. Picking up food, litter, and bedding, running cats to the vet or adoption events, and picking up new cats to take them to the shelter are all everyday tasks. If you have a car and a driver's license, you can show your love of cats by using them to help.

Day 3

Set up or join a local group to fight declawing in your town. Declaw surgeries are painful, debilitating, and unnecessary for cats. Spend some time learning about the operation and why it's inhumane and then think of ways you can get that information out to others in your community. Visit pawproject.org for more ideas.

Day 4

Save money to help cats. Start a jar or open a savings account and start putting away pennies that you can give to needy cat organizations over time. Your local shelters and rescue groups can use the help.

Day 5

Get the word out about spaying and neutering. Unspayed and unneutered cats are a big problem in the US. They create thousands of kittens without homes, and many cats are euthanized every year just because we don't have enough places for them to go. Spread the word to your friends and family that you believe in spaying and neutering cats and tell them why.

Day 6

Learn how to use Soft Paws and then offer your services to friends and family with cats. You can be especially helpful to elderly members of the community who may struggle with keeping their cats' claws trimmed or with getting scratched by their beloved cats. A local groomer or veterinary staff member may be willing to teach you how to apply Soft Paws claw caps. Learn more: Application instructions.

Day 7

Partner with a local group that performs trap, neuter, release. Also known as TNR, trap, neuter, and release of feral cats can drastically cut down on the stray cat population in an area and decrease the number of euthanasias done to control cat populations. Partner with a local group that does TNR and learn how to trap homeless kitties around your city so you can take them in for surgery.

Day 8

Organize a drive for cat care items for a shelter or rescue group. You can host a drive for your birthday or anytime. Do it at your office or among your friends. Gather any donations made or money given and deliver them to your local cat shelter or rescue group.

Day 9

Remember that your old stuff can be useful to cats. Don't throw away old blankets, towels, pillows, or cardboard boxes. Give them to your shelter or vet clinic instead for use by cats recovering from surgery or needing coziness in their cages while they wait to be adopted.

Day 10

Learn about plants that are toxic to cats and remove any you might have in your yard. Even if your own cat stays inside, outdoor cats or neighbors' cats might come through your property sometimes.

Day 11

Consider putting a shelter on your property for feral cats during the winter. If there are stray cats that use your property, providing a simple shelter from the elements and fresh water and food can mean the difference between life and death.

Day 12

Get your own kitty a water fountain. Most cats have a low thirst drive and don't drink enough water. That can leave them at higher risk for kidney disease and other illnesses. You can encourage your cat to drink more water and stay healthier with a water fountain. It filters out impurities and keeps the water moving, which cats really like.

Day 13

Start an auto-shipped cat food donation to your local shelter. Cat shelters are always in need of food donations. Ask the staff at your local shelter what type of food they use most, and put a bag on auto-ship straight to their address once a month or more. That way, you'll never forget to donate, and they'll be able to count on the food every so often.

Day 14

Consider adopting an older cat or one with special needs. These kitties have a hard time getting adopted. Giving them a home can enrich your life and provide them with the love and security they might not have experienced before.

Day 15

Start a food and supply pantry for those who need help caring for their pets. If you have the room or know of a space you can use, start a pantry and solicit donations for it. Then people who need help caring for their pets can visit and get what they need.

Day 16

Get your kitty the best scratching post available. Scratching posts provide stress relief and help keep a cat's body healthy. Cats like stable, tall, sisal fabric-covered posts and trees the best. PurrfectPost.com carries individually handmade posts that cats love. Plus, they're beautiful décor for your home.

Day 17

Set up a donation box in your office. If you work in an office, consider setting up a box to collect donations for your local shelter or cat rescue group. This box can hold items from both your co-workers and anyone who comes into the office on a regular basis.

Day 18

Start a donation fund to be used at your local veterinarian's office. Sometimes people have trouble paying for veterinary services for their cat. You can start a fund that people can donate to and that your local veterinarian's office can use at their discretion in cases of need.

Day 19

If your cat is calm and likes people, consider having her trained as a therapy pet. Therapy pets can visit nursing homes and hospitals, where they lift spirits and improve mental health. This job is most often given to dogs, but any pet with the right temperament can be trained to do it, including a cat. Check locally for an organization that evaluates, trains, and certifies therapy pets.

Day 20

Throw a birthday party for your cat and ask for donations to the shelter as gifts. You can also set up easy donation links for a local non-profit cat shelter your birthday and share them on your social media accounts.

Day 21

Get a Muffin Pillowcase and give your kitty one of your old pillows. Cats love to be near their owner, and that's one of the reasons we often find them resting on our pillows—they smell like us. Muffin pillowcases zip on over standard size pillows so you can use an old pillow of yours, and your cat will absolutely love it.

Day 22

Build your cat a catio so she can enjoy the outdoors safely. Post about it on your social media accounts, and be ready to explain why the outdoors isn't safe for cats and answer questions about catios.

Day 23

Start a blog about cats. Make sure you write well-researched pieces that help people with cat problems, encourage good cat ownership, and spread the word about spaying, neutering, and avoiding declaw surgery.

Day 24

Get your cat a Cat Cave and buy some extras to donate to a local shelter. Cats feel secure and warm curled up in a small space, and a Cat Cave provides the perfect nest from which they can watch what goes on in the room without feeling like they need to participate. That can decrease stress, and for a shelter cat, anything that helps them feel calmer will aid in their quicker adoption.

Day 25

Make a cardboard box obstacle course for your cat. Cardboard boxes are beloved by most cats because they provide hiding spots and great scratching material. Keep old packing boxes and make kitty obstacle courses with them. This provides fun and variety in your cat's environment.

Day 26

Consider fostering a cat or kittens. If you have space and time, being a foster parent for cats and kittens is a great way to help cats. You will need to think about how your own pets react to other cats first, and you'll also need to have an area of your home where fosters can be separated from your own pets if necessary.

Day 27

Volunteer to take pictures of shelter cats. If you're a good photographer, you can volunteer to take photos of shelter cats for adoption flyers and social media. Showing kitties in their best light can really help them get adopted faster, so if you have a talent for it, share!

Day 28

Set up a can drive. If you live in a state that gives money for can and bottle returns, you can set up a can drive for your local shelter or rescue group. Recruit friends to help you and publicize through social media and local news outlets. You can set up a place and time for people to drop their cans off or even go door to door and ask for them.

Day 29

Offer to hang fliers for adoption events. When your shelter is having an adoption event, they need publicity. You can volunteer to hang fliers around your neighborhood and share the event on your social media accounts.

Day 30

Send flowers or treats to shelter or rescue group workers. They work hard, and being recognized for how much they do for community cats is deeply appreciated.