In the area where I live, abused, abandoned, dumped and wild cats are an epidemic.

Three weeks ago, I rescued a cat (we're always taking in abused or abandoned cats and finding them good homes). We call this cat "Jane Doe".

My oldest son found her at the car wash, huddled in a corner of the building, wet (in 10 degree weather) and too weak to move. She's been horribly abused, her tail doesn't work (it hangs limp and she cannot raise it), she was infested with tape worm (we took her to the vet and had her treated), she's petrified of all other animals, doesn't know how to play, has no reaction when we call "Here Kitty-Kitty", and won't come out of the box with the blanket that we made for her (the only exception is when she needs to use the kitty pan we put next to her box), unless we pick her up and force her to come out (but she sneaks back in at first opportunity).

This is a cat that any of the shelters around here would have put to sleep immediately (none are truly no-kill, and at best, keep an animal for 21 days). Yet Jane Doe is one of the sweetest, gentlest cats I've ever known, and will make someone a lovely pet.

While I tried to find help for Jane Doe, I met a lady who, like me, takes in abused, abandoned and dumped cats, but on a much larger scale. She has literally turned her garage into a kennel (cages, runs, etc), and keeps more that 130 cats in her care.

At her own expense, she gets every cat fixed (this is the only way to slow the growing number of unwanted cats), gets them their shots and any necessary medical treatment, feeds and loves them until she can find a good home for them. A few volunteers help care for the cats.

No healthy cat is ever put down, nor are those that can be made healthy with some good medical care. She calls what she's doing a cat's "second chance". And if no family adopts the cat, they will still have a home with this wonderful woman.

Since all this good work is being done from one lady's home, she does not receive the sort of funding and donations the shelters receive. Yet because of her, so many cats have been saved from being put to sleep, and are given love and medical care, and a safe, clean and warm place to stay until they find an adoptive family.

Because I currently have 11 cats (3 pets and 8 rescues we're trying to find homes for), I can testify to the expense of caring for large numbers of cats. If I keep a rescue for just 1 month (many stay in my care 6 months or more), I spend at least $150.00 per cat that first month (that's food, litter, spay/neuter, rabies shot, de-fleaing and worming, and at least 1 week newspaper ad to find the cat a home). If the cat needs actual medical care for injury or illness, that amount can be much higher.

Add to my costs the expense of maintaining a kennel (heat, water, electric, disinfectants, etc), and you can see the expense "Second Chance" has in order to keep 130+ cats at all times.

TRC would like to help "Second Chance" continue the wonderful work it's doing, as well as make it possible for them to rescue more cats.

For a limited time, TRC will raise as much money as possible for "Second Chance" - a true labor of love, run by one very generous and determined woman. The money we raise will save the lives of more cats and help them find permanent, loving homes.

FOR READERS: To thank you for your help, for every $5.00 donation, you'll be entered 1 time into our drawings for books (there will be 10 random drawings, and the winner of each drawing will receive 3 autographed books).

Our goal is $2,000.00 - approximately enough to spay or neuter 50 cats, or enough to purchase food and litter for every cat for about 2-3 months, or enough to place 1 classified ad that will advertise the adoptable cats every day for 6 months in the 2 main newspapers in the 2 county area.

PLEASE NOTE: Donations are not tax deductible, because "Second Chance" is being run by an individual, not an organization.

You can send a check or money order for any amount to: TRC, PO Box 457, Orwell, OH 44076.

To donate by credit card, simply click on the Add To Cart button below. This will put $5.00 into your "shopping cart". To increase the amount, while viewing your shopping cart, update it so the number of $5.00 items equals the total amount you'd like to donate.

In other words, if you make the "quantity" 10, your total donation amount would be $50.00 (10 x $5.00).

Once you have the quantity you want entered, then click UPDATE CART to have your new amount calculated. Then finish by going to the secure checkout.

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