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These are an estimated 200 cats still roaming in Lakeview, just one of the areas of New Orleans hardest hit by Katrina in August 2005. These felines have been struggling for survival since the levees broke. Many of them were much-loved family pets who were suddenly forced to fend for themselves - to find food and water, to seek shelter from the elements, and to avoid injury if able to do so. These
cats have been helped in their struggle for life by Animal
Rescue New Orleans (ARNO) volunteers. For almost a year and
a half, the volunteers have done their best to fill "stations" with food
and water, hopefully where some shelter is available, to provide hay when
cold temperatures are predicted, and, if possible, to humanely trap those
requiring medical attention. Some Lakeview residents have joined them,
providing assistance in caretaking. Every effort is being made to reunite these cats with their owners. Jeanette Althans and Kathy Sweeney, ARNO volunteers who feed and sometimes trap in Lakeview, also photograph the cats regularly; the photos on the next page are theirs. They drive by feeding stations on the way to and from work, talk with neighborhood residents, take in cats that they fear are at risk, and contact owners if they think that a roaming cat might be one that is sorely missed. About a dozen Remote Reunion Campaign volunteers are currently working with them to determine potential matches. These matches will be verified when the cats can be trapped. If the matches are exact, some will finally make it home. But there are challenges in this, as well. Volunteers able to trap are in short supply, ARNO has limited space as they are over capacity most of the time treating sick kittens and cats, and assistance with transports is needed. When adult cats are trapped, most are neutered and released back on the streets. Matches will be verified and roaming cats taken to safety when shelters can be located and transports arranged for animals currently in ARNO's care. ARNO continues to depend on volunteers and charitable contributions. Lakeview is only one of the many parts of New Orleans still devastated. The destruction caused by Katrina continues for 650 square miles and there are many hungry, homeless animals in grave need. New Orleanians are still trying to rebuild their homes and their lives, and in some of the hardest hit areas, less than 10% of the residents have returned. Please look at the faces of the cats on the next page. If you can help in any way, please do so immediately. After all, even for those with nine lives, time may be running out. The focus of this alert is on the Lakeview area of Orleans Parish because the number of cats there are within reach, with your assistance, to rescue sooner than later. Other areas, sadly, have many more cats struggling to survive, with ARNO stations their only source of food and water. Those areas are constantly surveyed for young kittens and pregnant or sick/injured adults - all considered medical emergencies; they are trapped and taken in immediately. All animals are treated at ARNO's triage shelter until they are healthy enough to be reunited, transferred and adopted. Your assistance also helps pay for their medical care, including antibiotics, fluids, vaccines, and tech help in addition to the food to fill the feeding stations. Donations can be made through ARNO's website at www.animalrescueneworleans.org by PayPal, which accepts electronic checks as well as credit cards. If you prefer, you can send a personal check or a WalMart gift card, used to purchase cat food for feeding stations. Donations by mail should be sent to Animal Rescue New Orleans, 1219 Coliseum Street, New Orleans, LA 70130. If you would be kind enough to sponsor one of Lakeview's "Forgotten" Cats, please follow these photos - these faces - and the text provided by Jeanette Althans, to the page just beyond. You will find there MANY possible ways to help. For those still roaming, your contributions may be gifts of life. Lakeview
residents, if you recognize your cat pictured here or if you would like
to receive
Jeanette Althans: jalthans@chnola.org
(504) 430-6477
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