Pets, owners cheer cat food delivery
Two agencies, including Sherwood’s CAT, join forces to provide necessary items for home-bound
Jon House / Times Newspapers
Cedar Mill resident Paula Seigler is thankful for the monthly delivery of food for her cat Shadow. She took in the feisty feline when his previous owners abandoned him.
Anita Caviglia knocked on Judy Minoli’s door carrying a bag of kitty litter, three cans of food and a large bag of dry kibble for 1-year-old feline brothers Max and Precious.
Her arrival both surprised and delighted Minoli.
“I can use this,” the homebound senior said as she clutched the bag of canned food to her chest and invited her guests inside.
Minoli receives meals Monday through Friday from the Beaverton Loaves and Fishes’ Meals-On-Wheels program. Thanks to the center’s new partnership with the Sherwood-based Cat Adoption Team, her kitty companions now receive a special monthly delivery of food of their own.
“Are you kidding? I love it,” Minoli said of the new cat food delivery service. “It helps me out so much. I appreciate what I get.”
Max and Precious look forward to their special treats too, she added.
Little, extra help
Beginning in September, the Beaverton Loaves and Fishes joined forces with the Cat Adoption Team to launch a pilot program to offer seniors help in providing nutritious food for their furry, feline companions.
After sending out a survey to 200 clients served out of the Loaves and Fishes Center operated out of the Elsie Stuhr Center, Director Vicki Adams compiled a list of folks interested in receiving a little extra help to provide for their cats. She then created two routes for Cat Adoption Team volunteers to deliver food the first week of the month to 17 cats living in the homes of 10 of her clients.
To date, more than 757 pounds of donated, dry cat food have been delivered.
This month, the Cat Adoption Team and Loaves and Fishes will reassess the pilot program and discuss expanding services to more Meals-On-Wheels routes in Washington County.
“It’s running very smoothly – everything just comes together,” Adams said. “Our clients are absolutely thrilled. For people who are homebound, their pet is everything to them.
“They may have a hard time getting to the store because of their health, finances and other limitations. Being able to receive food for their pets relieves some of their burden. Knowing that their furry friends are being fed is a wonderful service.”
The delivery also ensures clients get the proper nutrition from their delivered meals by eliminating their need to share their meals with their pets. By providing cat food to these seniors, the cats also receive the proper diet to sustain their health, said Kathy Covey, manager of the Cat Adoption Team’s cat food bank, which sets aside donated supplies for the program.
“I think this program has gone stupendously well,” Covey said. “This is the first time we’ve done anything like this. Logistically, there have been hurdles, but nothing outlandish. Loaves and Fishes and Washington County have been absolutely supportive.”
Keep cats with families
The Cat Adoption Team hosts a cat food bank at its Sherwood shelter, 14175 S.W. Galbreath Drive, each month to provide free cat food to struggling cat owners. In June 2008, it became the first organized pet food bank in the Portland area.
“CAT’s cat food bank was started with the simple mission of wanting to keep cats with the families who love them – and keep them out of animal shelters. This partnership is a wonderful example of that mission in action,” Covey said.
The partnership benefits both cats and their owners, said Anita Caviglia, who volunteered her time Tuesday to deliver the cat food and visit with pet owners.
Caviglia took time during each of her four stops to talk with the seniors and meet their cats.
While some like David Mosley’s Isis and Ramses were shy, Bettedine Simms’ cat Mittens soaked up the special attention.
“Mittens has lots of personality,” Simms said as Caviglia praised her pet. “I really appreciate you stopping by.”