By JULIE CARLE
BG Independent News
If you ask Julie Martini and Kevin Mercer, they’d say it’s raining kittens this summer. Since May, they have taken in 55 kittens that require a different level of care than the cats they typically help as co-founders of For the Love of Cats.
The Bowling Green couple has a passion for cats—as evidenced by their willingness to care for 55 kittens in the matter of a couple of months. The reality is, they would much rather focus their time, energy and resources to help community cats—those cats that are feral, free-roaming, or homeless.
They believe the key to healthy and cared-for cat communities is by humanely reducing the population through TNR, short for Trap, Neuter, Return (to their original home base). Fewer births in cat communities reduce the spread of diseases and create a balance between cats and the community, Martini said.
Despite having full-time jobs in graphic design and construction, Martini and Mercer spend an unbelievable amount of time and resources trapping and picking up cats, getting them to low-cost clinics for neutering and then caring for them before returning them to their cat communities.
“We are not a shelter,” Martini stressed, and yet their garage is a makeshift, temporary home for kittens and cats waiting for the limited number of low-cost neuter appointments and for after-care before returning to their communities.
Mercer said it takes between $74,000 and $80,000 a year to cover the foundation’s costs, from vet appointments for the neutering and health care to food, litter and other necessities.
After four years doing the work, For the Love of Cats (FLOC) has helped nearly 2,000 cats. Martini and Mercer are the stalwarts of the efforts, and they have faithful friends, family, volunteers and local veterinary professionals that support the mission and goals.
Because they feel so strongly about taking care of the community cats, they have used their own resources to supplement the work. Their vehicles have been used for transporting cats and kittens—often sick and flea-ridden—to vet clinics for neutering and medical needs.
“We have the opportunity to purchase a gently used vehicle for trapping, supply and rescue runs and trips to the clinic,” she said. The ”FLOC Mobile” would save the wear and tear on their personal vehicles and could also be used by volunteers who help.
FLOC would like to raise approximately $4,000 to cover the purchase, title and maintenance expenses. Tax-deductible donations for the FLOC Mobile or other expenses can be made by clicking on this link.
The organization also has wish lists on Amazon and Chewy, primarily for food, litter and treats. Additional information is available on the FLOC website at 4loveofcats.org/.
