Why A Retirement Home? Because although well-meaning friends and family may promise to care for kitty after you are gone, when it comes down to it many find it a nuisance and it is possible that kitty will end up in the pound. When To Think About It? Now. When you are able to.

What will become of your cat if you can no longer care for it? Following is a list of just a few of the organizations that, with advance planning, will take your cat in and care for it permanently should you become incapacitated or die. Some of these organizations will arrange to take in long distance cats. Some base their fee on the cat's life expectancy, while others have a set fee. Although this service can be costly, if you can afford it there is no better way to provide for your cat's future. If the idea of a retirement home is of interest to you, act now. Waiting lists are usually long. More and more shelters are now beginning to look into retirement programs. The listing below is by no means complete and was compiled only to give you an idea of what is available. For information on homes in your area, contact the Veterinarian Association, your local animal protection agency, or no-kill animal shelter. There are sanctuaries across the U.S. that take in homeless cats, and it is possible that some of them will work out individual accommodations. However, the listings in the chart below are organizations with specific retirement programs. If you worry that a retirement home means that your cat will live out its life in a cage, please look at the information below the chart. To give you an idea of how most of these homes operate, and how your cat will be cared for, we have investigated The Bide-A-Wee which is in our area. It goes without saying that you must investigate any facility that you are considering.

State	City	Organization	Comments
CA	Laguna Beach	Bluebell Foundation for Cats	Takes in cats whose owners have died or can not care for them. Pre-arranged contribution program.
CA	Mountain Center	Living Free Animal Sanctuary	Continuing Care program: Owners can prearrange for their cats to either live out their lives here, or be adopted out.
CO	Lakewood	Cat Care Society	Owners can prearrange for their cats to either live out their lives here, or be adopted out.
IL	Crystal Lake	Assisi Animal Foundation	Provides life-long care for cats if owner dies or can no longer care them.
NJ	Forked River	Animal Haven Farm	Life-long care shelter that was organized to allow surviving pets to live out their lives in peace.
NY	Calverton	Kent Animal Shelter	Life-long care. Fee: $5,000
NY	Wantagh	North Shore Animal League	Safe Haven Program: Life-long care. Fee: $5,000 in the form of a will, life insurance policy, trust fund or donation.
NY	West Hampton	*Bide-A-Wee	Golden Years retirement Home: New state of the art facility. Life-long care. Fee: $10,000. Good Samaritan Program offers several free or subsidized "scholarship" accommodations.

*The Bide-A-Wee Golden Years Retirement Home:

(Bide-A-Wee is a Scottish phrase meaning "stay a while")

The Bide-A-Wee Home Association, founded in 1903, is a nationally recognized and respected humane organization whose mission has been to find homes for homeless cats and dogs. The Golden Years Retirement Home was built on their premises in 1997 to address the needs of the community. Understanding that not everyone can afford a $10,000 fee, they have made available their "Good Samaritan Program" which offers a limited number of spaces for those in need of a helping hand. The program can cover all or part of the entrance fee and is determined by the pet owner's financial circumstances. Funds to compensate for the expense of these spaces are obtained from gifts and bequests. Here are some of the features that kitty can look forward to:

• Cage-free living
• Large indoor cattery with greenhouse and window seats to catch the sunlight
• Outdoor cattery to provide a protected space for exercise and play
• Indoor climate control system with 100% air recirculation hourly
• Ionization machines to purify the air throughout the building
• Radiant floor heating to keep feet warm
• Plenty of toys, scratching posts, climbing areas
• Choice of sleeping space amongst a myriad of carpeted cat cubicles
• Full-time veterinarian specializing in older animals.
• Full time staff dedicated to the care of animals
• Medical check-ups every six months, and in-house pharmacy
• Nutritious meals including vet prescribed special diets as needed

It is difficult to foresee what tomorrow will bring.
By planning ahead you can shape the future for your
cat and provide a happy ending for a faithful friend.

THE CAT CAFE NICKELODEON INDEX

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