Feline Friends seek food donations throughout summer

Date: 5/29/2015

AGAWAM – Feline Friends, a Feeding Hills based nonprofit, is looking for help from the community. The organization has placed donation boxes at the Agawam Public Library and Geissler’s Supermarket for members of the community to drop off cat food.

Donation Coordinator Elizabeth Strole said the drive began early in May and will continue until donations “peter out.” Feline Friends will accept any cat food, but Friskies canned pate and shredded food, and Purina Indoor dry food are the most needed.

 Strole said the cats the organization takes in often have behavioral or health issues, which make them unadoptable. Feline Friends houses the cats so they can “live out their lives peacefully.”

Though the group will take any kind of food, the Friskies and Purina brands are the ones the cats are most used to.

“Those brands are what the cats are eating. I hate to ask for specific brands, but it’s better for them because it doesn’t upset their digestive system. It provides consistency,” she said.

While there are some cats that are adoptable, Strole said Feline Friends currently houses about 100 cats. Strole said there are expenses that the nonprofit cannot always afford on its own. She said it relies on community support.

“It’s crucial because the food costs are one of our biggest costs, so in order for us to continue to be able to take in cats, continue adoption programs and spay and neuter, we need to have significant support with feeding the cats,” she said. “Food is probably the biggest bill. We always appreciate getting any help from community.”

Strole said Feline Friends is a great resource for the community, not only in helping area cats, but helping owners, as well. She said they can field questions about cat care and are happy to do so.

To learn more about Feline Friends, visit felinefriendsinc.org. If you have any questions or are interested in helping with food collection, please reach out to Strole at estrole@hotmail.com.