Every life counts, want to save a life today?

More than 60 lives saved this year, we want to save even more but for that we need help.

This year, we've already given up about 60 kittens for adoption: 60 kittens saved by the Association, 60 lives that couldn't survive on the streets, 60 lives that gained a new life and a family! Every life counts! We can't save them all, but we do everything we can to save the ones we can take in. Currently, in addition to the 105 adult cats we already had at the shelter, we also care for over 30 baby kittens.

Not only are baby kittens a lot of work, they also cost a lot, and when one gets sick, they all get sick too. There were many trips to the vet, a lot of food, pates, etc., for all of them. With these vet visits, we've accumulated a debt of about €2,500, which needs to be paid off as soon as possible so we can continue to go there whenever necessary and avoid accumulating even more. In addition to the kittens, we've had a few adult cats hospitalized. The latest case was our Kitty, who was hospitalized for over a week. Kitty was diagnosed with dry FIP, a very expensive and lengthy treatment. We need to order more medication for Kitty; without this treatment, Kitty won't survive. Kitty is a kitten over 10 years old who has been with us for about a year. She once had a home and an owner. Unfortunately, her owner passed away, and Kitty came to our care. She deserves a second chance at happiness.

About the author

The association was born from a dream. Sónia is an animal lover, and her main focus is cats. Little by little, she created conditions to improve the lives of no one's cats.

She began by building shelters, and at home, she took in the sweetest cats for responsible adoption. However, as more and more cats needed rehoming, she decided to rent a space to better accommodate them, as she could no longer afford to do so at home. In the midst of the pandemic, Sónia rented a space. It was a huge risk, but her dream of helping nobody's cats was even greater.

5 years ago, Sónia's dream came true with the help of several friends.
The Sintra Cat Village Association was established a few months after Sónia rented the first space. Over the years, several people have joined this project, some of whom are Sónia's right-hand men. The Association has had its ups and downs; some days we cry a lot, but others we also smile a lot.

In January 2023, we moved to a larger, more comfortable space. However, in early 2024, we received an inspection from the ICNF (National Institute of the Inquiry and Rehabilitation of Animals), and although they confirmed that the animals were well cared for, we did not meet all the necessary conditions for that space. With the help of the Sintra City Council, we will take another step toward continuing our fight.

We face financial difficulties every day, as with over 100 cats, the expenses are not easy to bear considering that we only survive on donations.

Every month we are responsible for:

• Rent - €770
• Electricity, water and internet (to have access to the PC) - +-350€
• Cleaning - €500. Cleaning is crucial in a shelter. Unfortunately, due to a lack of volunteers, we have to rely on outside services to ensure daily cleaning.
• Food - €750
• Patés - +-1,800€, As we can't control the food each one eats, with the paté we know they are eating, the math is easy to do 120 cats (some eat more than one paté or others eat a special paté of 1€...) at 0.50€ each paté gives 60€ daily x 31 days gives 1860€
• Veterinarians - This part is the hardest of all. We have a monthly average of €3,500.

After 5 years dedicating ourselves to this cause, after 5 years giving our boys a home and after having found permanent homes for so many who passed through our doors, we don't want to throw in the towel, we don't want to give up this fight, we want to continue giving our best for them.

Budget and due dates

The funds raised are used to pay off outstanding debts at the clinics and for Kitty's treatment.

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