Your Monthly Mews Is Here - See what's happening at MRFRS!

Hello!

The impact MRFRS has in our community is only made possible by volunteers and supporters who believe in our mission. I had the privilege of meeting the next generation of volunteers eager to improve the lives of all cats when I visited with students at the Dr. Elmer S. Bagnall Elementary School in Groveland earlier this month!

The Bagnall Community Service Group (comprised of forty 5th and 6th graders) gathers regularly to find ways to support different nonprofits in the community. They are guided in these efforts by Ms. D'Eufemia, who is a Paraprofessional at the school and oversees the group. This past February, the students raised money through their school store and a Valentine's Day fundraiser so they could put together 50 "To Go Home" goody bags for our adopters. Each bag contains cans of food, a liquid treat and two toys to help our newly adopted cats and kittens start off on the right paw! The students also made fleece blankets that these cats are going to love napping on. We've already begun distributing the goody bags to our adopters and they are a big hit!

We applaud the a-meow-zing Bagnall Community Service Group and thank them for their hard work to help nonprofits in their community, like MRFRS!

Karen Glass

Director, Development & Communication, MRFRS

2023 Strut for Strays

Walker Registration is Now Open!

Strut with us on June 11th and be part of our meow-mentum!

With the help of our supporters, our goal in 2023 is to increase the impact of MRFRS's programs and services and improve the lives of even more cats. One of the ways the MRFRS community can come together and help (and have fun while doing it!) is to participate in our annual Strut for Strays!

Strut is one of MRFRS's most critical fundraising events that directly affects our ability to provide our programs and services in our community.

We are looking forward to bringing together as many walkers as possible to strut with us on Sunday, June 11th at Maudslay State Park in Newburyport, MA!

Register today and help us make this the most successful Strut in our history so we can help as many kitties as possible!

Plus, Strutters who raise a minimum of $50 are eligible to receive a commemorative Strut t-shirt! (We'll be revealing this year's design in a few weeks.) All the cool cats will be wearing their t-shirt when we strut together on June 11th!

Learn more and sign up here!

MRFRS 2024 Cat Calendar Photos on Sale Now!

Do you have hundreds of photos of your photogenic feline on your phone? Here's an opportunity to share the purr-fect photo of your cat and help raise funds to help other kitties!

Photo spaces are on sale now for the MRFRS 2024 Cat Calendar! You can celebrate your kitty with a large monthly photo or a smaller snapshot photo in our beautiful calendar. Plus, money raised from the photo sales goes to support MRFRS’s mission to improve the lives of all cats and provide support and education for the people who care about them.

Who knows, your cat photo might even grace the cover of our 2024 calendar! Click "Yes" when you're reserving your photo in the calendar and it will be entered into our Calendar Cover Cat Contest Fundraiser taking place in May (it's free to enter). Like previous years, the public will be able to donate ($1 per vote) to vote for their favorite photos. The cat with the most votes will be our calendar cover cat for 2024!

Photo sales are only available through April 30th or

until they sell out (which they quickly do each year!)

Reserve Your Cat's Photo Today!

One Simple Way to Help Cats This Month

Understanding Why Your Cat Needs to Knead

Kneading (or “making biscuits” as it’s sometimes called) is when cats massage an object with their front paws, which extend and retract, one paw at a time. This massaging action serves several purposes during different stages of a cat’s life. It starts when they are kittens, and they knead the mammary glands of their mother to encourage milk production. Many cats continue this behavior as adults because they likely associate the act with contentment and relaxation.

It’s also not unusual for cats to knead on a favorite plush toy, sometimes to the point of tearing up that toy over time when their “biscuit making” gets a little too vigorous. Again, this is normal behavior, and if they tear up their toy, you can always replace it.

You may also witness your cat kneading its bedding right before settling down to sleep. This may be an ancestral pattern from wild cats, which likely go through a similar process of settling into their bedding. When they knead, it may be useful to “tamp down” the area they’ve selected to sleep in, making it more comfortable. Our present-day house cats might simply be replicating this habit.

In most cases, kneading likely indicates your cat is comfortable. However, if the kneading appears compulsive or is beginning to damage your cat’s paws or legs, it may be a sign your cat is stressed or in pain and needs to see a veterinarian.

Kneading is an instinctive behavior for cats, so unless the behavior is truly concerning, let your cat knead to its heart's content!

Happy Tails

Brisbane

Brisbane came to MRFRS as s stray, but he loved hanging out with volunteers and staff, so we knew he'd be a wonderful companion when matched for adoption. We recently got an update from his new Mom and it sounds like Brisbane has made more than a few fans!

In his new home, Brisbane's name has been expanded to reflect his true regal status (The Baron Beef Brisket Beefcake von Brisbane V); however, it sounds like he's a benevolent ruler and patient in training his new people.

His Mom shares “Brisbane has been a model new member of the house, greets myself and his subjects (my roommates) with verbal enthusiasm, loves to play with his new catnip and string toys, and often sleeps next to me (or others when I’m at work).

He enjoys guiding each of us to his food bowl where we’re invited to give him treats. If we don’t, he’s still pleased to receive pets and head scratches. Or to be brushed.

Every morning, I wake up with Brisbane curled up next to me. He makes me feel happier and healthier just with his warm, sweet presence. My roommates have said similar. We are enamored of him and the Baron, aware of his superior powers of charm, gives us every reason to believe he's enjoying himself.”