The Chico Cat Coalition is gearing up for its annual Moonlight Meows online auction. The agency has nearly three decades of providing care to abandoned, domesticated cats in the greater Chico area.
The fourth-annual online auction starts Oct. 20 and ends on Oct. 26.
Social Media and Web Coordinator Laurie Kaplan has been with the coalition for over 10 years. Kaplan said the organization is run by all volunteers.
“Everybody comes because they want to, and they come when it's hard, they come on Christmas morning,” she said. “ It's just really inspiring to be around people who care for the right reasons.”
In addition to medical care, the organization also strives to enhance the public's knowledge of ethical cat care, the importance of spaying and neutering, and the repercussions of abandoning cats.
How the coalition got started
Chico resident Jim Nakamura started feeding the homeless cats of Bidwell Park in the late 1980s. Ten years later, the Chico City Council prohibited feeding in public spaces in an attempt to protect birds, prevent disease and reduce littering.
Nakamura was fined, and cat abandonment in the lower Bidwell Park area of Chico became a growing problem.
“With his work and the work of a lot of other really amazing citizens, they formed the Chico Cat Coalition to help rescue those park cats,” Kaplan said.
Since then, the coalition has made it a mission to provide love and care to abandoned, domesticated cats in the area.
What the coalition does
The no-kill, volunteer-run shelter dedicates time and effort to rescuing and caring for abandoned, domesticated cats.
Its primary focus is to rescue domesticated cats in the greater Chico area and help them find new homes. It is also still a sanctuary for cats that were initially rescued from the park.
“We still actually have some of them there,” Kaplan said. “They're living their best cat lives with all their best cat friends, and they have a lifetime home with us. When they were rescued, at the time, they were feral and not jazzed about living with humans.”
The fourth annual fundraiser
The Moonlight Meows fundraiser has been the organization's primary source of revenue. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, it was an in-person dinner with music, a raffle, caricatures, and a silent auction.
Now, it is an online auction. The organization is hoping to collect $12,000 to provide comprehensive veterinary care for their cats throughout the year.
“We are run by 100% volunteers, we're also run 100% by donations,” Kaplan said. “So our operations mean we need people and funds to keep us running and keep us caring for the cats.”
This financial support will help cover vet care, monthly rent, facilities, food expenses, cleaning, and other essential yet expensive veterinary appointments.
Bidders can place bids on their favorite items. All proceeds support the coalition's ongoing mission.
“We've got paintings, getaways, photo shoots, restaurants, jewelry, rugs, activities,” Kaplan said. “There's a lot of things in there that are really great for the holidays.”
