Our History

In the summer of 2018, a cat named Ollie went missing. With overwhelming sadness, it was posted that Ollie’s body had been found…in a very remote area near the inland island highway, miles and miles from home. From that point on, a lady named Sandi decided enough was enough, and she began putting out and maintaining feeding stations in areas known to be dumping grounds for cats. Miraculously, a cat named Carlos was spotted by Sandi a short time later. Sandi and two of CATS founding members formulated a plan, and it wasn’t long after that Carlos was trapped and back home! He had survived 74 days in the wilderness, dumped there, we suspect, by an unhappy neighbour.

CATS was officially formed in 2019 by Aimee Minor, Sue MacKay, and Jenn Meredith to fill a void in the Comox Valley rescue efforts. Some organizations look out for lost social cats and feral and semi-social cats, but no one rescues cats dumped in remote areas and left to fend for themselves. These are the forgotten cats of the Comox Valley, and this is the focus of the Cat Advocates Teaching & Saving Society.

Some are rescued from remote areas where they were dumped, and some were lost, but no doubt, all of them are happy to be given a soft place to sleep and fresh water and food they no longer have to forage for. There have been fantastic, delightful, giddy family reunions, all inspired by Ollie, whose death we promised would not be in vain.

Rescue

The rescue team at CATS comprises dedicated, patient volunteers who are determined to seek, find and return the lost cats of the Comox Valley on Vancouver Island in British Columbia, Canada. This fantastic group of skilled people sets up monitored feeding stations and traps within remote areas of the Comox Valley to return relocated cats to their loving owners. 

These rural areas are, sadly, dumping grounds commonly used inhumanly, usually by an unhappy neighbour who caught a cat and then drove them away to an unpopulated area, leaving them to fend for themselves. However, a domestic cat cannot survive long-term in this terrain or situation. Although their survival instinct will kick in for the short term, predators and or illness are the number one cause of death.

Community Assistance

Our trained volunteers offer one-on-one assistance to help you find your lost cat. Their experience allows them to provide tips and tricks tailored to your situation.

We collaborate with various animal-related and public assistance organizations to reduce the burden of pet food and supplies costs, ensuring that every animal is fed.

If you have found a stray cat on your property, our CATS volunteers can work with you to reunite the animal with its original owners and assist homeowners with colony cats when possible.

Lastly, if you need help with rodent control and have a suitable outbuilding, we can provide you with barn cats. You will need to provide continual shelter and food for these cats.

Learning Opportunities

Do you need help introducing a new cat to your home or want to learn more about cats? CATS is here to assist you. 

If you have any questions, we are happy to help you out. You can reach us by sending an email to TheCatAdvocates@gmail.com. However, please remember that while we gladly offer assistance where possible, our advice should not be considered a substitute for veterinary care. It is always best to consult with your veterinarian for any serious concerns.

Our volunteers have the opportunity to gain valuable knowledge in their chosen volunteering areas by getting some hands-on experience. It’s a great way to learn and grow while simultaneously helping out cats and CATS.