CAT'S CRADLE, ADOPT OR SAVE, THE NO-KILL ALTERNATIVE

If you're an animal lover living in Harrisonburg, then you've almost certainly heard of Cat's Cradle.  Anyone walking past the downtown store may at first assume it sells pet accessories of some sort, that is, until they realize that those lovely fake cats modeling collars in the window are in fact real cats looking for a home.  The little downtown store is one of Harrisonburg's cats only rescue and adoption shelters.  

Unlike many animal shelters, Cat's Cradle has a strict no kill policy, and is focused on providing a haven for homeless cats as well serving as an adoption center for those kittens healthy enough for new homes. The center was opened in 1998 by a woman named Pat Rossi, who sought to provide care to stray cats in the area. Her goal; to reduce the population of strays. 


With the help of local veterinarians, Rossi was able to educe the cost lower cost cat neutering, ultimately making the service more available.  Popularity grew and Rossi found herself branching out into rescue and adoption as well.  The center firmly believes in a policy of TNR.  TNR? Trap, Neuter, and Release.  The loving caretakers at Cat's Cradle even offer a service in which someone they aid in capturing a stray cat, so that he or she can be properly altered.  Cat's cradle truly is dedicate to providing information and services to those who are unsure of how to handle strays. 

Just last week I found myself seeking the help of Cat's Cradle.  For the last month, my Harrisonburg home has been visited by an extremely friendly tabby cat.  Often my roommates and I would come home to find her lounging on our porch eager for some attention.  Because she was so outgoing, and because we noticed she was declawed, we assumed she was simply a neighbor's pet exploring the neighborhood. 


However, we soon realized that even on rainy and cold nights Amelia, as we came to call her, never seemed to be 'going home'.  So, last week we took her over to Cat's Cradle for some help.  The staff was incredibly knowledgeable and friendly, and helped us discover Amelia was apparently a boy (hello, Emilio), and was altered.  Because the center was temporarily at full capacity, they lent us a cat house with a promise that we could bring him back in two weeks if we had no luck finding his original home.    

Thanks to Cat's Cradle, Emilio is in good hands.  If you know of any strays in your area, or are looking to adopt, Cat's Cradle may be the place for you.