30 Days Has September... April, JUNE and November

Subject: 30 Days Has September... April, JUNE and November - June Also has $30 Adoptions!

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Newsletter

June 2025

Our Newsletter is Best Viewed in Landscape Orientation on Mobile Devices!

In This Edition:

FFGW Celebrates 30 Years with $30 Adoptions!
We Treasure our Treasurer
Independence Day - But NOT for Your Cat!
Say Cheese! Pet Portraits for Summer
The Calendar Contest Returns

Celebrating Three Decades of Rescue

With Reduced Adoption Fees!

In the beginning – 30 years ago – there was a vision.

In last month's newsletter (which you can read HERE), founder and current president Lisa Cason explained that the vision of the founders of FFGW was to rescue cats who otherwise had no way home because they needed more than routine care, or to succeed in a home needed more than routine support after adoption. According to Lisa, FFGW tried then – and tries now – to balance taking “easy” cats with taking ones facing certain euthanasia in a shelter. This extends not only to cats with medical needs, but to cats that take longer to be adopted and tie up resources and fosters - bonded cats who must be adopted in pairs, and kittens with moms (the moms always are left after the kittens are adopted). We have often said that FFGW's greatest expense is veterinary costs, and that our adoption fee doesn't fully cover those costs - so how can we afford to discount our fees so much!

Spoiler Alert - we can't!

Yes, to the dismay of our treasurer (you can read about her below!) we will be relying on your generous donations to close the gap - and we are celebrating our 30 years with $30 fees because of kittens. A LOT of kittens. This kitten season is off to a roaring (meweling?) start, with constant requests from shelters to save little ones and we will soon have litters after litters of cute kittens available for adoption. The quicker they find forever homes, the more space we have to save more. The quicker they find forever homes, the fewer will have a chance to grow to become teenagers and adults while in our care, having then to compete in cuteness contest with kittens. (And maybe that reduced fee will help some of the absolutely fabulous adults we have who wait patiently for kitten season to end so that someone will notice them!)

Pansy & her kittens - just one of the litters FFGW has taken in this month but needs space to open so she and her little family can leave our vet for a foster home!

Batta - just one of the wonderful adults wondering when someone will see he's just as cute as a kitten!

So yes - $30 adoption fees, one panicked treasurer, and - we hope - lots of adoptions, so lots more kitties saved!

Please consider adopting, fostering, or donating this month.

FFGW's Treasure-er

There's a lot to rescue that looks a lot less like saving animals and a lot more like running a business. Paying bills, preparing tax returns,

preparing budgets, dealing with the administration of the various giving platforms through which people donate, supervising required audits of funding... it's a full-time job. FFGW is extremely fortunate to have a treasure in our treasurer who does all that - our Ruth Mulkerin. Last month when we told you about our founders, the common theme was that they shared a vision - helping cats who had no other options, helping cats who would be passed over by other rescues, and providing a level of care for those cats rescued as if they were "owned" kitties. In order to make that happen, someone has to keep a close watch on the bills and donations and make sure that our reach doesn't exceed our means - and that someone has to share the group's vision, if they're going to stick around. Ruth joined FFGW about a year after its founding in 1995, and so has shared the vision for 29 of our 30 years. Initially joining FFGW as a foster, Ruth alleges that she was a "bad" foster as she soon "failed" - meaning, she couldn't let go of her fosters and quickly had 8 cats! Her skill as a CPA for a big 8 accounting firm was equally quickly noted, and before she knew it she was the treasurer (and we do treasure her!)... Ruth says that one of the things she loves about FFGW is that Board members' and other volunteers' spouses also are supportive and hands-on with the daily needs of the organization. We do like to think of it as a family operation and we're extremely glad to have Ruth in the family!

The Ever-Popular Photos with Your Pets is Back!

Saturday, July 12 at Loudoun Cat Care in Leesburg

Get ready for beach balls, bubbles, and summer feelings! Our Summer Pet Portrait Fundraiser is bringing all the sunny vibes on Saturday, July 12! Your furry (or feathery or scaly!) friend will shine in our playful summer-themed setup, complete with fun props and treats.

Click on Any Photo or the QR Code to Sign Up!

Also Back - the Ever-Popular Calendar Contest!

A chance for your pet to win fame and FFGW to win fortune - back for 2026 Calendars!

This year’s contest will run from August 14th through Sept 17th. You enter the contest by submitting a photograph of your cat with a $10 donation. Votes are $1/vote and you can vote as many times as you want!

Start taking pictures now so you have the perfect picture to enter! Your photos should be high resolution (at least 300 dpi) and in landscape format to display best in the calendar.

The top vote getter will win the coveted cover photo for the 2026 calendar! Shout out to Balashi for last year’s cover photo. The 2nd - 13th place winners will have their feline featured as Cat of the Month. You will also have the option to reserve calendar days and feature your kitty on a particular date block.

Click Here for More Details!

Future newsletters will provide additional details too!

"Ask not what your cat can do for you... ask what you can do for your cat!"

--John F. Catnnedy

This Independence Day - what you can do is to prevent your kitty from gaining independence!

The noise and commotion of the 4th can be frightening and disorienting. Try keeping the shades drawn, use an interior room, play soft, relaxing music…

and if you have pets, take them in there with you!

Seriously, though, more dogs and cats go missing on this holiday than any other day of the year. Please make sure they’re in a room where someone won’t accidentally let them out, put signs on that door so that any guests know not to open it...and you already have collars and microchips for them, right?

Award winning pet blogger Ingrid King has provided a detailed discussion of steps to take to insure your pet's safety this week in addition to the above.

She tells us - in addition to creating a safe space and playing calming sounds as above, that our own emotions also affect those sensitive cat whiskers. If we remain calm, that will help Fluffy! You can read more, including some natural remedies which may help promote calmness, at Ingrid's Purrs of Wisdom.

Help us manage the calls from area shelters when they are overwhelmed with lost pets July 5th, by keeping your own safe today!

But if Whiskers did somehow get out - here's a list of steps* to take to get her back as quickly as possible. (You might see someone you know quoted!)

Recovering Your Lost Cat

*Current thinking is NOT to put her litter box outside, but to use items that smell like home - worn clothing, her bed, etc. The box may attract other animals who want to stake out territory, and actually keep kitty from approaching.

I Feel Like Something Chewy!

Actually, not that chewy, but "Chewy"!

www.chewy.com is a pet product company specializing in home delivery of all things pet-related.

FFGW has a "wish list" which you can find here:

Chewy Wish List

©Kerryj Some Rights Reserved

Any products you select from our wish list will be delivered directly to us for use at our adoption center at PetSmart and by our fosters!

Thanks to everyone who has donated food, treats, litter, beds, toys... Chewy's platform doesn't allow us to see the names of our generous donors, but please know that your support is very much appreciated! And if you drop us a line and let us know when you donate something, we'll be more than happy to send our thanks!

This post contains affilliate links. FFGW may be compensated if you buy something after clicking on these links.

Adoption Fairs

Just Cats Clinic

1601 North Washington Plaza

(Lake Anne) Reston

Next Events:

Saturday July 12

Saturday August 23

Saturday September 20

2 - 4 pm

--Midweek Adoptions by Appointment for Cats in the Centers--

and in Foster Homes Throughout the DC/VA Area

We are still looking for caretakers for the FFGW cats in residence at Just Cats - fill out a volunteer questionnaire here and we'll get back to you about training:

Volunteer Questionnaire

Looking for a new cat for your family? Get pre-approved for adoption fill out an adoption form online today.