About

No, we don't just rescue obese cats, although many of our rescued critters do put on a few pounds once they realize they're safe and loved. A "fat cat" to us is a cat that's "got it made": he's been rescued from the streets and is now healthy, well-fed, sweet and affectionate, and ready for a permanent home. Every cat deserves to be a fat cat.

About Us Our mission is to improve the quality of life for homeless cats and kittens by placing them in loving homes, or trapping, neutering and returning (TNR) those that are shy or wary of humans. TNR is the proven, effective, and humane approach to caring for homeless cats. Cats are trapped, spayed/neutered, vaccinated and returned to their territory, where they are fed and monitored by caretakers. Read more about TNR from Alley Cat Allies and Neighborhood Cats. We also help low-income individuals get their cats fixed. Our small cadre of dedicated volunteers respond to requests for help in Santa Clara and San Mateo counties, primarily in the Mountain View/Palo Alto area.

Fat Cat Rescue is a private, not-for-profit rescue group, established by a co-founder of the Stanford Cat Network, which pioneered the use of TNR in the United States (way back in 1989!). Donations to Fat Cat Rescue are not yet tax deductible. We ask the people we help for donations to cover our direct expenses, but the rest comes out of our own pockets.

Fat Cat Rescue is committed to the No-Kill movement. Every year, over 4 MILLION cats and dogs are euthanized in shelters. The vast majority are adoptable, but most shelters cling to antiquated policies that make euthanasia the only option. But there is an alternative: No Kill sheltering. No-Kill sheltering models are in use in a small, but growing number of shelters in the United States, and are extremely effective in saving lives. Read more about the No-Kill movement at No-Kill Solutions.

About Our Cats Where do we get our cats? Although it's illegal to abandon an animal in California (read the California Penal Code at Animal Law), abandoned cats are everywhere in the Bay area. You'll find them in Atherton and East Palo Alto; people of all income and educational levels abandon cats. But there are people who care. Most have been feeding and caring for abandoned cats at their workplace or in their backyards, and contact us when they don't know where to turn for help. Here's where we come in: we'll help them get their cats fixed. If their cats are friendly, then we'll help them get their cats adopted. Our adoptable babes are healthy and well-socialized. They live in foster homes, not cages, and receive plenty of TLC on a daily basis.