Dear Friends,

We hope this email finds you happy and healthy and coping with the challenges the last two years have given us all.  We continue to rescue animals from municipal shelters and provide the medical care and housing they require while waiting for homes.

Thanks to a gift from beloved donor, we hired the design firm, Square Paws, to redesign the Ladew Cat Sanctuary to create sustainable (and easy-to-clean) furniture for the cats' comfort and entertainment.   Working along with our contractor, Gerwald Construction, LLC, Square Paws has created a whimsical home (with living room, kitchen, recreation room) for the cats to enjoy while at the same time creating a fun environment for people to come, meet our cats, and adopt.  It is our hope that we can invite you for a Grand Opening in the Spring of 2022.  If you would like a private tour, please reach out to us by email or by phone at 516-922-CATS (2287).  

Our Seniors For Seniors Program (where we cover the reasonable future expenses at our facility in Oyster Bay of any senior cat adopted by an approved senior citizen) has placed over 19 senior cats with senior citizens. Our most recent adoption was Minka.  Minka was on the Animal Care Center's mobile adoption van at the Adoptapalooza even back in 2014 but was not adopted that day.  We had several adoptions of kitties that day which made some room in our van and decided to take Minka back with us.  We were still in transit when one of our volunteers, Elise Klingensmith said "she's mine!"  Minka lived with Elise until Elise passed away this year and Minka returned to us.

Then, a new Ladew adopter, Eileen had just lost her beloved kitty and was looking for a new companion.  Thanks to this program, Minka and Eileen filled a void in each other's lives and both are doing well.  

Stay tuned in 2022 when we will announce some exciting news regarding the expansion of this program to help even more senior kitties!

Our Emergency Fund was most recently used to cover two kittens (Pez and Zoe) that were from a litter transferred to us from Animal Care Centers.  Both kittens had congenital anal strictures which resulted in painful and difficult defecation which worsened as they grew.  They both needed several surgical procedures to alleviate the problem.  We are happy to report that both are in homes and things are moving along with ease.

Our Sandra Atlas Bass New Hope Fund continues to help us rescue cats and kittens that are in need of medical assistance or just need some TLC while waiting for their forever homes after we take them in from Animal Care Centers and other municipal shelters.  Belle was recently rescued from Town of Hempstead Animal Shelter.  Belle had an ear infection that would not resolve with medical management.  Thanks to this fund, we were able to get Belle a procedure that opened up her ear canal and drained the infection completely.  Because of this procedure, Belle was adopted and is doing well!

Our Have-A-Heart Program hasn't missed a beat and provides diagnostic imaging for cats and kittens with heart murmurs.  

From top left clockwise:  Seniors for Seniors Eileen and Minka, Belle on her adoption day, Pez and Zoe and Dr. Mark Leleonec checks Albert's heart to make sure it's ok (it is!).

While our adoption rate was again excellent this year, we still have a lot of cats looking for homes and all of them are available for sponsorship until they find one.  For just $25 you can help us provide food, shelter, medicine and toys to kitties still waiting.  The cat you sponsor (gift sponsorship is also available) will send you or your recipient a letter thanking you for your gift and a little bit about themselves.  Another way to help those waiting is through our Chewy Wish List -- chock full of everything a cat needs.  Both the Wish List and Sponsorship are great ways to help cats and you can leave the litterbox to us!

Our Ladew Mews e-newsletter will be returning on a monthly basis in the new year with fun and informative content including a Meet The Staff feature.  

Finally, on behalf of all of us at the Patricia H. Ladew Foundation, Inc., I wish you all a happy and healthy holiday season and we look forward to seeing you (hopefully without masks if safe) and maybe even a hug or two in 2022.   Be well and thank you for your support.

Susan V. Whittred, DVM