FixNation

I'm discovering that there are many wonderful cat groups in L.A., some small one-or-two person rescue groups, and some much larger. FixNation is a nonprofit organization that "Operates a free full-time spay/neuter clinic for homeless cats, serves as a one-stop shop for TNR (trap, neuter, release -- for feral cats), and provides low-cost spay/neuter for tame cats." They are very organized. You hop on their website (www.fixnation.org), download the application, fill it out, and fax it in. Then they get back to you with an appointment time. For stray and homeless cats, there is no charge -- they "eartip" them, a small knick in the ear so others know the cat has been fixed. If you want to take a household/tame cat and not have the "eartip" the cost is VERY REASONABLE. In my case, I picked up three Neuter Coupons for $30 off at the East Valley Animal Shelter, so I had three kittens fixed (two girls and a boy) for a total of $45.

The cats can't eat or drink after 10 PM the night before, because they're getting anesthesia and their stomachs need to be empty, so that meant I couldn't catch them in the morning by putting out wet food (in case they actually started eating it) -- my normal method for capturing wayward kittens. Miss Sierra (the scaredy one) gave me quite a run for the money for about 20 minutes.

The scene when we arrived at FixNation was fascinating. There were about ten women (yes, all women) with anywhere from 2 or 3 to 7 or 8 cats, each in their own separate cage. Most of the women did some kind of rescue. One had driven to Bakersfield to rescue a litter of Siamese kittens who were about to be put to sleep at the shelter there (she lives in L.A. and specializes in Siamese rescues). Interestingly, she already has homes for all the kittens she brought in that morning. I, on the other hand, am just getting started finding homes for my six bundles of joy. Now that my charges are all fixed and ready to leave the nest, we're starting our outreach in earnest.