Please Click here to help save the cats of Israel from mass poisoning by signing our petition!
 In 1990 Rivi Mayer took a hard look at the cat problem in her country.
What she saw both appalled her and moved her to tears. The overall
attitude towards cats in general, and ferals and strays in particular,
alarmed her. There were only three animal welfare societies in the
country that dealt with cats in only one way, by putting them down.
The general sentiment of the people, including veterinarians, was that cats
were pests not pets. Cats were deemed worthless by society and
therefore not something to be concerned with. The feral cats and the strays were
being systematically poisoned with alpha-chloralose laced foods and
left to die slow agonizing deaths on public streets and in alleyways. Local
officials turned a blind eye to this mass suffering, and so the
killings continued in the cities and surrounding areas.
In short, Israel had
inadequate shelters, untrained staff and a climate conducive to the
proliferation of the cats. Even though some areas were actively
involved in destroying them, due to the warm climate, there were many cats
breeding almost year round. Rivi turned her attention to the mindset
of the country and decided it was time to do something to turn it around.
And turn it around, she did! Working tirelessly, Rivi campaigned around
the clock for these sentient beings. She initiated changes to the laws
and with her group managed to get an historic and important ruling of
the Supreme Court of Israel to declare that cats DO indeed have status
and no one has the right to kill them just because they exist! And, at
30 years of age, this courageous woman opened up The Cat Welfare
Society of Israel, the only shelter for felines in Israel.
Sadly though, the poisonings have continued, albeit on a smaller scale.
As recently as 1999, the city of Arad poisoned 55 strays and ferals
when a rabid fox appeared at the edge of town. So although the country has
come a long way, there is still much farther to go. Since the time she
has opened her facility, Rivi has been personally affected by the
deaths of thousands of cats and kittens every year that she just can't reach.
Without adequate funding she simply does not have the means to help
them all. She has been instrumental however in educating the masses about
TNR >(Trap Neuter Release) Programs, and in many areas this is now the
method of control that has replaced the hideous poisonings of years past.
 Today, The Cat Welfare Society of Israel houses over 500 cats. The
phones ring constantly as people call the center with complaints
ranging from behavioral problems to sudden pet dander allergies, or just
hinting that if the center doesn't accept the cat it will be thrown out on the
street. Without sponsorship and funding no shelter can save them all
and CWSI is no different. People who are surrendering their cats are
encouraged to make even a small donation to help out, but few can
afford to.
CWSI workers take their role as caregivers seriously. Adoptees are
given an extensive questionnaire to fill out and taken on a tour of the
facility. While they are being escorted around they are watched closely
to see how compatible they are with the cats, and they are also quietly
being instructed about the basic needs for cats during the tour. Once
they decide to adopt a cat recommendations are offered from everything
regarding the best litter to use to what type of food or toys to
purchase. An in-house Cat Behaviorist is available who does in-home
service calls to help out if future problems arise.
One of the current problems facing CWSI is that quite often in the
mornings when the volunteers come to work they find cats and kittens
just gathered around the door, having been dumped there in the night.
Rivi takes the greatest care to see that every cat is housed in a
suitable area. Some are placed into rooms with other cats; others have
rooms of their own. There are those who only go inside, but others are
allowed to go outside, as it is a rural area with light traffic with
only chickens as neighbors. The shelter does come under terrorist
attacks periodically from a neighboring village. The latest attack
resulted in the theft of the only generator being taken in the dead of
night, leaving over 500 cats without water, lights, or warmth.
Currently there is a search for sponsors willing to help fund a move to a safer
area.
There are two parts to CWSI: The Adoption Center and the shelter
itself.
 The shelter is constructed in a circle, symbolizing a circle of caring.
This circle is divided into different spaces with a big cat playground
in the center. The cats that live there are in their own sanctuary,
deemed un-adoptable for various reasons: war wounds, other injuries,
disabilities, or simply to old to be adopted out. They are moved here
to live out their life in comfort.
The Adoption Center located in another area is where you find the
magic!
A veterinary clinic, study rooms, boarding facilities for owners to
leave their cats on a temporary basis, and the adoption rooms where the
kittens and the adult cats are housed are all found in the Adoption
Center. There is a front desk that is filled with information pamphlets
ranging from basic cat care to infectious diseases. Donation envelopes
are provided along with the monthly newsletter and pictures of all the
cats in the shelter. The Adoption Center is where people come to find
help for their cat or to adopt one out. It is staffed 24 hours a day
and open to the public around the clock. The center has one ambulance, but
they desperately need a second one. Helit is the ambulance driver and
she is available 24/7 performing many emergency runs in the middle of
the night.
There is a Cat Lover's Club where interested parties can sign up and
for $13.00 a month they sponsor one cat. In exchange for this sponsorship,
they receive 10% off all services the center provides, including vet
care and products from the shop. If you are interested in joining and
adopting one of these cats through cyber-space
Many emergencies have occurred which have pulled workers out of their bed in the middle of the night, and motivated them to go trapping injured ferals with the aid of only a flashlight and prayer. In the United States, we also face a feral and stray problem, but at least here, there is more than one organization to reach out and help these cats. In Israel, CWSI stands alone, with one courageous woman to lead them all in their mission to make the lives of these strays and ferals better. Please join this noble cause and become a part of the solution to prevent future hardships from occurring. These cats did not ask to be born into such a compromised life. It is up to those who are born of compassion and caring to understand that what these cats have to endure can be prevented or changed. The need is great, the workers willing, and the strays and ferals lurk in the shadows waiting for a better life then the one dealt to them.
Written by Mary Anne Miller - Meowhoo.com Co-owner and Marketing Director | 
