By Emily Laing
Cranbourne local Daniela Maslen has been giving cats and kittens a second chance at life for over a decade, and this weekend you could do the same.
Daniela’s not-for-profit, home-run cat rescue effort, 2nd Chance Cat Rescue, is holding an adoption day this Saturday 12 August.
From 11am-2pm, lovable cats and kittens will be available on Cemetery Road, Cranbourne via Daniela’s adoption bus.
Not all cats and kittens will attend on the day, so if you find a 2nd Chance rescue that swells your heart, you can fill out an application form or contact Daniela through the rescue’s website or Facebook page to arrange a meet and greet.
Daniela has been running 2nd Chance Cat Rescue for 12 years, moving to a larger property with a large double story shed for the rescues five years ago, after she was awarded a $50,000 government grant.
Her love for cats started in her youth, but not having her own cat until her 30s, Daniela said the rescue is a way for her to “really make up“ for her years without feline companionship.
“I just love them,“ she said.
“You can just communicate with them without language and they’re so much fun.“
Since the cost of living and housing crisis began burning the hip pockets of Melbourne residents, Daniela reported getting 10-20 emails each day from people wanting to surrender their cats to her rescue.
With nearly 30,000 followers on Facebook, 2nd Chance Cat Rescue has become a touchstone for people wanting to lighten their financial burdens by removing pets from the equation.
As a not-for-profit, Daniela relies solely on her own money and that of donations to keep her rescues fed, healthy and vet treated.
Unfortunately, the rising costs have meant less donations from individuals and businesses who usually help to keep the rescue afloat.
“We don’t make money from adopting the cats out,“ she said.
“We were getting donations and donations of food but that has dried out too.
“We normally get around $6000-$8000 worth of donations from Pet Circle, but that has totally dried out and other rescue groups aren’t getting it anymore too.“
At one stage, Daniela recalled having over 500 cats in one year, and with the inundation of rescue requests, she may soon find herself hitting another bleak milestone.
“The hardest cats to adopt out are white and black cats,“ Daniela said.
“The easiest are long fluffy kittens and grey cats.“
The adoption process at 2nd Chance requires an application form to be filled out and a meet and greet to ensure suitability.
“We make sure that they are actually suitable,“ she said.
“Some cats are really hard to rehome because people choose the cat because it looks good.
“I say come around and have a look and then a lot of people go home with a totally different cat which is much better.“
Daniela said the adoption needs to be taken seriously, that potential owners need to understand what they are signing up for- while cats are affectionate, soft and sweet, they require owners willing to put in the work.
“Cats are so sensitive,“ Daniela said.
“And it’s a relationship, you have to get to know each other and take it slowly.
“Some cats are real smoochy and you have no problem, but others want to know ’Where am I going?’, ’What are my rules?’ so they can adjust themselves.“
Daniela had a few tips on how to make the adoption process run smoothly after bringing a new furry family member home.
Keeping the kitty litter clean, and changing the type of litter used (from crystals to pellets, for example) can make a huge difference in cat’s toileting behaviours and prevent unwanted urination on furniture and carpets.
Keeping water and food fresh will help to keep your cat happy and healthy.
Giving cats the space to get to know their new environment and get settled without being overbearing or demanding their attention and affection is imperative for building a relationship of trust.
“We want the best home and for them to have a good quality of life,“ Daniela said.
