A Paw in the Door

WELCOME TO PAW IN THE DOOR!

Founded in 1985, Paw in the Door rescues, rehabilitates, and finds forever homes for the neediest cats. Cats that have been abandoned, orphaned, neglected, abused, or otherwise traumatized find safety and kindness when they enter our door. At our Paw Palace in Bath, Maine, a team of Paw Companions socializes and cares for these cats. They leave the Palace confident, healthy, and ready to move on to a new life.

Paw in the Door is an all-volunteer organization. Every penny we earn goes toward the welfare of the cats we serve. Our work depends entirely on the commitment of our volunteers and the generosity of our supporters, whom we view as part of an extended Paw family.

This new fundraising website is designed to maintain and expand our network of support while giving pleasure to those who use it. Here you will find information on photo contests, shopping opportunities, and silent auctions, in which we hope you will participate. We will continually be adding new events and features for your interest and enjoyment. Please check in regularly and spread the word about Paw in the Door to your family and friends.

You have seen us say that we help the neediest of cats.  You may wonder, "what do they mean by that?  What makes a cat the neediest of cats?"  
Meet some of the cats who have been with us at our Paw Palace!

WILLOW AND KIKI were two of seven calico cats left abandoned in an empty house. For a year they lived without heat, electricity, or companionship. Once a week, a neighbor brought them some food. People saw the cats looking out the windows but could not go inside to rescue them. When Willow and Kiki escaped, Paw in the Door was able to catch them and bring them to the Paw Palace. Both cats were totally terrified, and Kiki's back fur was badly matted. Willow was the first to let the volunteers come near her. They lured her out of hiding with cat treats, peacock feathers, and flattery. Soon she was doing somersaults and purring up a storm. After six months, Willow went home with a young professional woman who is as bright and playful as she. Kiki, the older and shyer of the two, is still at the Paw Palace, and has made tremendous progress in learning to trust. She loves to have her head and chin rubbed and visits her housemates when it is her turn to roam. Kiki needs a quiet home with someone who understands her lingering insecurities. With her sweet temperament and lively curiosity, this beautiful girl will blossom into a wonderful cat companion.
Kiki -

 Willow - 

SUNNY lived as a stray for over a year before coming to Paw in the Door. His jowls and his scars bore witness to misspent days as an unneutered cat about town. After getting "the works" at Yarmouth Veterinary Center, Sunny settled gratefully into life at the Paw Palace. He loved the attention of the volunteer companions and not having to worry about food. Within a few weeks, however, his old tail wounds began to abscess, and we had no choice but to have it amputated. Sunny came through the surgery like a champion. Though he hated the Elizabethan collar, we thought it made him look like a haloed saint. Sunny's best days were yet to come. A family with four-year-old twins came to the Palace to look at a kitten and fell totally in love with him. Sunny, bright as his name, is now enjoying life with his new family. He spends his days hanging out with his beloved twins. When they are away, he waits in the window for their return.

MOXIE fell into a precarious situation when her owner's new boyfriend threatened to harm the cat if she didn't immediately get rid of her. A friend took the cat in to protect her but could not get his own cat to accept a housemate. Though Moxie had spent months living in a bathroom, her playful and loving nature was instantly apparent at the Paw Palace. Luck was hers when a gentleman who had recently lost his wife of 50 years and his cat of 21 years made an application for adoption. When he came to see Moxie, he immediately fell in love with her and begged Paw in the Door to let him take her home right then. The following day he was going to scatter his wife's ashes in Casco Bay, and he said it would mean so much to have Moxie to come home to. We are convinced that his wife did not want him to be lonely and that this was literally a match made in heaven.

MAGGIE AND LILLIAN were living with a man who neither liked nor wanted them, but was reluctant to surrender them even after reaching out to Paw in the Door. Only the persistence of Vice President Joanne Adams gave this mother and daughter pair a new lease on life. Joanne first talked the man into letting her take Lillian, but when the kitten came to the Paw Palace she would not come out from behind the couch. Joanne called him back and asked if she could have Lillian's brother and was told absolutely no. Undaunted, she asked if she could have her mother and finally convinced him to say yes. Within minutes, she was at his house with a cat carrier and a surrender form in hand. When Lillian saw Maggie she immediately came out and never left her mother's side. Though Maggie sometimes tired of having a Velcro kitten, we knew the two had to stay together. They found their perfect home with a couple of experienced cat owners, who bought them the toys they had seeing them playing with at the Palace before they brought them home. Maggie and Lillian are now sleeping on the bed with their new parents and, during the daytime, seem to have a thing for heights. Last we heard nothing has been broken, but life with those two is never dull.

BAMBOO PANDA lost her owner and was moved from place to place for months before coming to Paw in the Door. Though she had been bullied in her temporary situations, she gave lap cat a new meaning when she arrived. She would ensconce herself in people's laps and nip if they petted her incorrectly. Though technically homeless, she had obviously ruled the roost with her original person and had no intention of relinquishing that power. Bamboo Panda stayed at the Paw Palace for many months during which time she trained all the volunteers to do her bidding. We began to wonder if the bossy calico would ever find the right adopter, when a lovely couple who was game for a challenge appeared. Bamboo Panda knew a good thing when she saw it and walked willingly into the carrier when they came to take her home. Within days she had checked out and approved every inch of her new surroundings and was alternating laps while watching TV in the evening.

LUNA was adopted as a kitten with her brother, who bullied her as they grew older until it became unbearable. At Paw in the Door, the beautiful blue-eyed Bengal was initially withdrawn and fearful, but before too long her personality came to the fore. Luna was always full of energy. She looked like an Olympic figure skater when she leaped for her feather toy. On her cat tower, she would often strike comic poses. And like all Bengals, she was very, very chatty. Luna needed a home with lots of action, and she found it with a young family. Now the cat and the kids tire each other out and being bullied is a distant memory!

ARIEL, little more than a kitten herself, came to Paw in the Door pregnant for what her owner told us was the third time. In the ensuing weeks her little body grew increasingly round until one morning, four beautiful and healthy kittens appeared! Ariel was a devoted mother. She attended to her babies' every need and groomed them constantly. When the kittens were old enough to be weaned and adopted, they went in pairs to two lucky families. After Ariel was spayed, she enjoyed some rest and relaxation, though her passion for grooming did not abate. She regularly styled the volunteers' hair from a perch on the back of the sofa. Balding patches were rigorously polished. When long hair got caught on her tongue, she never gave up. Ariel was adopted by a family that had two yellow labs, who, thanks to her, are now looking spiffier than ever!

MARVIN was the beloved cat of a little girl whose mother decided she wanted to have a dog. When the dog arrived, it bullied Marvin, who ended up hiding in the basement, refusing to eat, and peeing inappropriately. Marvin came to Paw in the Door with a heartbreaking note from the girl to his future owner. It described his shy temperament, how he liked to have his head scratched, and his taste for cheddar cheese popcorn (which the vet said to remove from his diet.) She asked his new owner to love him and to make happy memories with him, as she had done. Marvin was completely bereft when he was left at the Paw Palace. It took weeks to coax him out of hiding and begin to rebuild his confidence. As he gradually emerged, Marvin loved to lie on people's shoes, bat his toys around, and luxuriate in the sun. His new owner, a redhead like himself, has given him the forever home that he deserves.

Catastic Cards Kiosk

Send special greetings designed to produce a smile!

These charming cat cards are designed for Paw in the Door by local artist and longtime supporter Melissa Textor. The holiday cards have colorful details and festive greetings that recipients are sure to enjoy. Black-and-white blank cards, which you can hand color, are purrfect for thank yous, birthdays, celebrations, and friendly notes. All of Melissa's images are simply delightful!

To view and purchase Melissa's designs, go to items. Cards are 4" x 5.5" and come with envelopes. A pack of 8 cards costs only $10 including shipping.

Fabulous Felines Photo Contest Winners

Thank you to all who entered photos and voted for our fabulous felines!
 

CONGRATULATIONS to all our winners and to MILES, our BEST OF SHOW cat who won the Beautiful Cat category and received the most votes in any category with 118! Miles and his owners, Shannon & Josh Chick, will receive the prizes for his category, our Best of Show trophy, and a $100 gift card to Loyal Biscuit.com. Miles will be the cover cat as well as a monthly category cat on our Photo Contest Calendar!

Through your participation in this event, Paw in the Door earned $3,048 to support our rescue and rehabilitation work with the neediest cats. Our Paw cats are the big winners thanks to your generosity.

Gallery of Contest Winners

Adorable Cats:  Lucy

Owners: Linda Docherty & Scott Staples

Angel Cats:  Miranda

Owner: Dawn Toth

Beautiful Cats: Miles

Owners: Shannon & Josh Chick

Best Buddies: Romeo & Daphne

Owners: Maryanne & Tim Giggey

Cat Nappers: Lucy

Owners: Linda Docherty & Scott Staples

Cutest Kitten: Hopper

Owners: Melanie & Isaiah Cooper

Festive Felines:  Ron

Owner: Maureen Morrone

Funny Furballs: Romeo

Owners: Maryanne & Tim Giggey

Happy Families: Angus, Callie & Midnight

Owner:  Bonnie Docherty

Naughty Cats:  Bootsdammit!

Owner: Joanne Adams

Playful Pusses:  Oakie

Owner:  Joanne Chick

Special Seniors: Mittens

Owners: Anne & Steve Lavoie

Fabulous Felines Photo Contest

Make your fabulous felines famous by sending us your favorite photos!

This online event will brighten your holiday season and provide fun for the entire family. The contest consists of 12 categories, designed to celebrate all types of cats and cat behavior. Prizes will be awarded in each category. The cat (or cats) with the most votes in any category will win our Grand Prize for Best of Show! 

Entries must be received by December 14. For information on entering, go to: pawfabfecontest.givesmart.com. After the contest gallery is posted on December 16, voting will be open to everyone. You can vote as many times and for as many cats as you like until December 31! To cast your votes, go to: https://pawfabfevotes.givesmart.com. Winners will be announced on January 1, 2021.

Flowers for Felines

Plant a garden; help a cat!

Spring is just around the corner and the best way to greet it is to prepare to plant a garden! To get you started on this project, Paw in the Door has partnered with Flower Power, a green fundraising organization that offers a large variety of bulbs, seeds, and edibles. Specialty products include seed mats, vertical gardens, and mixes that attract hummingbirds, honey bees, and butterflies. Salad, herb, and tomato seed packets and strawberry plants are available as well! All Flower Power products are 100% guaranteed.

Paw in the Door will receive 50% of the revenue from our Flower Power sales. This income will go a long way toward supporting the operations of our Paw Palace and providing our cats the medical care they need. Please be creative and generous when you plan your garden, and tell your family and friends about this opportunity to make their worlds beautiful and our cats happy.

How to Order

Online ordering is simple. Go to our Flower Power storefront at http://pawinthedoor.fpfundraising.com and look through the spring catalogue. After making your selections, fill out the order form and submit it with your payment information (credit card or PayPal) as directed. Products ordered online will be shipped directly to the buyer at a regionally appropriate time. Shipping costs $6.00 for orders of any size.

You may also order directly from Paw in the Door. These orders will be submitted as a group and shipped all together to us. Ordering this way will save you a shipping charge but you will have to pick your products up at the Paw Palace. You may email direct orders to [email protected] or request a paper order form. Payment may be made by check to Paw in the Door (16 Winter Street, Bath, ME 04530) or PayPal ([email protected]).

The deadline for spring orders is April 15, 2021. If you have questions contact Linda Docherty at [email protected] or 207-344-5174.