EAPL helps care for many cats in our community, including those who must be surrendered due to illness, the loss of an owner, or changes in their ability to provide care. For every cat EAPL is able to take in, two cats are saved — because the cat we accept does not have to enter the Jefferson County shelter system.
While we wish we could help every cat, our small, volunteer-run rescue and one-room communal adoption center mean we must focus on cats we can safely care for and place in homes. Below you’ll find information on how we can help based on your cat’s needs.
Social cats (found or owned)
EAPL operates a one-room communal cat adoption center located inside Chow Down Pet Supply (generously donated by their wonderful owners).
We are able to accept cats into our rescue if they meet the following criteria:
- Social and able to be safely handled by volunteers
- (A good test: you can pick them up and place them in a carrier)
- No danger to the public, including small children
- Spayed or neutered
- Vaccinated for Rabies and FVRCP
- Dewormed if they have been outdoors
- Tested negative for feline leukemia (FeLV) and FIV
- Not on special diets or long-term medications for chronic conditions such as kidney disease or hyperthyroidism
For cats 10 years or older, EAPL requires a basic blood panel (including thyroid testing) to screen for underlying health issues that could be triggered by the stress of relocation to the cat room.
If you need to surrender a social cat, please complete the surrender form linked below.
Non-social or feral cats
At this time, EAPL is unable to take adult feral or semi-feral cats into our rescue. Our volunteers and adopters must be able to safely handle cats in our care and place them into carriers.
EAPL is not a full-service shelter like Jefferson County Foothills Animal Shelter. We do not have separate intake or isolation rooms for evaluating unsocialized cats, and we do not currently operate a barn cat program. Because our adoption center is a shared, communal space, all cats in our care must be social.
We can sometimes accept young kittens from feral cats if they are young enough to be socialized. These cases are evaluated individually, as socialization requires significant hands-on care and time.
How we can help with community cats
If you are contacting us about a feral or community cat, here’s how EAPL may be able to assist:
- We can provide humane traps (deposit required) and instructions on safe trapping
- We will cover the cost of spay/neuter, vaccinations, and ear tipping at one of our low-cost partner clinics
- This process is known as TNR (Trap, Neuter, Release) and is the most humane and effective way to manage feral cat populations
There are also organizations in the Denver metro area dedicated to helping with feral cat colonies. Searching online for “TNR cats” can help you locate additional resources.
One trusted organization we frequently work with is Simba’s Pride.