Langley’s CARES cat shelter is hosting its first Adopt-A-Thon of the year at the end of February, and volunteers are hoping families who want to add a cat will stop by.
The event will be held Feb. 29 and March 1 at the PetSmart on the Langley Bypass, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on both days.
CARES sometimes keeps cats for a long time if they can’t find a home right away, as they did recently with Manny the Manx.
The short-tailed cat was taken in by CARES back in 2013 when he was two years old. He was found on a farm during a trap-neuter-release event, but was found to be suffering from a condition called megacolon that meant he needed veterinary care.
Taken in by CARES, Manny received medicine, but he still needed vet assistance on a regular basis, and eventually received surgery in 2016.
By the summer of 2016, he was ready to go to a family, but needed a new owner who could give him extra care because of his medical issues and need for a special diet.
Manny’s luck with foster homes was not good – he had to leave his first one after another cat there didn’t accept him, and then at the second his human foster mom became pregnant and had to take him back to CARES again.
Finally in 2019, now on a new diet that was making life easier for him, Manny found a permanent home in Kitsilano.
Through it all, he remained a very friendly cat, according to CARES staff.
A wide selection of cats and kittens is expected to be on hand at the Adopt-A-Thon, and most adoptions will be completed the same day. Staff will be on hand to deal with the adoptions and to answer general questions about cat care.
Some of the adoptable cats are on display in the PetSmart daily during business hours.
People can also sign up as a member, donor, or volunteer for CARES at the event.