WHISKERS ANIMAL BENEVOLENT LEAGUE: 30 YEARS OLD & GOING STRONG
Tinker was surrendered to Whiskers along with her three adult kittens, Blue, Olive and Sadie. Two of her daughters have been adopted and are happy in their forever homes. Tinker lives contentedly in our shelter while she waits for her turn to be adopted. She loves people, is affectionate and is a confident girl. She is not at all shy and would love to the queen in a home. She is about ten years old.
Bambi was a young mother fending for herself in the woods. A worried person called Whiskers and we brought her and her four-day old babies into foster care. Bambi was unpredictable at first, frequently biting and attacking anyone who came near her. With time, she turned into a sweet, lovely girl. She was a great mom to Bee, Bumbleberry, and Butternut who were all adopted together. Bambi is now the queen of her forever home.
Beautiful McCoy, who is a Maine Coon mix, is one of our shelter cats with Feline Immunodeficiency Virus, or FIV. He is a sweet, playful, talkative guy, who recently had all of his teeth extracted because of stomatitis, a mouth disease common to many FIV cats that results in painful, inflamed gums. FIV cats can live as long and happily as cats without the virus as long as they receive medical attention when they need it.
Bridgette was rescued from the streets in July 2011 with her two young kittens. Her previous owners moved away and left her to fend for herself. When found she had a badly broken leg that the vet said could only have happened from intentional abuse. After surgery to repair her leg she and her babies were taken into a wonderful Whiskers’ foster home where she has made a full recovery and is a gentle, trusting kitty awaiting her forever home.
In our free-roaming shelter, where cats are not caged unless they are sick or assimilating into their new home at Whiskers (temporarily, we hope!), kitties are free to visit with one another and say hi to friends. Here, Thurlow, a shy black kitty rescued a number of years ago on Thurlow Street in Albany, greets another buddy up near one of the many windows in our shelter, where cats like to congregate in the sunshine and look outside.
Jonah was an orphan rescued from the jaws of a Rottweiler at the tender age of three weeks. The niece of the dog owner took him home and fed him her baby's formula until Whiskers could come and get him. Whiskers took Jonah to a foster home where a mom cat named Cashmere had recently lost her only kitten. Cashmere accepted him as her own and they were adopted together on November 12, 2009.
Boise is a shy, sweet little girl who lost her home when her owners couldn't keep her anymore. She loves petting, and lives in the "office" area of the Whiskers shelter, which is home to a small group of kitties who do best in a quiet environment without too many other cats. Boise would be a great only kitty, or could live with another quiet kitty or two who are respectful and calm, like her!
Andromeda was one of 17 kittens born to cats Whiskers rescued from a hoarding situation in April 2011. Whiskers was one of several organizations that took in the cats, many of which were pregnant and sick. The beautiful Andromeda was adopted along with her sister Amaretta when they were ten weeks-old.
Many of our more feral, shy cats may be a little suspicious of humans, but love to cuddle up together to sleep and give one another kisses and affection. Here, Shelley (a feral who recently passed away), Noir, Cleopatra, Larry, Peter and Licorice all cuddle up for the camera. Larry, Peter and Licorice are all kitties who are part of a group known as the "Nisky Cats," rescued several years ago from a hoarding situation in Niskayuna.
Cashmere was found pregnant and starving by a Whiskers volunteer. She gave birth to one premature kitten and was devastated when he died days later. Cashmere was inconsolable until we brought her an orphaned kitten named Jonah. It was love at first sight -- Jonah immediately purred and wanted to nurse, and the spark came back into Cashmere's eyes.
After an adopted Whiskers kitty escaped from her home and couldn't find her way back, Whiskers assisted in the search to find her. What we didn't expect was to find the stray cats living nearby her home in Mechanicville, including one very pregnant. We brought that pregnant kitty inside to safely give birth in a foster home. She had 5 kittens, including beautiful Lola.
Sage is a very handsome tuxedo boy who came to Whiskers when he was rescued from a terrible hoarding situation. Sage has Cerebellar Hypoplasia which causes him to have difficulty controlling his movements. He frequently falls over and wobbles when he walks and eats but he is still very playful. Sage has become quite the character at the shelter and loves to be held like a baby. He will follow you around the best he can to get attention and treats.
Tiki was one of three tiny, frightened kittens left in a cage on the side of the road in Clifton Park. The cage was not near a house; the sign on the cage said "Kitten Free". A good Samaritan saw the kittens abandoned there shivering, so he put the cage into his car and drove them to his nearby home. Later, he went to PetSmart hoping that Whiskers could help. One of the volunteers at PetSmart that day took them home and fostered them.
Amy is a sweet little dilute tiger cat who, along with her sister Betsy, came from a managed feral colony and was brought into Whiskers by one of our volunteers. She is a very loving, pettable little kitty, who likes to hang out on the shelf about the kitchen sink in the shelter to observe the volunteers while they dish out the morning and evening meals, and put in her order with a few gentle meows and taps on shoulders.
Whiskers answered a plea for help for a stray mom cat in Schenectady that was due for her second litter of kittens that season. Whiskers got her off the streets just in time because four days later Isis - named for the goddess of motherhood, magic and fertility - gave birth to a litter of five adorable baby boys. Two had Siamese looks like the neighborhood tom; three were black like Isis. All five of Isis' beautiful kittens were adopted on the same day!
These two handsome kitties, Elvis and Leonardo, have been diagnosed with Feline Leukemia, also known as FeLV. Elvis is a little bit snarky, but is responding more and more to love from volunteers, and especially likes head scratches! Gorgeous gray Leonardo, with his blue eyes, is part Siamese, and was rescued by Whiskers a number of years ago by volunteers from a hoarding situation in Niskayuna.
Brie Anna and Babe were Bridgette’s two surviving kittens that came into Whiskers’ from the streets. Although they had a rough start in life they grew into two beautiful girls who adored their mom. They were well taken care of by their foster mom and their mom, Bridgette, who endured a long recovery from extensive leg surgery. Through it all they persevered and both girls were adopted into loving homes in the Fall of 2011.
Pretty dark calico/tortie Holly is one of our shelter cats with Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV), and is a shy girl who is blossoming with love and attention from the shelter volunteers. At first, she could barely be touched, but now is enjoying lots of gentle petting! Holly came to us with her friend, Garfield, who has since passed away, when their owner couldn't keep them anymore. She loves it when you sing "Holly, Jolly Christmas" to her!
Princess Leia and Hans Solo were siblings living under a porch on their own. They were covered with burrs and fleas and had matted fur and parasites. These two shy kittens were brought into foster care where they blossomed into absolutely adorable fluffy cats. They were very close and frequently snuggled and groomed each other. It was great when they were adopted together into a home that appreciated how special they are.
These two pretty little sisters were rescued by Whiskers from a hoarding situation in Westerlo. Both came to us with very bad upper respiratory infections, and were quite shy, but with the love and attention of the Whiskers volunteers, have truly blossomed! Hannah is a kisser and a head-butter, and Jennifer rolls around for attention and love. About two years old, both are very playful and love other cats!
Parker Franklin came to Whiskers when a volunteer saw him listed on the internet. He has three deformed legs and tail but this young guy doesn't know it. He plays and runs and gets around like any other cat, so much so that he gets his own place to sleep at night to rest. He is also on medication to make sure he isn't in pain. Parker Franklin is such a sweet guy and a joy to have at the shelter.
Maynard was only 8 days old when he and his mom, Myrtle, were taken into Whiskers after their person died. Maynard was an only-kitten and was always behind in his development - his eyes didn’t open until he was 21 days old! When Maynard was 7 weeks old, he went to live with another only-kitten so they could both develop their social skills. Soon after he was adopted by a woman who fell head-over-heels for him.
This handsome orange, long-haired guy was once so afraid of people that you couldn't get near him, but now Templeton is a happy guy when he gets petted and cuddled by the volunteers. He lives in our senior room, and has a number of health issues that require medication and close attention to make sure he's feeling okay. He loves other cats, and can often be found in a basket curled up with other furry friends!
The handsome Applejack came to Whiskers when he was just 3 days old. His mom's previous litter were all killed by a dog in the household, so his mom and his 4 littermates needed a safe place. Applejack grew up to be a confident and friendly boy, not to mention extremely cute. His potential adopter couldn't decide between him and his brother, so they took both! His mom was adopted in a house where she could feel safe and be the number 1 cat.
Nutterbutter is a senior-aged guy who came to Whiskers with his buddy Goldie when their elderly owner could no longer care for them. Goldie has since passed away and Nutterbutter has become a favorite with our volunteers. He likes to talk to you and loves head scratches. He was recently diagnosed with cancer, but he doesn't know that he is sick. At Whiskers he will receive treatment and will be showered with love and attention.
Dudley and his tortie sister, Delaney, were rescued from the streets of Kingston when they were just babies and fending for themselves. Whiskers took them in when they had no place to go and placed them in a foster home. Dudley, being the charmer that he is, worked his magic, and the foster home soon became his permanent home. The foster family couldn't part with him and his sister and they were adopted in October 2010.
Sweet orange Dennis came to Whiskers with his brother, Boo, when their owner moved and abandoned them. Both came in loaded with fleas, and poor Dennis was missing a lot of hair on his legs and belly from flea bites. Dennis is a senior cat, probably between 13 and 16 years old, and is a quiet, loving guy who enjoys gentle petting. A loving quiet home would be his dream!
Rusty is a cute orange tiger with freckles on his nose. He came to Whiskers when we were trying to catch another kitty who had escaped from his home and we caught Rusty instead. We took him off the streets and gave him a comfy home in our shelter. In the back is round-bodied tiger, Albany. She is a sweet girl who loves petting and talks to you in her little chirping voice. She was rescued from a house that had too many cats to be cared for properly.
These two lovely kitties live in our senior room. Ant'ny is a flamepoint Siamese, with a loving personality. He needs daily eye drops as his eyes cannot generate tears. Pretty long-haired black & white Delmar came to Whiskers from a hoarding situation. She was very frightened at first, but has come a long way with love from the volunteers. Delmar recently had surgery to remove a cancerous tumor from her ear, and her prognosis is very good!
Selia was one of a litter of TEN kittens! Her mother, Samantha, had the good luck to be a stray in the Albany neighborhood of a Whiskers volunteer. He noticed this pregnant kitty and brought her into his home where she gave birth a few days later. One of Samantha's kittens did not survive, but Whiskers found homes for the other nine, and Samantha was adopted by her rescuer.
A volunteer caring for a feral colony in Albany was surprised to find a little kitten. To save her from the streets, Whiskers placed Chelsey in a foster home. When the vet looked over the little girl weighing only three pounds, she found that Chelsey had all of her adult teeth and was a malnourished 5 month old! Although Chelsey didn't have human contact early in life, she blossomed into a cuddly & affectionate kitty, still seeking her perfect home.
Crystal is a gorgeous, affectionate all white kitty who has Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV), and lives in the FIV room at Whiskers. She loves to be held and cuddled, and is a favorite of the volunteers! Kitties who have FIV can live as long and happily as other cats without the virus, as long as they receive medical attention when they need it.
Ruadh & Rufus were two of five brothers born at a Whiskers foster home in June 2010. Their mom, Ramona, was a kitty in a trailer park. The people caring for her moved away and left her pregnant and alone. Fortunately, she found her way to Whiskers before she had her kittens. Ruadh (Rudy) was adopted with their other brother Remus (Remy), but sadly they were returned. These sweet boys are available for adoption.
Dear Popeye, a favorite with the Whiskers volunteers, is one of our kitties with Feline Leukemia, or FeLV. Cats with FeLV generally have a short life span of three to five years after diagnosis, but our Popeye just takes a licking and keeps on ticking! He has had a number of health issues, including an ear hematoma, which required surgery, but is a loving, cuddly cat with the softest fur!
QE had a very close call when he and four other kittens were surrendered to the local animal shelter. It was a recipe for disaster: The shelter was overcrowded. The kittens had upper respiratory infections. The kittens were black, the hardest color to get adopted. Whiskers took action and found a foster home for the kittens when the shelter asked us to take them so they wouldn't have to be euthanized.
Lucius is a handsome black/white long-haired cat who started life as a feral kitty living in a colony in Clifton Park. He was often seen sitting outside patio doors watching the TV inside. A kind woman noticed that he had a large abscess on his neck, and after treatment from Whiskers, he was on the road to recovery. He's wary, but occasionally allows pets and head scratches. He often is found cuddled up with other shelter kitties, here with Cassidy.
In April 2011, Whiskers was one of several rescues that took in cats from a hoarding situation. Most had upper respiratory infections and several were pregnant. Crumpet & HoneyBee were two of the kittens born to a pair of these sick and frightened moms that had a total of seven babies 3 days apart and co-parented their litters. The kittens have long been adopted; their moms, Honey Buns & Cinnamon Buns are still waiting for their forever homes.
Casey is a long-time Whiskers resident who has been diagnosed with liver disease, but is enjoying a happy life at the shelter with the proper medical attention and love from volunteers. Casey was once very shy, and couldn't be touched, but now enjoys some cuddling and lap-time with volunteers, and is at his happiest all tangled up in a pile with other warm, furry kitty friends in our senior room.
Wiki Wiki was one of seven kittens a stray mom kept safely hidden under the porch in an Albany backyard where they were born one chilly April day. The owner of the home saw the kittens playing in her garden and called Whiskers. A few at a time, volunteers captured the mom and her elusive babies. The kittens were adopted over the next few months; their very shy mom, Devonaire, lived at Whiskers' shelter until her adoption in March 2011.
Boots is a beautiful, spunky kitty with "catitude"! She came to Whiskers when her owner couldn't keep her anymore, and has a special perch at the shelter in a basket by the kitchen sink... coincidentally, the place where morning and evening meals are dished up! She enjoys petting and affection, but will tell you when she's had enough. She would be a very happy only cat getting all of her owner's affection!
Making a Difference for Over 30 Years!
The gift of life is wrapped in your support... Thank you from all of us.
The story of Whiskers Animal Benevolent League began in 1982 in an antique store on Delaware Avenue, owned and operated by the late Joan Duer, an avid animal lover who was deeply concerned about the proliferation of stray cats and kittens in the City of Albany. In an effort to combat this growing problem, and to provide aid for cats and kittens in need of good, safe homes, Joan opened the Whiskers Thrift Store – with all proceeds from its sales going to finance the cost of spaying and neutering stray animals and providing them with shelter.
From this small, one-woman crusade, Whiskers Animal Benevolent League – which also sought to find foster and permanent homes for stray dogs in its early years – went forward to open a shelter for abandoned, abused, sick and feral cats and kittens, adhering to a strict no-kill philosophy. The life of every animal who passed through the doors of Whiskers was considered precious, and that policy, above all, continues to guide the work of Whiskers Animal Benevolent League 30 years later.
The Whiskers shelter itself, while it has been located in various storefronts, apartments, and other sites throughout the City of Albany in the years since its founding, has grown tremendously. In addition to the shelter itself, Whiskers operates a thriving foster parent program to provide care for pregnant mom cats and kittens until they are able to secure permanent homes, which are often found through the Whiskers Adoption Center housed in the Clifton Park Petsmart store. Also, Whiskers foster parents and other volunteers often take older cats, those with health challenges, and kitties who may be too shy to adopt out to the general public into their homes.
Over the years, Whiskers has been, and continues to be, unique among many other cat shelters in the region.
First of all, we are an all-volunteer group: every penny donated to our organization is directed to the welfare of our cats and kittens. As a private shelter, we do not receive government funding, and rely on our friends and supporters to help us advance our work. The people who clean our shelter twice each day, administer medications, provide maintenance services, staff our adoption center, and provide foster homes for our kitties donate their time and energy without any compensation apart from the joy they find in caring for our Whiskers cats.
Second, as a strictly no-kill shelter, Whiskers provides a safe, loving, sanctuary for cats who are chronically ill, diagnosed with FIV and FeLV, feral, very old, abused, or otherwise not considered easily adoptable to the general public. While we believe that virtually all of our cats are adoptable to the right person, the fact of the matter is that some of our cats will live out their entire lives in safety and comfort in our shelter. Many others will go on to find safe, loving homes with the assistance of our dedicated and knowledgeable adoption counselors.
Third, unlike many other shelters, Whiskers is a free-roaming facility, with almost all of our cats loose and uncaged, unless they are ill or new to the shelter.
As Whiskers Animal Benevolent League enters its fourth decade of providing care and aid for homeless cats and kittens throughout the Capital District, we are grateful for the dedication of our volunteers, those who support us with their generous donations, and many others who assist us in continuing our important mission day by day, and we are looking forward to the years to come, and the kitties to come!