Zucchini Inspires Adoption Assistance

Ten lucky cats, and lucky families, are set to benefit from one family's love of Zucchini.        

**Update August 2012 - all ten cats have been adopted!

Community Animal Rescue Effort (C.A.R.E.) has received a donation designed to assist ten cats to find homes in memoriam of former C.A.R.E. cat, Zucchini, who passed away after almost twenty years with his grateful owners.  The gift will hopefully inspire potential families to think about giving a home to a special needs cat such as one who may be a bit older or have some medical considerations.

Zucchini’s Gift is a subsidy that decreases the adoption fee from $100 to only $15 for cats selected as Zucchini’s Gift Cats. These cats will be featured on C.A.R.E.’s Adoptables page.**

The gift couldn’t come at a more perfect time as C.A.R.E. has recently found itself with a much higher than usual cat population and is having difficulties taking in new cats due to space limitations.  Turning away cats in need is heartbreaking for the all-volunteer organization, but without cats getting adopted, the shelter finds itself doing just that.

Zucchini’s story

In early 1992, a graduate student named Andrew was missing feline companionship and came to C.A.R.E. looking for a new friend.  A young red tabby that went by the name of Curtis caught his eye, and after being renamed Zucchini, the one-year old kitty found his forever home with Andrew and quickly became the center of everything in the household.  Zucchini was adopted under a special program that C.A.R.E. was running at the time to offer low-cost adoption of cats for only $15.

Zucchini eventually moved from his courtyard apartment in Chicago all the way to New York City where he continued his favorite activities, sitting outside on the deck with his other owner, Dan, rubbing against guests and trying to wash their hair.

When Zucchini turned 19, Andrew was inspired to look up C.A.R.E. on the internet to share his story and to ask a few questions about Zucchini’s life before he came to C.A.R.E.  Andrew wondered how anyone could have given this perfect cat to a shelter.  Always excited to hear about their alum, C.A.R.E. was able to look up the details and inform Andrew that Zucchini had actually gone to a different home just before Andrew came in but it didn’t work out.

Andrew realized that C.A.R.E. had stuck by this little cat making sure that the right match was made, and the second time was definitely the charm! 

More Information

C.A.R.E. is an all-volunteer organization that works in conjunction with Evanston’s municipal Animal Shelter to find homes for the unwanted and abandoned animals that have been brought to the shelter.

To adopt one of Zucchini’s friends please see our Adoptables page and look for the specially designated cats.**

*Update August 2012 - all ten cats have been adopted!