Two More Lives Saved by the Newly Opened Neely Cat Center

 

A two-week-old kitten and Lily the bunny both owe their lives to the new Neely Cat Center at the Pasadena Humane Society where the $3 million facility equipped to care for even the neediest furry friend officially opened today.

Both the friendly cats and the more reserved kitties can feel comfortable in either the communal living areas with toys to bat and cozy beds to nestle in or the individual glass paneled quarters.

“From a trailer to a palace, these adoptable cats are living in luxury,” Vice President of Community Relations Ricky Whitman said.

The nursery makes it possibly to care for newborn kittens before getting adopted or let out for foster care. Rabbits and rodents also have a specially designed space in the newly renovated area.

Whitman said already the center has seen an increase of cat adoptions. On the opening, day five cats were adopted, exceeding their expectations.

“They are sleeping, they’re playing, they’re doing all the cat things they like to do,” Pasadena Humane Society President and CEO Steve McNall said. “Come visit it, you won’t find any other like it in the country I guarantee it and its going to save thousands upon thousands of cat’s lives in the near future.”

A majority of the funding came from a $2.5 million donation from the William R. Payden Philanthropic Trust. The center is named after Neely, Payden’s chocolate point Siamese cat of 18 years.

Bill and Neely were inseparable. After Bill passed away in June, 2013 his sister, Joan Payden, fulfilled his wishes to create a compassionate care facility for cats.

Among the dozens of new features intended to create the most comfortable environment for these friendly felines are interactive toys which can be operated by cat lovers via the internet; a separate entrance so they are not exposed to dogs; high power air purifiers/scrubbers for rooms; a kitchen for cat food needs and a kitten nursery with space for nursing mothers to help reach the Humane Society’s goal of zero euthanasia of healthy, placeable animals.

The Pasadena Humane Society is located at 361 S. Raymond Ave. in Pasadena. For more, visit http://www.pasadenahumane.org/