On a Mission..

OUR STORY

Heidi’s Kittens was started in the summer of 2021. Prior, Heidi began helping with some transports of dogs, and fostered kittens for local shelters for three years. She learned how many animals were getting euthanized in shelters due to lack of space and resources. The network of rescues and transporters worked hard to get the animals out before their “due out” date (their euthanasia date).  Heidi learned that even healthy kittens were scheduled to be euthanized due to shelter policies that meant kittens not old enough to be spayed/neutered were considered “not adoptable” and not to be raised in a shelter.  

That first summer, Heidi networked to six different rescue organizations that were willing to take kittens and transported them herself or networked with volunteers to transport over 150 animals from euth lists to their second chance at rescues. 

Most of the rescues are home-based and/or use fosters to raise the animals.  All spay and neuter their animals before adopting them out, doing their part to ensure the problem doesn’t continue.  Heidi took in 9 of the kittens when she couldn’t find any more places for them to go.  She raised them, got them spayed and neutered and adopted them out.  Heidi is grateful to All Hearts Rescue for being a partner and guide as she worked to establish her own 501(c)3, to help as many animals as possible. In September of 2023, Heidi’s Kitten Rescue was granted nonprofit status. Heidi now administers a local network of volunteers who foster, transport, and work adoption events to get kitties adopted. The journey continues and Heidi continues to answer the call.  

OUR MISSION

Heidi’s mission is to give a second chance to as many cats and kittens as possible.  She is good at networking and she has worked with rescues, volunteer transporters, and fosters from a wide area surrounding Montana.  Heidi is well aware that there are overpopulation issues in many areas. As awareness of her mission has grown, so have local contacts and cooperation. While Heidi is connected to a transport network that can help get cats adopted throughout Montana and occasionally into surrounding states, she is also dedicated to serving the local needs and answering the call when kittens and cats have no place else to go. Heidi fostered kittens for the local shelters for three years, learning a lot before taking on the venture herself, and now supports her fosters and connects with experienced vet techs (several are foster families for Heidi’s Kittens) and asks veterinary advice when dealing with issues beyond her. Heidi encourages those without resources to first contact the local brick-and-mortar shelters, who have paid staff and a budget, for assistance. Many of them also offer a pet food bank, to help keep the cats in your care. When they are full, or unable to meet the particular need (for example, having fosters for bottle baby kittens or pregnant moms), reach out to Heidi’s Kittens to see if there is room to support you.

Heidi’s goal is to remain a small and flexible organization, willing to serve where most needed.  She fosters small numbers of felines in her home, has a small network of volunteers, and maintains an online presence to connect cats in need to people who want them.  If you’re looking for a barn cat (preferably two!), Heidi can usually find one or two and transport them to you!  Looking for a kitten, there’s probably one ready right now to be adopted.  Looking for an adult cat with a certain description, let her know and she’ll network with rescues.  We network only rescue animals.  We also encourage you to support your local shelters and check there for your forever animal.  

Due to our small size and funding, we do not take on complex medical cases at this time.  Heidi also works full-time, as do most of her volunteers. 

We do the best we can for the most we can.