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Meet Olive
Lonely Hearts Club Member
Olive is a spunky 8-year-old diabetic cat. With a mischievous personality, she’s quickly become a favorite amongst the staff at CCS. If you adopt Olive, we assure you there will never be a dull day in your household again! View her profile to learn more.
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Save a life and find your new best friend while opening up more space in the shelter. After picking out your purrfect match, apply to adopt!
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Get involved by giving back! We have many volunteer roles available to help support the cats in our shelter. A few hours can make a world of difference.
Upcoming Events
Free Seminar: Clicker Training Your Cats
Free Seminar: The Benefits of Play
Free Seminar: Keeping Senior Cats Healthy
Paws on the Green: Golf Tournament
Free Seminar: Resolving Litter Box Issues
Cats on Mats – Shelter Yoga
Free Seminar: Building a Better Bond with Your Kitty
Cats on Mats – Shelter Yoga
Thrifty Kitty Pop Up Shop
Free Seminar: Q&A with a Cat Behaviorist
Purrs and Paint
Free Seminar: Kitten Class
Cat Takeover at New Terrain Brewing Co.
Free Seminar: Helping Cats Live Together
“Fore the Felines” at TopGolf Centennial
“Fore the Felines” Online Auction
- Ends March 15, 2026
Free Seminar: Successful Cat Introductions
Art from the Heart: Online Art Auction
- Ends February 28, 2026
Colorado Gives Day
Santa Paws
The Whisker Whisper Blog
Dangerous and Toxic Foods Every Cat Owner Should Know About
Cats are known to be curious and that curiosity often extends to the foods around them. While it may be tempting to share table scraps or leave certain foods within easy reach, some common human foods can be toxic to cats. Unfortunately, many of these foods are household staples and may even be hidden ingredients in prepared dishes, making accidental exposure easier than you might think.
Below are some of the foods that pose the greatest risk to cats, along with a few common foods that may not be toxic but can still cause digestive upset and other unpleasant reactions.
The OGs: Onion and Garlic
Onions and garlic, along with their botanical relatives shallots, scallions, chives, and leeks, can severely damage your cat’s red blood cells, causing anemia. Be aware that cooking spices like garlic powder and onion powder are more concentrated, making them even more dangerous. Cats who have consumed these foods often show lethargy, weakness, reduced appetite, pale gums, and orange to dark red urine.
Say “Naw” to Raw Eggs, Meat, and Bones
Just like for humans, consumption of raw eggs or raw meat can lead to Salmonella or E. coli poisoning in cats. Symptoms of the illness vary but can include vomiting, diarrhea, and lethargy. Salmonella and E. coli can also be transmitted from humans, so be careful to properly wash your hands after cooking in addition to keeping your cat away from these raw foods. Raw eggs also contain an enzyme that can lead to skin and coat problems in cats. Raw bones are another no-go as they can cause choking, obstruction in the digestive tract, and/or teeth damage.
Paws Off the Chocolate!
The same part of chocolate that makes it poisonous for dogs (compounds called methylxanthines) is just as toxic for cats. Symptoms after consumption include vomiting and diarrhea, high body temperature, muscle tremors, abnormal heart rhythm, abdominal discomfort, increased thirst, and seizures.
Lemon Be Clear: No Citrus
The stems, leaves, seeds, and peels of citrus fruits (oranges, limes, grapefruits, lemon, etc.) all pose health concerns for cats. The citric acid and essential oils they contain can be irritating to your cat’s nervous system, leading to tremors, seizures, or death. If you use essential oil diffusors, choose oils and blends that do not contain citrus. Note that consuming a small amount of a citrus fruit’s flesh is less problematic, at most causing an upset stomach.
You Heard It Through the Grapevine: No Grapes or Raisins
While toxicity is not as common as some of the other foods discussed, feeding your cat grapes and raisins should be avoided. Some cats demonstrate restlessness, a reduced appetite, and vomiting after eating grapes and raisins, and there is some concern that they also negatively impact kidney health. While the exact compound hasn’t been identified yet, it appears that it’s something in the grape’s flesh that causes health issues for cats.
Water Is the Cat’s Meow—No Caffeine, Alcohol, or Cream
Cats do best with clean, fresh water, as proper hydration is essential for preventing urinary and kidney problems. While dairy products such as milk and cream are not toxic to cats, many cats have difficulty digesting lactose, which can lead to nausea and diarrhea. Caffeine and alcohol, however, should never be given to cats. Caffeine contains methylxanthines, the same toxic compounds found in chocolate, while alcohol can cause serious symptoms, including vomiting, diarrhea, tremors, disorientation, breathing difficulties, and even death.
Closing
In addition to keeping poisonous foods out of reach, it’s also important to keep toxic houseplants and flowers out of the home. Check out our other blog article on safe and toxic flora.
Always call your vet for guidance if you have concerns over something your cat consumed or potentially consumed. If it’s after hours, their answering machine message may include a local emergency number. Additionally, the ASPCA offers a 24/7 Poison Control number (888-426-4435), but note that a consultation fee may apply.
About the Author: Beth Dokolasa is a volunteer for Cat Care Society and serves on the Board of Directors. She is an instructional developer for Natural Grocers and lives in Indian Hills, Colo., with her husband, daughter, and two cats, Techno and Digit.
The (Long) Road to Relief: How CCS Supports Cats with Allergies
Just like humans, cats can suffer from a variety of allergies, including food allergies, environmental allergies, and flea hypersensitivities (an intense reaction to the proteins in flea saliva). While allergies are relatively common in cats, managing symptoms and identifying the underlying cause can be a long and often complex process, especially in a shelter environment, where many cats arrive without a known medical history.
At Cat Care Society (CCS), our veterinary team works to provide relief, improve quality of life, and help cats with allergies find loving homes. In a Q&A, Dr. Cecily Palamara, Cat Care Society’s Chief Veterinarian, answered a series of questions about cats with allergies, including the approach CCS uses to best support the cats and educate potential adopters to set them up for success.
What are the most common symptoms you see that indicate a cat may have an allergy?
Dr. Cecily Palamara: The most common symptoms we see in cats are overgrooming of the fur (which often causes hair loss), self-trauma/biting at the skin/fur, wounds, itchiness/frequent scratching, and scabbing/dermatitis associated with overgrooming and self-trauma.
Note: If these symptoms sound familiar and you suspect that your cat has an allergy, talk to your vet or visit our Veterinary and Medical Services resource page to find a vet for support. Also, check out other CCS blog posts related to cat health and medical care to stay informed about your cat’s wellness.
What are the steps taken at the shelter/veterinary care levels to address suspected allergies?
Dr. Cecily Palamara: The shelter approach to feline allergies is directed at alleviating symptoms rather than definitively diagnosing the underlying cause. When one of our vets suspects allergies in a patient (either food allergies, environmental allergies, and/or flea allergies), we focus on quick relief of symptoms rather than definitive diagnosis of underlying cause.
Any cat noted to have a history of severe skin issues or noted to have skin issues on intake to CCS (scratching, biting, scabbing, hair loss, etc.), receives a DVM exam (a comprehensive exam performed by a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine) to determine next treatment and diagnostic steps. We first rule out parasitic causes via skin scrapings and skin cytologies to rule out demodex (a mite) or other parasites, and all cats (regardless of skin condition) are treated with a topical antiparasitic upon arrival to CCS. Sometimes additional diagnostics, such as bloodwork and/or skin biopsies, are pursued depending on the appearance and severity of the skin lesions. If a CCS veterinarian suspects underlying allergies as a cause of the skin issues, the cat is usually started on the following:
- a special prescription diet to address potential food allergies
- an antibiotic injection to address secondary bacterial pyoderma (sometimes we put them on stronger antibiotics depending on the severity of the skin infection)
- Atopica, an immunomodulating oral medication that is very successful at managing allergies long term in cats
Sometimes we will also concurrently start a shorter course of corticosteroids to get itchiness and inflammation under control more quickly, as the Atopica takes longer to take effect.
We do not perform specific allergen testing or treat with immunotherapy (this is sometimes recommended by dermatologists for diagnosis and treatment) as this is outside of our scope and would not often change the course of our in-shelter treatment.
How long does it typically take to get the allergy and its symptoms under control?
Dr. Cecily Palamara: Typically, it takes between 1-3 months for us to start seeing a positive response to treatment. Our suspected allergy cats are one of our longest stay cohorts of patients because we want to make sure that they are comfortable, well-managed on medication and diet, and have good quality of life prior to making them available for adoption. This takes time, frequent medication and diet adjustments, and frequent rechecks to assess response to treatment. Whenever available, we try to send these cats to a foster home while we await a response to treatment. We have had excellent success with our allergy cats, with only 1-2 cats in the last 4 years having a poor or inadequate response to treatment. One of these cats was referred to a dermatologist while in care for additional treatment suggestions and ended up having a successful adoption despite the individual challenges of her condition.
What is the most challenging part of working with cats who may have an allergy?
Dr. Cecily Palamara: The most difficult aspect of working with allergy cats is that they are very challenging to adopt out and typically have longer lengths of stay in shelter, even when they demonstrate a great response to treatment. We really feel for these cats when they stay with us long term, often with no visible symptoms of allergies due to adequate medical management—their history and need for more complex care can be a deterrent for prospective adopters. Our main goal and what makes us fulfilled as shelter workers is to find adoptive homes for these cats, so seeing them have longer stays in-shelter can be difficult for shelter and medical staff.
The majority of our allergy cats show excellent response to care but will also need a dedicated guardian to provide lifelong care with diet, medication, frequent vet visits, and frequent vet-supervised treatment/medication adjustments. The intensity of the care required to maintain quality of life and comfort can be daunting for a potential adopter and can deter some from adoption. This is why we try to achieve adequate management of symptoms prior to making these cats available, so that we can show potential adopters that management is possible with appropriate care. Most of our allergy cats require a DVM consult prior to adoption to discuss the complexity of care, the CCS approach to treatment, what long term care might look like with their veterinarian, and potential associated costs. We also provide one month of free medication and prescription diet to adopters of allergic cats.
Very rarely will we see cats that show a poor response to our in-shelter treatment approach. These cats can be intensive to manage as they need more frequent medication additions and adjustments to manage quality of life.
For people considering adopting a cat with allergies, what should they know about allergy management and flare-ups?
Dr. Cecily Palamara: Our adopters should know that allergies (regardless of underlying cause) are often a life-long issue and will require more frequent vet visits, medication adjustments, and generally be more costly and care-intensive than other cats in the shelter. CCS staff and veterinarians do our best to set adopters up for success with medication, special diet, and often a medical consultation to discuss what long term care will look like. That being said, these cats are also incredibly rewarding to treat and make amazing companions when managed appropriately. Several of our adopters of allergic cats have disclosed that they have allergies or other medical conditions themselves and are empathetic to our allergy cats’ needs.
Closing Thoughts
With the right care plan and a dedicated caregiver, cats with allergies can live happy, healthy lives and be the purrfect companions. At CCS, we are committed to providing these cats with the time and medical care they need before adoption while equipping adopters with the knowledge, and resources necessary to help their new family members thrive at home.
About the Author: Beth Dokolasa is a volunteer for Cat Care Society and serves on the Board of Directors. She is an instructional developer for Natural Grocers and lives in Indian Hills, Colo., with her husband, daughter, and two cats, Techno and Digit.
You helped us heal Nova, then she returned the favor.
Dangerous and Toxic Foods Every Cat Owner Should Know About
Cats are known to be curious and that curiosity often extends to the foods around them. While it may be tempting to share table scraps or leave certain foods within easy reach, some common human foods can be toxic to cats. Unfortunately, many of these foods are household staples and may even be hidden ingredients in prepared dishes, making accidental exposure easier than you might think.
Below are some of the foods that pose the greatest risk to cats, along with a few common foods that may not be toxic but can still cause digestive upset and other unpleasant reactions.
The OGs: Onion and Garlic
Onions and garlic, along with their botanical relatives shallots, scallions, chives, and leeks, can severely damage your cat’s red blood cells, causing anemia. Be aware that cooking spices like garlic powder and onion powder are more concentrated, making them even more dangerous. Cats who have consumed these foods often show lethargy, weakness, reduced appetite, pale gums, and orange to dark red urine.
Say “Naw” to Raw Eggs, Meat, and Bones
Just like for humans, consumption of raw eggs or raw meat can lead to Salmonella or E. coli poisoning in cats. Symptoms of the illness vary but can include vomiting, diarrhea, and lethargy. Salmonella and E. coli can also be transmitted from humans, so be careful to properly wash your hands after cooking in addition to keeping your cat away from these raw foods. Raw eggs also contain an enzyme that can lead to skin and coat problems in cats. Raw bones are another no-go as they can cause choking, obstruction in the digestive tract, and/or teeth damage.
Paws Off the Chocolate!
The same part of chocolate that makes it poisonous for dogs (compounds called methylxanthines) is just as toxic for cats. Symptoms after consumption include vomiting and diarrhea, high body temperature, muscle tremors, abnormal heart rhythm, abdominal discomfort, increased thirst, and seizures.
Lemon Be Clear: No Citrus
The stems, leaves, seeds, and peels of citrus fruits (oranges, limes, grapefruits, lemon, etc.) all pose health concerns for cats. The citric acid and essential oils they contain can be irritating to your cat’s nervous system, leading to tremors, seizures, or death. If you use essential oil diffusors, choose oils and blends that do not contain citrus. Note that consuming a small amount of a citrus fruit’s flesh is less problematic, at most causing an upset stomach.
You Heard It Through the Grapevine: No Grapes or Raisins
While toxicity is not as common as some of the other foods discussed, feeding your cat grapes and raisins should be avoided. Some cats demonstrate restlessness, a reduced appetite, and vomiting after eating grapes and raisins, and there is some concern that they also negatively impact kidney health. While the exact compound hasn’t been identified yet, it appears that it’s something in the grape’s flesh that causes health issues for cats.
Water Is the Cat’s Meow—No Caffeine, Alcohol, or Cream
Cats do best with clean, fresh water, as proper hydration is essential for preventing urinary and kidney problems. While dairy products such as milk and cream are not toxic to cats, many cats have difficulty digesting lactose, which can lead to nausea and diarrhea. Caffeine and alcohol, however, should never be given to cats. Caffeine contains methylxanthines, the same toxic compounds found in chocolate, while alcohol can cause serious symptoms, including vomiting, diarrhea, tremors, disorientation, breathing difficulties, and even death.
Closing
In addition to keeping poisonous foods out of reach, it’s also important to keep toxic houseplants and flowers out of the home. Check out our other blog article on safe and toxic flora.
Always call your vet for guidance if you have concerns over something your cat consumed or potentially consumed. If it’s after hours, their answering machine message may include a local emergency number. Additionally, the ASPCA offers a 24/7 Poison Control number (888-426-4435), but note that a consultation fee may apply.
About the Author: Beth Dokolasa is a volunteer for Cat Care Society and serves on the Board of Directors. She is an instructional developer for Natural Grocers and lives in Indian Hills, Colo., with her husband, daughter, and two cats, Techno and Digit.
The (Long) Road to Relief: How CCS Supports Cats with Allergies
Just like humans, cats can suffer from a variety of allergies, including food allergies, environmental allergies, and flea hypersensitivities (an intense reaction to the proteins in flea saliva). While allergies are relatively common in cats, managing symptoms and identifying the underlying cause can be a long and often complex process, especially in a shelter environment, where many cats arrive without a known medical history.
At Cat Care Society (CCS), our veterinary team works to provide relief, improve quality of life, and help cats with allergies find loving homes. In a Q&A, Dr. Cecily Palamara, Cat Care Society’s Chief Veterinarian, answered a series of questions about cats with allergies, including the approach CCS uses to best support the cats and educate potential adopters to set them up for success.
What are the most common symptoms you see that indicate a cat may have an allergy?
Dr. Cecily Palamara: The most common symptoms we see in cats are overgrooming of the fur (which often causes hair loss), self-trauma/biting at the skin/fur, wounds, itchiness/frequent scratching, and scabbing/dermatitis associated with overgrooming and self-trauma.
Note: If these symptoms sound familiar and you suspect that your cat has an allergy, talk to your vet or visit our Veterinary and Medical Services resource page to find a vet for support. Also, check out other CCS blog posts related to cat health and medical care to stay informed about your cat’s wellness.
What are the steps taken at the shelter/veterinary care levels to address suspected allergies?
Dr. Cecily Palamara: The shelter approach to feline allergies is directed at alleviating symptoms rather than definitively diagnosing the underlying cause. When one of our vets suspects allergies in a patient (either food allergies, environmental allergies, and/or flea allergies), we focus on quick relief of symptoms rather than definitive diagnosis of underlying cause.
Any cat noted to have a history of severe skin issues or noted to have skin issues on intake to CCS (scratching, biting, scabbing, hair loss, etc.), receives a DVM exam (a comprehensive exam performed by a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine) to determine next treatment and diagnostic steps. We first rule out parasitic causes via skin scrapings and skin cytologies to rule out demodex (a mite) or other parasites, and all cats (regardless of skin condition) are treated with a topical antiparasitic upon arrival to CCS. Sometimes additional diagnostics, such as bloodwork and/or skin biopsies, are pursued depending on the appearance and severity of the skin lesions. If a CCS veterinarian suspects underlying allergies as a cause of the skin issues, the cat is usually started on the following:
- a special prescription diet to address potential food allergies
- an antibiotic injection to address secondary bacterial pyoderma (sometimes we put them on stronger antibiotics depending on the severity of the skin infection)
- Atopica, an immunomodulating oral medication that is very successful at managing allergies long term in cats
Sometimes we will also concurrently start a shorter course of corticosteroids to get itchiness and inflammation under control more quickly, as the Atopica takes longer to take effect.
We do not perform specific allergen testing or treat with immunotherapy (this is sometimes recommended by dermatologists for diagnosis and treatment) as this is outside of our scope and would not often change the course of our in-shelter treatment.
How long does it typically take to get the allergy and its symptoms under control?
Dr. Cecily Palamara: Typically, it takes between 1-3 months for us to start seeing a positive response to treatment. Our suspected allergy cats are one of our longest stay cohorts of patients because we want to make sure that they are comfortable, well-managed on medication and diet, and have good quality of life prior to making them available for adoption. This takes time, frequent medication and diet adjustments, and frequent rechecks to assess response to treatment. Whenever available, we try to send these cats to a foster home while we await a response to treatment. We have had excellent success with our allergy cats, with only 1-2 cats in the last 4 years having a poor or inadequate response to treatment. One of these cats was referred to a dermatologist while in care for additional treatment suggestions and ended up having a successful adoption despite the individual challenges of her condition.
What is the most challenging part of working with cats who may have an allergy?
Dr. Cecily Palamara: The most difficult aspect of working with allergy cats is that they are very challenging to adopt out and typically have longer lengths of stay in shelter, even when they demonstrate a great response to treatment. We really feel for these cats when they stay with us long term, often with no visible symptoms of allergies due to adequate medical management—their history and need for more complex care can be a deterrent for prospective adopters. Our main goal and what makes us fulfilled as shelter workers is to find adoptive homes for these cats, so seeing them have longer stays in-shelter can be difficult for shelter and medical staff.
The majority of our allergy cats show excellent response to care but will also need a dedicated guardian to provide lifelong care with diet, medication, frequent vet visits, and frequent vet-supervised treatment/medication adjustments. The intensity of the care required to maintain quality of life and comfort can be daunting for a potential adopter and can deter some from adoption. This is why we try to achieve adequate management of symptoms prior to making these cats available, so that we can show potential adopters that management is possible with appropriate care. Most of our allergy cats require a DVM consult prior to adoption to discuss the complexity of care, the CCS approach to treatment, what long term care might look like with their veterinarian, and potential associated costs. We also provide one month of free medication and prescription diet to adopters of allergic cats.
Very rarely will we see cats that show a poor response to our in-shelter treatment approach. These cats can be intensive to manage as they need more frequent medication additions and adjustments to manage quality of life.
For people considering adopting a cat with allergies, what should they know about allergy management and flare-ups?
Dr. Cecily Palamara: Our adopters should know that allergies (regardless of underlying cause) are often a life-long issue and will require more frequent vet visits, medication adjustments, and generally be more costly and care-intensive than other cats in the shelter. CCS staff and veterinarians do our best to set adopters up for success with medication, special diet, and often a medical consultation to discuss what long term care will look like. That being said, these cats are also incredibly rewarding to treat and make amazing companions when managed appropriately. Several of our adopters of allergic cats have disclosed that they have allergies or other medical conditions themselves and are empathetic to our allergy cats’ needs.
Closing Thoughts
With the right care plan and a dedicated caregiver, cats with allergies can live happy, healthy lives and be the purrfect companions. At CCS, we are committed to providing these cats with the time and medical care they need before adoption while equipping adopters with the knowledge, and resources necessary to help their new family members thrive at home.
About the Author: Beth Dokolasa is a volunteer for Cat Care Society and serves on the Board of Directors. She is an instructional developer for Natural Grocers and lives in Indian Hills, Colo., with her husband, daughter, and two cats, Techno and Digit.
You helped us heal Nova, then she returned the favor.
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