CRAFT is a non-profit, no-kill, cat rescue shelter in Bend, Oregon. Phone: 541-389-8420 Email: info@craftcats.org Website: http://craftcats.org/

CRAFT's mission is to reach out to the community, veterinarians and animal welfare organizations to save the lives of homeless, sick and injured cats and kittens. This is achieved by compassionately rescuing, providing shelter, fostering, adopting and providing hospice and veterinary services, in order to end needless feline euthanasia in our community, with the ultimate objective of having every cat or kitten being wanted and loved.
The majority of CRAFTS budget goes to medical care, next is food and litter. All volunteers are unpaid.

CRAFT cares for 50 - 100 cats and kittens on a daily basis with the help of a dedicated team of volunteers at its main facility, in foster homes and at outreach locations throughout the area. CRAFT has no paid staff. CRAFT not only partners with the community but with local shelters, other rescue groups and veterinary offices to take in cats that might otherwise be out of options due to medical problems, abandonment, human neglect or abuse, or space constraints.

CRAFT is a no-kill organization. For the past four years the CRAFT team has saved, fostered and found homes for an average of 500 cats and kittens per year, and relies heavily on the support of the public and generous volunteers. These numbers include cats that were deemed unadoptable, such as blind cats, cats missing a leg, cats with ongoing medical issues, feral (wild) cats and kittens, and others that were forgotten by society.

Before a CRAFT cat or kitten is placed in an adoptive home, the animal is always spayed or neutered; vaccinated against common diseases, including feline leukemia; treated for any parasites; and, unless feral, given an ID microchip implant. Additional veterinarian care that might be needed, such as dental work, is also provided. All adoptions include a free initial examination by a veterinarian. Cats and kittens that are shy or feral receive as much human contact as possible in an attempt to socialize them to the point that they can be appropriate family pets. If all attempts to socialize feral kittens fail, the kittens will be kept in a foster home until they are big enough to go to a safe barn/shop environment.

Adopters must complete an application and agreement for any animal they wish to adopt. Barn cats are personally delivered to their new homes to make sure that proper, safe shelter and other care is going to be provided.

Because the cost of medical care, not to mention the daily cost of providing for the animals, far exceeds the adoption fee, CRAFT must rely on the generous donations of the public and businesses to continue to help these cats.


CRAFT is different from typical shelters. The primary difference is that most of the cats here roam free. You can pet them, hold them, and watch how they interact with other cats in a more home-like setting. This is less stressful for the cats, and makes it much easier for adopters to get to know the cats, than if they were caged.