Musicians help 140 shelter cats find homes

A campaign featuring Estonian musicians helped 140 cats find homes, making it the most successful campaign in the history of the animal shelter association, ERR reported. Musician Jaagup Kreem said children and cats always touch his heart.

Anni Anete Mõisamaa, the association’s communications and fundraising manager, said five male artists agreed to speak up for the animals: Kreem, Robert Linna, Ollie, Joosep Järvesaar and Indrek Raadik. Kreem said he always tries to help when children or animals are involved.

The cats were photographed and filmed at the shelter so they would not have to leave a familiar, safe environment. After Ollie posted a video of a cat sitting on his shoulder, that cat was adopted straight away. Ollie had earlier visited the shelter to play guitar, though he said the cats were startled by the music.

During the campaign month, men accounted for 30 percent of adopters and regular donors. A record 140 animals found homes in that month, nearly twice the usual number. The shelter’s cat room was briefly empty, Mõisamaa said, but she warned that cats are often taken to summer cottages and left behind when their owners return to the city in autumn.

Kreem urged people who adopted cats to treat them as family members and care for them well.