In a world that often looks past the invisible, Forgotten Cats chooses to see.

Since its founding in 2004, Forgotten Cats has grown from a small group of volunteers in Delaware into the largest cat rescue and sterilization organization on the East Coast. But their story isn’t just about numbers or scale. It’s about heart. It’s about the deep resolve to show up—day after day—for the cats no one else will. Forgotten Cats doesn’t just see suffering. They step in to stop it.

A Mission Rooted in Prevention and Compassion

For more than two decades, Forgotten Cats has been on the frontlines of a crisis few acknowledge: the overwhelming number of stray and feral cats born into lives of fear, hunger, and hardship. Their strategy is two-fold but focused: high-volume Trap-Neuter-Vaccinate-Return (TNVR) and lifesaving adoptions.

– Sterilized over 250,000 cats
– Placed tens of thousands into loving homes

Each cat fixed is a litter prevented. Each friendly placed is a second chance granted. Each number is a story that didn’t end in tragedy.

When the World Shut Down, They Stepped Up

When the pandemic brought the world to a halt, Forgotten Cats kept going. As other rescues and veterinary clinics closed their doors, Forgotten Cats became a last resort—and a first hope. Over those eighteen months:

– Sterilization count rose from just over 14,000 to more than 20,000 cats/year
– Rescues from four states made the journey, sometimes hours long, to reach their clinics

Because when others closed, Forgotten Cats stayed open—for every cat that had nowhere else to go.

A Trusted Resource for the Rescue Community

Their impact is sustained by something stronger than funding: trust. Forgotten Cats is the organization that smaller clinics and independent rescuers call when they’re overwhelmed—when a cat’s injuries are beyond basic care, when a TNR effort requires overnight holding, when a friendly cat can’t go back to the street but has nowhere to land.

While Forgotten Cats doesn’t take in friendly cats from other rescues, they do so in select cases for independent trappers they know and trust. Their clinics don’t just operate—they uplift a network. Their volunteers don’t just help—they anchor a movement.

A Legacy That Lives On

In 2010, Forgotten Cats reached a turning point. Thanks to a final gift from longtime volunteer Chris Merkl, they were able to purchase the Trainer, PA building and move their Delaware clinic into a space of their own.

“A true friend to homeless cats. May he never be forgotten.”

His legacy isn’t just a plaque—it’s every life saved in the building he helped make possible.

Expanding to Meet a Growing Need

Today, Forgotten Cats operates clinics in:
– Trainer, PA
– Willow Grove, PA
– Seaford, DE (Opened July 2024)

They now:
– Sterilized nearly 25,000 cats in 2024
– Provide advanced medical care including dentals and soft-tissue surgeries
– Partner with off-site adoption centers across multiple states

Their model—rooted in efficiency, ethics, and empathy—has become a roadmap for organizations looking to do more, better. With proven SOPs and hard-won experience, Forgotten Cats shows what’s possible when the work is focused, the system is smart, and the mission is personal.

A Strategic Partnership for Broader Impact

That’s why GiluFunds is proud to partner with Forgotten Cats.

Together, we are building an educational program based on their proven SOPs—tools that will empower:

– Future rescuers
– Aspiring clinic operators
– Community advocates

Because the know-how is there. The commitment is growing. And every neighborhood deserves the chance to do it right.

Impact in Numbers: 2017–2025

This Is Just the Beginning

This article is part of a monthly series spotlighting the extraordinary work of Forgotten Cats. We invite you to follow, support, and share their story.

Because when others say, “It’s too many,” they say, “Let’s start with one.”

Support Forgotten Cats. Share their story. Become the reason one more cat isn’t forgotten.

Visit www.forgottencats.org to learn more.