Caring for Cats

What Caring for Cats does

Caring for Cats is a 501(c)(3) no-kill cat shelter founded in 1999 and headquartered in a single licensed kennel facility at 2550 7th Ave East in downtown North St. Paul, Minnesota. The organization provides cat adoption services with a matchmaking-based counseling process, intake for owner-surrendered cats, a monthly cat sponsorship program, a foster care network, and the Together Furever permanent foster/community support program. It also runs the award-winning Cat Tales (Kids Reading to Cats) literacy program and a Kitty Cam YouTube livestream for remote engagement.

The organization has no proprietary technology stack; its core capability is operational rather than technical, comprising volunteer labor (128 regular volunteers), veterinary partnerships (TLC Veterinary Clinic), licensed kennel operations, and community-driven fundraising. All cats receive spay/neuter (~$415 spay / ~$250 neuter), vaccinations, and wellness exams prior to adoption.

Caring for Cats is funded entirely through donations, monthly sponsorships, adoption fees, business sponsorships, and memorial donations, with 2024 reported income of $360,462 against expenses of $264,748. Its go-to-market is community-led and event-driven: adoption appointments, CatVideoFest partnerships, Friday Night Car Shows, Holiday Hop events, social media (Facebook, Instagram, YouTube), email newsletters, and earned media (KARE11 Good News). It serves individual pet adopters and community supporters in the Twin Cities Metro Area, with 217 of 219 cats adopted in 2025 — a 99% adoption-to-intake ratio.

Name

Caring for Cats

Legal name

Caring for Cats

Website

https://caringforcatsmn.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Caring for Cats is a 501(c)(3) no-kill cat shelter in North St. Paul, Minnesota, providing cat adoption, surrender intake, foster care, and sponsorship services to Twin Cities Metro Area adopters and community supporters through a volunteer-driven operating model.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Animal Welfare and Pet Adoption Services

NAICS

Community Food and Housing, and Emergency and Other Relief Services (6242)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Animal Shelters & Adoption Services (BPAGAIAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Foster & Volunteer Network Programs (BPAGAIAF)

Keywords

• Cat shelter services
• Cat adoption programs
• Foster care networks
• Animal welfare nonprofit
• Cat rescue services

Headquarters

HQ city

North Saint Paul

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Others, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Donations: Tax-deductible donations from individuals supporting cat care, medical expenses, and shelter operations. 100% of donations go to care of cats.
2. Cat Sponsorship Program: Monthly sponsorship program where donors support specific cats, providing food, shelter, and medical care while cats wait for forever homes. Sponsors receive exclusive newsletters with updates.
3. Adoption Fees: Fees collected from cat adoptions, which include spay/neuter, vaccinations, and wellness exams before adoption.
4. Business Sponsorships: Local businesses sponsor the shelter through programs offering community visibility, website recognition, social media mentions, and event participation.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Caring for Cats operates a volunteer-driven, no-kill cat shelter in North St. Paul, Minnesota, providing cat adoption services with thoughtful personality matchmaking, foster care placement, surrender intake, and veterinary preparation (spay/neuter, vaccinations, wellness exams) prior to adoption. The organization also runs donor-supported programs including monthly cat sponsorships and memorial donations, alongside community engagement initiatives such as the Cat Tales reading program and Together Furever permanent foster program.

Product overview

Caring for Cats is a no-kill cat shelter operating as a single-location volunteer-driven organization in North St. Paul, Minnesota. The organization offers cat adoption services featuring a thoughtful matchmaking approach, a cat sponsorship program for longer-staying cats, the award-winning Cat Tales program for children's reading sessions with cats, a live Kitty Cam livestream for remote engagement, the Together Furever permanent foster program for community cat support, volunteer opportunities, and comprehensive spay/neuter services before adoption. The organization does not operate as a platform product but provides direct shelter services, adoption matchmaking, and community engagement programs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Cat Tales: Award-winning program where children read to cats at the shelter, helping both young readers develop literacy skills and shelter cats receive socialization and comfort.
• Together Furever
• Cat Tales Program
• Kitty Cam Livestream

Products and services

• Cat Adoption Services No-kill cat shelter offering adoption services for cats and kittens featuring a matchmaking program to pair potential adopters with cats whose personalities fit their lifestyle. All adopted cats receive spay/neuter, vaccinations, and wellness exams before adoption.
• Cat Sponsorship Program Monthly sponsorship program providing food, shelter, medical care, and enrichment for cats who may wait longer for forever homes. Sponsors receive exclusive newsletter updates and stories about the cats they are helping.
• Memorial Donation Program Memorial donation program allowing supporters to make tax-deductible donations in memory of lost pets or loved ones, with personalized messages posted on the memorial page of the website for at least three months.
• Business Sponsorship Program Sponsorship program offering local businesses community visibility, website recognition, social media mentions, and event participation in exchange for financial support of the shelter.

Quantifiable outcome

• 99% adoption-to-intake ratio in 2025
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• The Heights TheatercoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 8 August 2026The Heights Theater in Columbia Heights partners with Caring for Cats as the local nonprofit beneficiary for CatVideoFest 2026. A portion of ticket proceeds from August 8-9 screenings will be donated to support cat care, food, shelter, and medical services.
• History CruizerscoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 16 May 2026History Cruizers Car Show, held Fridays in downtown North St. Paul from June through September, has partnered as a business sponsor. The event brings thousands of visitors and supports local community visibility for Caring for Cats.
• TLC Veterinary CliniccoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTLC Veterinary Clinic provides veterinary medical support for Caring for Cats, enabling routine wellness exams, vaccinations, spay/neuter surgeries, and treatment for cats with complex medical needs.
• Minnesota Board of Animal HealthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegulatory body that conducts kennel inspections and licensing for the shelter. Inspection reports note exceptional standards of care.
• First Universalist Church of MinneapolisminorGTM or Marketing PartnerVenue host for Caring for Cats Benefit Recital featuring pianist Jared Mikach, with free admission and donations supporting the shelter.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Best Friends Animal Society: Largest no-kill animal welfare organization in the U.S., operating sanctuaries and partnering with shelters nationwide to reduce euthanasia rates. Directly comparable as a no-kill cat and dog rescue operator, though at vastly larger scale.
• The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS): National animal welfare advocacy and shelter-support organization. Comparable as a broad incumbent in animal welfare, though its scope extends well beyond direct shelter operations.
• ASPCA: One of the oldest U.S. animal welfare organizations, operating shelter, adoption, and veterinary services plus national advocacy. Comparable mission, vastly larger scope.

Regional players

• Animal Humane Society: Minnesota-based multi-site animal shelter organization operating in the same Twin Cities market as Caring for Cats. Direct regional competitor for adopters, donors, and foster families.

Direct peers

• North Shore Animal League America: Large no-kill animal rescue and adoption organization on the East Coast. Comparable as a directly operated no-kill shelter with adoption, foster, and medical care programs.
• Tree House Humane Society: Chicago-based cat-focused no-kill rescue operating adoption, foster, and community cat programs. Closely comparable mission and cat-only operational focus.
• The Cat House on the Kings: California-based no-kill cat rescue and sanctuary focused exclusively on feline welfare, adoption, and spay/neuter. Directly comparable cat-only no-kill shelter model.
• Second Chance Animal Rescue: Volunteer-driven no-kill rescue typically operating at a similar community-scale to Caring for Cats, with adoption, foster, and donor-funded medical care programs.

Others

• PetSmart Charities: Funded by PetSmart, this charity grants money to shelter and rescue partners across North America and runs in-store adoption programs. Comparable as a funder/partner of local rescues like Caring for Cats.
• Maddie's Fund: Family foundation dedicated to achieving a no-kill nation through grants to shelters and rescue organizations. Comparable as a potential funding partner and peer organization in the no-kill movement.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@caringforcats9549
• Facebookfacebook.com/CaringForCatsMN
• Instagraminstagram.com/caringforcatsmn
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/caring-for-cats-mn

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Caring for Cats