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LICK, Life Improvement for Cats & Kittens, was founded in 1996 as an independent operation dedicated to the rescue of homeless cats and kittens in the Atlantic County, NJ area. It began with a small shed-type barn with room for about a dozen cats. That particular fantasy lasted about a year. When the resident population hit 21, even after dozens of adoptions, the cats said, "Hello? We’re sitting on top of each other here! We appreciate the fact that you got us out from under the Boardwalk and out of dumpsters and abandoned buildings and whatnot, but we are, after all, CATS, and we need some space, for heaven’s sake." So with that, a new barn was built, with extra windows for bird watching, air-conditioning and heating, and isolation pens for sick kitties. The attached outdoor pen was completed with tree stumps on which to perch for feeling superior to those on the ground, benches for communal perching for those without a superiority complex, and several small "dog" (you’ll forgive the term) houses for hiding in. Even with the current resident population around the 50 mark, everyone seems comfortable. Our ultimate goal is to find good homes for all the adoptable cats, thereby making room for more rescues. Because this is a no-kill shelter, we occasionally have to suspend our rescue operations until we can "thin out the herd" so to speak. Overcrowding leads to outbreaks of illnesses and fighting, not to mention overdrawn bank accounts. At this point our reality check is 50, with the ideal maintainable number at 35. Of course, if we win the lottery, we can expand our operations! But for the present, we remain a small, caring shelter with a happy population and big dreams for the future. We invite you to take a tour with us on the following pages, visiting some of the resident cats and seeing what we’ve been able to accomplish so far. And if you’re interested in our vision for the future, take a peek at "Our Vision for the Future" page (we’re not complicated), and be part of the dream with your suggestions, comments, and support. Thanks for visiting us. Many purrs and whisker-tickles to you from all the LICK kitties. |