If you love cats and want to ensure one area organization that rescues strays and finds new homes for them continues its mission, consider donating to Texas Rustlers Fat Cats.
The Lewisville-based non-profit has been around since 2021 when Julia van Zeller expanded the small animal rescue she launched in 2002. Initially focused on rescuing and adopting out guinea pigs, that entity was later expanded to hamsters, rabbits, gerbils, rats, chinchillas, and an occasional hedge hog. However, extensive medical expenses incurred by multiple emergency room visits have forced van Zeller to consider closing the Fat Cats part of her organization.
“One of our primary goals is to reduce the amount of unwanted cats that are born each year, so we do have a focus on not only rescuing, rehabbing and adopting out cats making sure that they are fully vetted which includes spay or neuter, but we also focus our efforts on trap, neuter, release,” said Fat Cats spokesperson Maddy Cross, a Flower Mound resident who began volunteering for Fat Cats last year.
Located at 698 Metro Park Circle, the combined rescue opens weekly for anyone seeking to adopt animals. Fat Cats does not take owner surrenders – only through animal control or cats found in the Rio Grand Valley.
“All of our cats go to foster homes and some come up once a week on Saturdays available for adoption,” said Cross, who among other tasks helps administer vaccinations. “Julia provides litter, medical supplies, toys, food, anything associated with the cost of fostering cats.”
Fat Cats typically has around 100 cats in its database, with more during kitten season in the beginning of summer.
“I’ve always been an animal person,” said Cross, a 20-year-old sophomore studying animal science at Tarleton State University in Stephenville with a goal of becoming a veterinarian. “I’m a cat person. Julia has been so good to me. I’ve learned so much.
“I found a kitten my first couple of weeks in college and he was like a week and a half old and I texted Julia and she sent me all the supplies I needed and I ended up keeping him. It’s been quite an experience raising this small little kitten. I had to wake up every two hours to feed him. I found him in a ditch in Stephenville.
“We had this cat named Boo Boo and he has this condition called pectus excavatum (a malformation of the sternum). We have three cats that have FIP (a viral disease). They just came out with a treatment for it. We have a cat that came in as a baby who was super skinny and his tail was nephrotic but unfortunately he passed last week.”
Fat Cats partners with Chewy for food and supplies and the Flower Mound location of Hollywood Feed, which hosts monthly adoption events.
To help Fat Cats’ cause, a GoFundMe page has been established by Ryan Gillespie, one of Fat Cats’ foster parents. As of Monday afternoon, nearly half of the nonprofit’s $3,500 goal has been raised. You can also go to texasrustlers.com, email [email protected] or call 972-219-1963 to donate.
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