Happy Stripes

01/02/2026

Want to help outdoor cats? Learn how and earn a certificate! Register: https://communitycatscentral.thinkific.com/courses/tnrcert-january-2026?mc_cid=be697d1a0d&mc_eid=b4b243f432

12/30/2025

Meet Grill, so named because that's where he was hiding and crying to be helped during the last lake-effect winter storm that hit North Ridgeville. His rescuers pulled him out from under their grill cover and brought him to Happy Stripes. He was dehydrated, anemic and underweight, but he's getting better by the day. Meet him at this Medina-area foster home after surgery Jan. 5.

12/26/2025

UPDATE: Adoptions complete!

12/04/2025

Cats and plants:

Many common indoor plants are not appropriate for homes with cats, and some are downright deadly.

12/02/2025

Great news: https://www.wdtn.com/animals/ohio-bill-seeks-to-expand-oversight-regulation-of-puppy-mills/?utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook_WDTN-TV&fbclid=IwY2xjawOb6YlleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBicmlkETFzbGZ6ZnptUTY5elhOU3Ezc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHlnTsxR2i7Dyo1fPuqbrdNlbC3dYjrSQOby-FeXYdZyB3kt9ru02qJQZwY2i_aem_MaW5Wcwq_V-GteRAMOo5Xg

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – An Ohio bill seeks to expand the state’s oversight and regulation of puppy mills. Senate Bill 232, introduced by Sen. Casey Weinstein (D-Hudson) in July, would revise …

12/02/2025

🧡 Happy Giving Tuesday!

Our little rescue is currently wrangling six feral kittens (tiny chaos gremlins learning not to hiss at their humans 😹) and caring for an adult cat battling pneumonia.

They’re adorable, they’re spicy, and they’re using up ALL our resources — food, meds, vet visits, you name it.
If you’re able, even a small donation makes a huge difference for their care! 💛

Donate here, https://www.happystripes.org/donate, or via this post.
Thank you for loving our little mischief-makers as much as we do! 🐾✨

12/01/2025

We just took in a community cat who has pneumonia. Please think of us on Giving Tuesday.

11/23/2025

Kittens need visitors! We have six kittens born in late September to a feral mom who apparently taught them that people are the enemy. They are spicy and need lots of good experiences with us humans. Text Donna, 330-635-1230, if can devote an hour to playing with kittens near Medina.

11/16/2025

Pet clinic opening: Cuyahoga County has approved $10,000 in one-time federal stimulus dollars left over from the pandemic to help PetFix open a spay and neuter clinic in Garfield Heights, reports Kaitlin Durbin.

Cuyahoga County Council funding is helping bring a new, low-cost spay and neuter clinic to Garfield Heights in 2026.

06/05/2025

‼️Tips and Tricks for All These Ticks‼️

Ohio is seeing an above-average tick season this year—and that means extra precautions are needed to keep both pets and people safe! Ticks can carry serious diseases like Lyme disease and ehrlichiosis, which can affect our furry friends and ourselves. Here’s how to stay protected:

🛑 Prevention is Key

✔️ Talk to your vet about effective flea/tick preventatives (topical, oral, or collars)
✔️ Stick to a regular schedule—don’t skip doses during cooler months, as ticks can still be active
✔️ Avoid tall grasses and wooded areas during peak tick times (spring–fall)
✔️ Create a tick-free space in your yard for doggy potty breaks by keeping grass short and clearing brush

🐾 After Outdoor Adventures

✔️ Always do a full-body check on your pets (and yourself!) after walks or playtime in grassy or wooded areas
✔️ Pay close attention to warm, hidden spots like under the collar, behind ears, between toes, and around the tail

🧽 Found a Tick? Don’t Panic!

✔️ Use fine-tipped tweezers, or special tick removal tools to grasp the tick close to the skin and pull straight out—don’t twist. If the head is left in the skin, it will regrow its body. The head is the most important part to remove
✔️ If you find one on yourself, after removal, clean the area with soap and water or antiseptic
✔️ Watch for signs of illness (fever, lethargy, loss of appetite, limping) and call your vet if anything seems off

👉 Stay Informed

Ohio Department of Health and your veterinarian are great resources for tick maps, bite prevention, and disease info.

Let’s keep this tick season from sticking around—stay alert, stay protected, and give your pets a thorough post-adventure once-over!