CatRangers Charity Golf Tournament

5th annual CatRangers Charity Golf Tournament

When: Tuesday, June 10

Where: Lanier Islands Legacy Golf Course

Registration: includes greens fees, cart rental, cash prizes, breakfast, lunch, players’ gift bag and trophies

Cost: foursome, $600; threesome, $500; twosome, $340, ind, $175

Plus: silent auction, raffle prizes, celebrity memorabilia

To register or be a sponsor: www.catrangersgolf.com

When Sparrow Marcioni learned about a local area feral cat colony that was going to be eradicated, she wouldn’t hear of it. Together with her now-husband Rick, she sprang into action and brought her friends and rescue acquaintances together to spay, neuter and relocate them or find them homes. Because many were feral and not used to being around humans, her job was especially hard: they needed to be trapped first. “We put the word out that we needed help trapping, medical care, foster homes, farms and rescues for all these cats and kittens,” said Marcioni, founder of CatRangers. “Some of my friends had connections with the humane societies and veterinarians willing to assist us.”

So began a long journey that has resulted in rescuing almost 10,000 cats and kittens over the past 15 years.

“At the time, cat cafes were just becoming popular, so we found a storefront in Buford willing to work with us. We set up furnished rooms where the cats could roam free once they were socialized by foster parents, and received donations of furniture, cat trees, food, litter boxes and other items to help us open our initial CatRangers, which was originally a Cat Café with coffee, tea and finger foods.”

Word spread as people started to visit. “They often came by just to enjoy some quiet time with the cats, sometimes even reading to them, and in some cases, people started adopting them. Our visibility in downtown Buford was a plus, but after nine years our landlord sold our building leaving us with only 45 days to find a new home for 70-plus precious kitties.

“Through many tears, prayers and lots of networking we found a new building less than two miles away,” she said. “Now we needed a true miracle, someone to pay cash for our proposed building. Our prayers were answered: a very kind young couple who loved our current place, stepped up and paid cash allowing us to close in a record 13 days.”

In the meantime, Marcioni had received 501c3 non-profit status with the IRS, making it easier to seek business and community sponsors and allow people to contribute and receive a tax deduction.

Fast forward to spring 2025. Now in its third brick-and-mortar location in a wood-frame house in Historic Buford, CatRangers can accommodate 100 kittens with space for another 100 or more living in foster homes.

“People are starting to know where we are in our new location.”

Today CatRangers provides a home-like atmosphere for cats and kittens in a free-roam setting; cats share space in multiple rooms equipped with cat essentials and furnished like someone’s living room. “Our center serves several purposes: we accept cats and kittens in dire need of a home, whether from the death of an owner, an eviction or just having been abandoned; we rescue and care for abandoned felines who may be injured and connect them with veterinary services; we provide shelter for urgent need cats and kittens until they are connected with their furr-ever homes; and we support felines with special needs, matching them with owners who can provide extra support and care.”

Since it accepted its first cats back in 2010, CatRangers has found homes for nearly 10,000 cats and kittens.

“We work with people’s families when a cat owner passes away or has a serious issue that won’t allow the cat to continue living with a relative, so there’s no one to accept the continuing responsibility,” she said “I can’t tell you how many evicted families that have been living in their cars with their cats have needed our help to place their cats in a new safe home.”

Here’s the tricky part: caring for felines at this level requires funding and donations. “Some of our supporters bring by bags of cat food or kitty litter after every time they go to the grocery store. Others offer periodic tax-deductible donations. Others ‘sponsor a cat or kitten’ for $25 a month. Still others give of their time as volunteers to help care for the cats, to assist with community communications or just to be ambassadors when people come to visit.”

Volunteers also help screen and vet potential adopters, interface with visitors and fill in background information for each animal at the shelter. “A number of business and community sponsors regularly support us as well, either in-kind or with regular donations. And through our annual golf tournaments, we’ve been able to raise additional funds,” she said. “We are so appreciative to everyone who helps us in any way they can.”

CatRangers depends on donations and fund-raising events like the golf tournament to cover our costs for rescue, veterinary services, spay or neuter, vaccinations and sometimes life-saving surgeries.

This year’s tournament will raise funds to expand its space. The last major fundraiser allowed them to build what is now called Meow Manor. Originally purchased as a stripped-down repossessed shed, it was converted it to a new home for adoptable kitties.

For more info about CatRangers, visit www.catrangers.org or call 770 831-5513.

Photos: provided by CatRangers