Meow Mates, a student volunteer organization focused on the care of local cats, announced Sept. 11 that it created an emergency food pantry for cat owners. 

Catherine Covarrubiaz, co-organizer and feeding director of Meow Mates, said the organization received a donation of 400 pounds of high-quality dry cat food at the beginning of the semester from Shadow Cats, a nonprofit based in Round Rock. Meow Mates officers then decided they should make the food available through the pantry. 

Madeline Griswold, co-organizer of the pantry, said it is open to anyone associated with the University, including students, faculty and professors. To access the pantry, people can fill out a form that asks for food preferences from available stock, a possible pickup time and contact information. Griswold said officers deliver cat food to applicants because there is no physical pantry location, but applicants can also pick up their bag at a Meow Mates meeting. 

“Anybody who could use any help feeding their cat should reach out to us and get some food,” biology junior Griswold said. “A lot of people sometimes don’t want to ask for help, or maybe don’t think it’s exactly targeted to them …  but it’s really here for anybody who needs it.”

Griswold said three people have used the pantry so far. Ny’Ima Matlock, a member of Meow Mates, was one of the first to get the food. Being new to Austin and not having transportation made getting food for her cat difficult, Matlock said. 

“I love my cat, and I couldn’t imagine not having him, but having a pet is so expensive,” nutrition freshman Matlock said. “(The pantry) takes off just one part of that stress so that I can focus more on school and organizing the rest of my schedule.” 

Right now, Griswold said the pantry is limiting everyone to one bag a month to try to accommodate as many people as possible, but this could change depending on applicant volume and food availability. Covarrubiaz said she would like the pantry to create a community of service. 

“We hope it fosters a more tight-knit connection between cat lovers and general pet owners,” Covarrubiaz said. “We know that education is expensive, and sometimes, we have a little furry friend that we want to be able to make sure gets fed well.”