Cats for Vets Initiative

Offering a peaceful path of healing for veterans living with trauma. This mission is rooted in lived experience, personal recovery, and the belief that no warrior should fight alone.

Our Mission

Cats for Vets is a personal outreach born from battle, loss, and healing. Our mission is to connect veterans suffering from PTSD, depression, and isolation with rescue cats who offer peace, purpose, and emotional grounding. These animals don’t just provide comfort — they give veterans a reason to keep going.

How This Began:
My name is Michael Solano. I’m a combat veteran, a father, and a survivor of more than just war. After returning home, I found myself in a different kind of battlefield — one filled with broken systems, personal loss, and emotional numbness.

I lost my family. I lost the structure that once gave me meaning. But I found peace in the quiet presence of a few stray cats who wandered into my life when I needed them most.

At first, they were just company. But over time, I realized they were more than that — they were stabilizers. They helped with the nightmares. They gave me purpose on days I couldn’t get out of bed. They reminded me how to care, how to feel, and how to survive.

Why This Matters

Cats for Vets isn’t a charity. It’s a mission — a veteran-built, veteran-run initiative that believes in emotional survival through connection. These animals saved me, and I believe they can do the same for others.

If you’re a veteran who’s felt lost, alone, or invisible — there’s a cat out there waiting to be your battle buddy. And we’re here to help make that connection. So once I get the ESA for the two, how does this help me save the rest?

Legal & Mission Statement – Cats for Vets

Cats for Vets is a personal mission — not a business, not a charity, and not a rescue for profit. This initiative was created by a combat veteran living with PTSD as a way to heal, find peace, and help others who walk the same path.

All cats placed through this mission are:

•Spayed or neutered

•Fully vaccinated

•Seen by a licensed veterinarian to ensure good health

•Personally cared for in a stable, clean, and loving environment

There are no adoption fees. Every cat is provided freely to veterans in need of companionship and emotional support.

We do accept voluntary donations (typically $20–$40) to help cover personal out-of-pocket expenses such as food, litter, medications, and veterinary costs. These donations are considered personal gifts and are not tax deductible under IRS law.