Because Of Brucey

05/29/2026

Many people know Chandler today as the beloved resident cat at Second Chance Cat Cafe but his story started very differently.

Chandler came to Because of Brucey from a local shelter alongside his four littermates, all critically ill and fighting for their lives. Their litter required intensive ICU-level care, around-the-clock monitoring, specialized medical treatment, and an extraordinary amount of patience, resources, and love.

Out of the five kittens, Chandler wasn’t the one we expected to survive.

There were moments that seemed so uncertain. Our small team of three worked tirelessly day and night to give each kitten every possible chance.

At Because of Brucey, we have a simple philosophy:

If they fight, we fight.

And Chandler fought HARD.

Despite every obstacle stacked against him, despite losing three of his siblings, and despite being left with severe Cerebellar Hypoplasia (CH), a neurological condition that affects coordination and balance, he never gave up. Neither did we.

His brother Ross also survived and lives with CH, though Chandler’s case was far more severe. Yet what Chandler lacked in physical perfection, he made up for with a heart bigger than almost any cat we’ve ever met.

Through every setback, every treatment, and every hurdle, Chandler remained one of the most affectionate, people-loving cats we’ve ever cared for. He never met a stranger. He simply wanted to be loved—and to love right back.

Today, that same little boy spends his days greeting visitors, snuggling guests, and serving as an ambassador for special-needs cats at Second Chance Cat Café. Every person who falls in love with him helps prove something we’ve always believed:

Animals are so much more than their diagnosis.

At Because of Brucey, we specialize in the animals that often have nowhere else to go—neonatal kittens, critical-care cases, medically fragile animals, and those facing euthanasia simply because treatment is complicated or expensive. Chandler represents exactly why we fight so hard for them.

Seeing posts like this brings tears to our eyes because this is the outcome every animal deserves—not just survival, but a life filled with love, purpose, comfort, and people who adore them.

Thank you to everyone at Second Chance Cat Café for loving our sweet boy and allowing him to continue changing hearts every single day.

Sometimes the animals the world overlooks become the ones who leave the biggest impact.

And Chandler is proof that some miracles are worth fighting for. ❤️🐾

05/22/2026

It’s been quiet here for a little while. Truthfully, we’ve been navigating an overwhelming amount behind the scenes — emotionally, physically, and financially.

The amount of calls, messages, emails, and desperate reach-outs we receive daily is something we genuinely do not have words for. From emergency medical cases and critically ill neonatal kittens to families with nowhere to turn, the need throughout our community has become immense.

We are trying.

Trying to answer everyone.
Trying to save who we can.
Trying to keep operations running while also trying to build a sustainable future for this organization and the community depending on it.

Because of Brucey was never built to be a “traditional rescue.” We are a women- and youth-led, multiple veterinarian-directed nonprofit focused on neonatal ICU, emergency critical care, and community animal health support throughout South Louisiana. In under two years, we’ve helped save over 500 lives while building one of the only neonatal critical care programs of its kind in our region.

What started small has grown far beyond us. We’ve been incredibly humbled by the support, recognition, partnerships, and opportunities that have come our way — including national recognition through Forbes and recent outreach from organizations like the ASPCA.

But despite those things, the reality is that we are still operating with very limited manpower while trying to recover from a devastating funding disruption that occurred after major support previously committed to the organization was unexpectedly withdrawn. We scaled responsibly, expanded services, and made operational decisions in good faith based on those commitments — and losing that support has been incredibly difficult, both financially and personally.

Still, we continue showing up because the community need has not stopped.

One of our biggest priorities right now is building a volunteer program and stronger community support system so this work can continue sustainably and responsibly.

If you’ve ever wanted to help, now is the time.

Ways to support:

🖤 Donate directly:
Venmo: https://www.venmo.com/u/Becauseofbruceyrescue
PayPal: https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=EYVTQ73ATQTXY

🖤 Amazon Wishlist: https://a.co/0fzHc9J3

🖤 Share this post
🖤 Become a monthly donor

No amount of support is too small right now.

Thank you for continuing to believe in what we’re building for the animals and for this community. We are trying our best not to give up and to keep showing up every single day for the ones who need us most.

Because of Brucey Team

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04/27/2026

As Linden’s birthday week comes to a close, we want to share this one more time…

Linden shows up. Every single day.
With a heart fully committed to saving the most vulnerable lives.

And right now, that matters more than ever.

Behind the scenes, our team is working through a significant funding disruption while continuing to provide neonatal ICU and critical care to the most fragile animals in our region.

We have been carrying this weight for months—while continuing to show up for every animal and every family who needs us.

Continuing to serve animals and families in crisis—while quietly navigating one of our own.

Because this work matters.
And this level of care is critical in our community.

We are not stopping.

Linden’s only birthday wish was simple:
To save more lives.

If you’ve been looking for a way to make a difference, this is one of those moments.

Every donation—no matter the size—directly supports lifesaving care.

🐾 Help us honor her wish:

👉 Sharing this post helps us reach the people who can help.

Help Because Of Brucey reach their goal by donating or sharing with your friends.

04/26/2026

Lettuce and Tomato have officially landed at Second Chance Cat Cafe! Their mom, Bread, was a hit at the cafe and found herself the most perfect forever home thanks to them. These two tortie sisters are the last of the Sandwich Family and we know they will thrive in their care while they wait for their perfect home, just like their sweet mama 💙

04/26/2026

A few days late but we are so excited to share that our sweet Conway has found his forever home thanks to Second Chance Cat Cafe ❤️

Conway came to us in September as a scrawny little bean with panleukopenia (pictures in comments). It was touch and go for awhile and it was such a relief when his little body finally beat it. From the very beginning Conway was a soft guy, on the shy side and oh so sweet. While the nursery played he was content to sit on my shoulders or in my lap, soaking up all the love. He gained confidence as he grew but remained a gentle soul. The Cafe was the perfect place for his confidence to grow even further and it didn't take long for him to steal the hearts of a family of his very own. To meet Conway is to love Conway. We are so excited for this new chapter in his life 💙

04/23/2026

Sweet Bread! This girl is truly an exceptional cat with the sweetest disposition. We love to see and hear that she is thriving in her new home.
Two of Bread's tortie daughters, Lettuce and Tomato will be heading to the cat cafe 🥳 Little Lettuce is a clone of her mama tempermant wise, she is so laid back and just wants all the love all the time.

Forever grateful for our relationship with Second Chance Cat Cafe!

04/22/2026

🎉 It’s Linden’s Birthday

Today we’re celebrating someone incredibly special — Linden, the heart behind our Kitty Quenchers youth program. 💛

Linden represents everything Because of Brucey stands for: compassion, action, and the belief that even the smallest voices can make a life-saving difference.

Over the past year, she has poured her heart into helping the tiniest, most fragile kittens — the ones who often have no other chance.

And the truth is — Linden doesn’t just support this work… she lives it.

She works right alongside us — in the trenches — with me, Torie Guilliot Roberts (Founder & President),her mom, Jordan Speyrer (Executive Director & Coordinator), and our amazing veterinarians, supporting care, learning hands-on, and showing up for these animals every single day. Together, this is one of the most dedicated and compassionate teams, and Linden is a real part of that. 💛

She shows up for them every single day.
Today, we’re asking you to show up for her.

🎂 For her birthday, Linden has one wish: to save more lives. 🐱✨

Instead of gifts, she’s asking for donations to support:
• Neonatal ICU care
• Emergency medical treatment
• Formula and critical supplies

Every dollar goes directly to kittens fighting to survive.

🎯 Birthday Goal: Help Linden raise $1,500 for lifesaving care today.

If you’ve ever believed in what we do — this is a beautiful way to be part of it.

Happy Birthday, Linden. We are so proud of you. 🎂🐾✨

Help Because Of Brucey reach their goal by donating or sharing with your friends.

04/15/2026

We have fought to sustain this work for months—but we are now at a point where we cannot continue without immediate support.

Help Because Of Brucey reach their goal by donating or sharing with your friends.

04/11/2026

Update on our favorite trio 💛

They are absolutely thriving in their new home and being spoiled to bits—just as it should be. Ham is now Fig, Cosmo has become Cosmos, and Sister is Zinnia… and we truly couldn’t love their new names more.

These three special babies—who share a total of just three eyes between them—have turned their once tough start into the sweetest, most joy-filled life. And honestly? They’re the perfect reminder that one kitten is never enough… and three is definitely not too many 😉

Getting updates like this never gets old. Knowing they stayed together makes it even more special. After everything they’ve been through, seeing them land in a home that feels this magical and full of love… it means everything.

We are endlessly grateful to each and every one of our adopters for loving our babies as deeply as we do. This is the part that makes it all worth it 💙