The Cat's Meow is dedicated to reducing the number of homeless cats on Fidalgo and Guemes Islands by providing proactive and effective animal welfare services for cats.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
88¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$66K paid to officers and key staff.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · Pay: Part VII

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FY2022 · Form 990Independent: from IRS data, not the org
Download 990
IRS status
501(c)(3)
not on the IRS revocation list
Looks good: listed by the IRS and not on the revocation list.
IRS BMF · Auto-Revocation List
Tax-deductible gifts
Yes
Donations are tax-deductible
Looks good: the IRS lists gifts to it as deductible.
IRS Pub. 78 · IRS BMF
Latest return
FY2024
latest Form 990
Looks good: the latest return is for FY2024, 2 tax years back; within 2 tax years.
IRS e-file · Filing history
Surplus or deficit
2 of 5
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $8K a year · 2% of revenue · last 5 filings
Worth a look: a surplus in 2 of the last 5 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 5 filings
Spent on programs
88%
of spending
Looks good: 88% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$66K
to officers and key staff · 20% of spending
Fine: pay to officers and key staff is 20% of spending; 15% to 20%.
Pt VII · Sec A
6 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 6.4 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
1
named funder · $20K
Fine: 1 funder names it on their filings; under 3.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$23K
5% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 5% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
2
of 2 voting members
Looks good: 2 of 2 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$345K
-9% vs prior year
Spent
$339K
To programs
88%
Net assets
$417K
By yearFY2020–FY2024
Revenue
$345K
FY2022▼ -9%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$227K
FY2021$379K
FY2022$345K
FY2023$307K
FY2024$343K
Expenses
$339K
FY2022▲ +14%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$263K
FY2021$297K
FY2022$339K
FY2023$312K
FY2024$351K
Net assets
$417K
FY2022▼ -4%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$354K
FY2021$435K
FY2022$417K
FY2023$423K
FY2024$415K

From the FY2022 Form 990 · see the original

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You’re viewing the FY2022 filing — not the latest on file. See the latest (FY2024) →

Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2024. IRS ruling in Nov 2004.

IRS Pub. 78 · IRS Auto-Revocation List · IRS Business Master File

Where the money goes

88 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 88% · $300K Management & general 5% · $18K Fundraising 6% · $22K

Form 990 Part IX, line 25, columns B–D. Every line is in By the numbers.

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Who runs it and what they're paid

3 people listed on the 990; $66K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
Executive Director
$66,184Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Michele Onorato’s $68K as Executive Director is at the 75th percentile of top reported officer pay among 1220 $100K–1M animals nonprofits. Peer set: organizations in the same NTEE major field of work and revenue-size band, compared on each org’s own highest-paid officer/key-employee, from Form 990 Part VII / 990-PF Part VIII. Descriptive placement, not a verdict on whether the pay is appropriate.

Compensation history total reportable pay by year · 1 named individual · Part VII

NameFY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Michele Onorato$68,440$66,184$66,184$63,440$63,440

Total reportable compensation (Form 990 Part VII column D / Schedule J column E) by filing year, matched by name within this organization. The Schedule J base / bonus / deferred breakdown is not parsed into this dataset.

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Questions the 990 asks

The form asks each of these directly. These are the filed answers.

  • Family or business ties among officersPt VI · Ln 2No
  • Top official's pay set by an independent reviewPt VI · Ln 15aYes

Programs and updates

Helps homeless cats on Fidalgo and Guemes Islands with welfare services.

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Provided by the organization

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3 programs · $300K · in their own filed words · FY2022
01

In 2022, the Cat's Meow admitted 81 cats and kittens and placed 58 cats and kittens in new homes. In addition, 1 cat was returned to her owner, 1 feral cat was returned to the field after being spayed and neutered, 1 cat was transferred to another organization and 9 cats were euthanized or died due to terminal medical conditions.

$190Kprogram expense
02

The Cat's Meow operates a thrift shop, Thrifty Kitty. All proceeds support the organization's mission.

$103Kprogram expense
03

The Cat's Meow operates a free spay/neuter program, open to all residents of Fidalgo and Guemes Islands. In 2022, the Cat's Meow spayed 24 female cats, neutered 19 male cats and provided emergency medical care for 2 cats at no cost to their owners. Each cat is also microchipped at no cost.

$7Kprogram expense

Funders

Who pays for it.

From grant filings on record. Receipts are incomplete: individual donors are never listed.

Grants

Schedule I · funders on record
Grants received · FY2022
Total grants receivedfrom 1 funder$20K

By the numbers

The FY2022 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$345K
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$170K
Other incomeLn 4–11$162K
Investment incomeLn 3$7K
Money outPt IX
$339K
Ln 25
Programscol B$300K
Managementcol C$18K
Fundraisingcol D$22K
Owns and owesPt X
$417K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$182K
Total assetsLn 16$441K
LiabilitiesLn 26$23K
PeoplePt VI, VII
3
listed · VII A
PaidVII A1
Voting boardVI 1a2
IndependentVI 1b2
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$170K
Government grantsLn 1e$9K
Noncash giftsLn 1g$0
Fundraising eventsLn 1c$0
Fees for servicesLn 2g$7K
Investment incomeLn 3$7K
Other incomeLn 4–11$162K
Total revenueLn 12$345K
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$23K
SavingsLn 2$159K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$182K
InvestmentsLn 11–13$108K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$147K
Other assetsLn 15$2K
Total assetsLn 16$441K
LiabilitiesLn 26$23K
Net assetsLn 32$417K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 59
VolunteersI 640
Fiscal year endsHeaderDecember
Conflict-of-interest policyVI 12aNo
Whistleblower policyVI 13No
Records policyVI 14No
3Year over year
Balance sheet, start vs end of yearPt X · col A, B
LineStart FY22End FY22
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$194K$182K
InvestmentsLn 11–13$92K$108K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$167K$147K
Total assetsLn 16$454K$441K
LiabilitiesLn 26$19K$23K
Net assetsLn 32$435K$417K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic organizationsLn 1$0$0
Grants to domestic individualsLn 2$0$0
Grants and assistance to foreign recipientsLn 3$0$0
Benefits paid to or for membersLn 4$0$0
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$66K$40K$13K$13K
Pay of disqualified personsLn 6$0$0$0$0
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$78K$78K$0$0
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$0$0$0$0
Other employee benefitsLn 9$0$0$0$0
Payroll taxesLn 10$18K$14K$2K$1K
Management feesLn 11a$0$0$0$0
Legal feesLn 11b$0$0$0$0
Accounting feesLn 11c$0$0$0$0
Lobbying feesLn 11d$0$0$0$0
Professional fundraising feesLn 11e$0$0
Investment management feesLn 11f$1K$0$1K$0
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$1K$1K$0$0
Advertising and promotionLn 12$396$196$0$200
Office expensesLn 13$12K$10K$440$2K
Information technologyLn 14$10K$5K$486$5K
RoyaltiesLn 15$0$0$0$0
OccupancyLn 16$34K$34K$0$0
TravelLn 17$6K$6K$0$0
Travel and entertainment for public officialsLn 18$0$0$0$0
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$0$0$0$0
InterestLn 20$0$0$0$0
Payments to affiliatesLn 21$0$0$0$0
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$20K$20K$0$0
InsuranceLn 23$841$841$0$0
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$87K$87K$0$0
All other expensesLn 24e$5K$4K$563$15
Total functional expensesLn 25$339K$300K$18K$22K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2024 Latest $343K$351K−$9K$415K 990 PDF
FY2023 $307K$312K−$5K$423K 990 PDF
FY2022 Viewing $345K$339K$6K$417K 990 PDF
FY2021 $379K$297K$82K$435K 990 PDF
FY2020 $227K$263K−$36K$354K 990 PDF

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Schedules filed Part IV

III · Programs R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons I · Grants A · Public support O · Explanations
See the full FY2022 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $345,420 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $186,214$170,032
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $7,570$6,510
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $8,140$6,612
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $177,263$162,266
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $379,187$345,420
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $0$0
I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $151,768$161,833
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $145,666$177,409
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $297,434$339,242
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $81,753$6,178
Part VI · Governance 2 of 2 board members independent, 3 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body2
VI-1b Independent voting members2
VI-12a Written conflict of interest policyNo
VI-13 Written whistleblower policyNo
VI-14 Document retention and destruction policyNo
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsNo
VI-15a Process for setting top official's payYes
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $345,420 across 14 lines filed
Lines not itemized here account for $137,869 of total revenue; see the IRS return.
VIII-1a Federated campaigns$0
VIII-1b Membership dues$0
VIII-1c Fundraising events$0
VIII-1d Related organizations$0
VIII-1e Government grants$8,583
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$161,449
VIII-1g Noncash contributions (included above)$0
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$170,032
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $6,510 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $0$6,510
VIII-3 Investment incomeRelated to mission $0 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $6,612$6,612
VIII-5 RoyaltiesRelated to mission $0 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $0$0
VIII-6 Net rental income or lossRelated to mission $0 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $23,474$23,474
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Related to mission $923 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $0$923
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $145,302 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $30,086$345,420
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $339,242 across 31 lines filed
IX-1 Grants to domestic organizationsPrograms $0$0
IX-2 Grants to domestic individualsPrograms $0$0
IX-3 Grants and assistance to foreign recipientsPrograms $0$0
IX-4 Benefits paid to or for membersPrograms $0$0
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $39,573 · Management $13,420 · Fundraising $13,191$66,184
IX-6 Pay of disqualified personsPrograms $0 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$0
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $78,071 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$78,071
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $0 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$0
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $0 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$0
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $14,298 · Management $1,846 · Fundraising $1,434$17,578
IX-11a Management feesPrograms $0 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$0
IX-11b Legal feesPrograms $0 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$0
IX-11c Accounting feesPrograms $0 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$0
IX-11d Lobbying feesPrograms $0 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$0
IX-11e Professional fundraising feesFundraising $0$0
IX-11f Investment management feesPrograms $0 · Management $1,098 · Fundraising $0$1,098
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $1,400 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$1,400
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $196 · Management $0 · Fundraising $200$396
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $9,559 · Management $440 · Fundraising $2,185$12,184
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $4,982 · Management $486 · Fundraising $4,584$10,052
IX-15 RoyaltiesPrograms $0 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$0
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $33,773 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$33,773
IX-17 TravelPrograms $6,195 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$6,195
IX-18 Travel and entertainment for public officialsPrograms $0 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$0
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $0 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$0
IX-20 InterestPrograms $0 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$0
IX-21 Payments to affiliatesPrograms $0 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$0
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $19,532 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$19,532
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $841 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$841
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $87,334 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$87,334
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $4,026 · Management $563 · Fundraising $15$4,604
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $299,780 · Management $17,853 · Fundraising $21,609$339,242
Part X · Balance sheet $440,560 assets, 12 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $37,997$23,413
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $155,853$158,714
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $0$1,734
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $166,831$147,299
X-11 Publicly traded securitiesStart of year $91,870$107,800
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $1,600$1,600
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $454,151$440,560
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $18,765$22,523
X-19 Deferred revenueStart of year $0$570
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $18,765$23,093
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $435,386$417,467
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $454,151$440,560
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $417,467 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$345,420
XI-2 Total expenses$339,242
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$6,178
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$435,386
XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments−$24,097
XI-6 Donated services and use of facilities$0
XI-7 Investment expenses$0
XI-8 Prior period adjustments$0
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$417,467

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2022 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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