July Be the Change: Kitten Angels
“We are 100% volunteer based,” says Paula Jacobus, Kitten Angels’s Glenmont Adoption Coordinator, “It’s a big operation.” The volunteers care deeply about the feline clientele and work gently and tirelessly to create optimum living situations for the cats in their care. Jacobus is one of hundreds of volunteers who help to find homes for more than 1,500 cats and kittens each year.
Originally founded with the mission of rescuing mother cats and kittens, Kitten Angels has grown to include a larger network of volunteers and a broader vision that includes rehoming strays and surrenders, rehabbing sick and injured cats, and also finding suitable situations for the un-adoptable cats: those who are feral, wild, and more comfortable settling down in a barn than on a couch in someone’s home.
“You have to have a heart for wanting to do what is best for that animal,” says Jacobus. And how does one know what is best, you may ask? It begins with getting to know the cats, something that Kitten Angels’s volunteers do every day. “Falling in love with the animals—they are so sweet and innocent,” says Jacobus, “is easy.” Whether bottle feeding newborn kittens, taking care of cats who need a little extra medical attention, or just providing a space for a cat before it gets adopted, volunteers cannot help but develop strong relationships with their furry companions as they come to understand each cat’s background, story, and needs.
There are a variety of different ways that cats and kittens are brought into the fold of the Kitten Angels organization. Through partnerships with other rescue organizations, some cats are transported from various areas in the northeast; others are trapped from local outdoor/wild habitations; some are strays; others are surrendered by their owners; and some are born into the organization as kittens. No matter how the cats make their entrance, the Kitten Angels volunteers ensure that they receive all their shots, are checked for any disorders, and are spayed or neutered through participating veterinary practices. The cats are then placed in foster care for a period of time until they get adopted directly or until a space opens up in one of five PetSmart locations throughout the greater Capital District, within which the Kitten Angels adoption clinics operate. By the time a cat is in the store, it has been fully vetted, so to speak. The foster “mom/dad” has come to know the cat well and provides lots of detailed information about what life would be like with that individual feline. This is important because although some cats are fine with dogs, other cats, and children, some are not. It’s important for a successful outcome to place each cat in an appropriate setting. Adoption applications can be found on the website (below) and must be completed and approved before an adoption can happen.
Some adoptions are easy, while others take time. “Recently, we had a 7-year-old cat who did not do well in the store and was brought into our foster care network for almost a year,” says Jacobus. “She had a lot of anxiety; her name was Princess Rose; she only wanted to be around HER person and no one else. She finally got adopted and is now living in Cape Cod—-in a house with a lot of windows, near the beach. She’s really a Princess now!”
Adapting to new environments takes time. Even after an adoption is finalized and the cat goes to its new home, there is a period of adjustment. Jacobus refers to it as the “science-backed rule of 3’s: 3 days to decompress, 3 weeks to get to know the routine, and 3 months to totally settle in.” Even Princess Rose, with her beautiful ocean views and Her person, needed time to adjust. It seems like a lesson in patience for all of us!
During the month of July, when you round up to the nearest dollar at Honest Weight, know that your donation is making a difference in the lives of cats and kittens.
Visit the website to learn more about how you might volunteer, foster, adopt, or donate to Kitten Angels: https://kittenangels.org/ .