By Jazmynn Hoffman

Furry Friends is lucky to have hundreds of amazing volunteers who dedicate hours upon hours of their time caring for our cats. Cathy McCanta is one such volunteer; she spends three mornings a week at our Halfway House shelter making sure our cats are fed, their rooms are cleaned, and most importantly that our cats are happy and healthy!

Cathy began donating her time to Furry Friends in May 2021, after Covid-19 hit and closed the school where she previously volunteered. Since then, she has taken up three different cleaning crew shifts at the Halfway House, serving as the Shift Leader for one.  She says her biggest challenge while helping the kitties is resisting the urge to adopt all the cats! Cathy and her husband currently have one kitty, a feisty Calico named Annie, who “loves to remind us that WE are living with HER, not the other way around!”

     When asked what her proudest moment as a volunteer was, she said that it’s any time the cats show her love! “They’re great about letting you know that they appreciate what you’re doing for them with headbutts, leg rubs, purrs and meows.”

 Cathy loves being around the kitties each week. Loving and caring for animals and people is very important to her. The friends she has made along the way have also been an added plus!

Sara Lugo, a fellow volunteer on one of Cathy’s shifts, had this to share about working alongside Cathy every Tuesday morning: “What I love about her is that she is such a positive person. When we are short-handed, she is so great about knowing we can get it all done. She’ll come in early and stay later if needed. She is also a team lead; so, I appreciate that she and I are able to brainstorm about how to make our shifts fun and most productive.  She’s one of the reasons I enjoy my weekly shift at the shelter!

      Outside of volunteer work, Cathy enjoys spending her time walking in nature, at the beach, and riding motorcycles with her husband. She also loves challenging herself, learning new things, spending time with friends, and traveling! She added, “Furry Friends has allowed me to have a place where I can share my love of animals, to learn more about them, and to connect with both the people who volunteer and the animals themselves. I feel so fortunate to volunteer at a place that truly puts the needs of the kitties first.”

We appreciate how much work Cathy and the rest of our volunteers put in every week to make our mission possible! Thank you, Cathy, for all you do!