Katie Devlin Volunteer Spotlight
I have been a Sunday PM Halfway House volunteer since May 2022 and spend from one to two hours there a week.
My tasks involve feeding and medicating the cats, making sure their rooms are cleaned up and that they have fresh bedding and clean litter boxes. Then I get to enjoy socializing with them (this is the best part), while learning each cat’s unique personality and quirks. My proudest moments are seeing long-time residents being adopted, knowing that they’re getting well deserved forever homes!
I joined FF because I wanted to be involved with the rescue and cat community in Vancouver, WA. My husband and I have adopted four cats, all former strays/ferals. It was a long process gaining their trust and included trapping two of them to be neutered through Feral Cat Coalition in Oregon. From that experience, I understand how great the need is for abandoned and relinquished cats to be socialized, well cared for during the process and ultimately re-homed.
Being a volunteer with FF is one of the most rewarding experiences ever. It not only means being part of a collaborative team of people who are willing to lend a helping hand to other volunteers, but who are also passionate about and devoted to the cats in our community.
And speaking of cats in the community, our four former stray/feral cats are Rabbit, a female brown-tabby bobtail/manx, Sean, a male short-hair tuxedo, Foxy, a male long-haired black cat, who has a small white diamond mark on his forehead and white feet, and Walter, a male orange tabby. Although they mainly live outdoors, they do enjoy spending time inside during the winter. We have a covered deck, have built several shelters, and have cat trees and cat beds with heating pads for the colder months. My husband and I enjoy our strong bond with our kitties, which was hard won for some of them.
I currently work for the State of Washington in Child Welfare. I like giving back because I’m able to, and because I firmly believe that when we all work together as a community, we can accomplish so much and improve the lives of both people and pets.
Outside of my interest in cats, I enjoy gardening, hiking, yoga and reading. I occasionally enjoy writing and painting when inspiration strikes.
Furry Friends is a great organization, and I tell everyone I know who wants to adopt a cat to check us out!
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Furry Friends Volunteer Spotlights are compiled and written by Nomi Berger who is the bestselling author of seven novels, one work of non-fiction, two volumes of poetry, and hundreds of articles. She is a volunteer writer for Furry Friends in Vancouver, WA and also volunteers her writing skills to animal rescue groups in Canada and the USA.
