Kathy Maslowski Volunteer Spotlight
Kathy, who has been volunteering with Furry Friends for the past year saw us in PetSmart on 192nd Avenue and read the literature about us.
“I had been feeding some feral cats in a field near an apartment complex in which I once lived,” Kathy says, “and although I moved several blocks away, I still feed them. When one of the pregnant kitties was found having her babies, she was trapped and taken to Furry Friends. (I had already emailed them about her). They contacted me and asked if I would be willing to foster her. I agreed and she came to me with kittens in tow. Every kitten got adopted and I kept the mother who fits in perfectly with the cats I’d rescued myself and kept from that field.”
A dedicated foster, Kathy takes in female cats with their newborn babies and those who are about to give birth. She keeps them until they receive all of their shots, are spayed/neutered and ready for adoption. “I give the momma and her kittens a lot of social interaction and a safe place to reside,” she explains. “It greatly assists them in getting ready for adoption, and I delight in watching them all develop unique personalities that ultimately win over prospective adopters.
“I really appreciate the effort Furry Friends puts into finding good forever homes for the kitties I foster. To date, I’ve have had 11 kittens adopted out from two litters. I love meeting the people in the community who are adopting them. They even send me pictures of the cats that were in my care.
“My biggest challenge is making certain that I give only quality time both to my fosters and my own cats, while my proudest moment as a volunteer is being available at a moment’s notice to take in cats/kittens in need when I get a call from Furry Friends.
As to why Kathy gives back: “There’s a great need in the community to help give a better life to cats, including those who are feral and abused, abandoned and lost, and those from hoarding situations. Outside of Furry Friends, I work full time as a Mortgage Loan Processor. My company collects for and donates to the local Food Bank and will volunteer on Habitat for Humanity projects.
“I’m most passionate about the homelessness in our community which has exploded in the last 10 years and affects families, children and pets. A lot of the time, pets have to be surrendered due to finances and the Covid 19 pandemic. I believe that so many more resources should be directed there from the city and county budgets.”
Kathy spent six years in Germany, has traveled extensively throughout Europe and is fascinated by the diversity of their customs and culture, food, scenic attractions and art. Because of this, she loves to read, especially history, and watch Ken Burns’ many documentaries on OPB Television.
___________________________________________________________
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.
