Meet SAFe Rescue’s volunteer of the month for April 2023: Christina! If her best friends were to describe her in three words, it would be, “Cats, caring, and comedy.”
Christina has been volunteering on our Cat Care team since 2021 but she’s been a part of the SAFe family since 2014 when she adopted her cat, Hemingway (formerly Linus). “It was love at first sight,” she says, “I went to four shelters that day and never got that feeling for any of the other cats I met. SAFe was my last stop and I knew immediately when I saw him that he was mine. We have been best buds ever since. I appreciated the people that showed him love while he was there and I wanted to do the same for other cats.”
When we asked Christina why she likes volunteering, she said, “What could be better than hanging out with cats?” And her favorite part: “I love when I meet a cat at the shelter and they are so scared of people, but over time they come out of their shells and start trusting. I love the transformations and it makes me so happy they all find loving homes.”
So, what’s the hardest part? “It’s difficult for me not to adopt all the giant tom cats that come through the Rescue! Honestly, I fall in love every week.” She shares, “A lot of my friends say they could never do this because they would adopt all of the cats, but that’s not the case. It is possible to do this without going home with a cat every week. Volunteering makes me feel happy. Making sure these little creatures are taken care of and loved is so rewarding.”
You might wonder if there are any surprises that come along with volunteering. In Christina’s experience, “It’s surprising how many cats get adopted out each week! And I love that the Rescue takes in animals from other states and gives them a second chance. I also didn’t know cats could be so picky about their cat litter. I spoke with one of the employees about changing the litter and the size of the litter box if the cat isn’t using it. None of my cats have ever been that particular so I didn’t know it was a thing!”
When she’s not taking care of the cats at the Rescue, Christina says, “I’m usually spending quality time with my two cats, taking care of my many indoor plants, or spending time with my family and friends. I have three nephews and one niece so I spend a lot of time watching baseball and soccer games. My family was not surprised to learn that I volunteer but they wondered why I hadn’t done it sooner. I do make sure to send my niece pictures of all the cute kittens!”
We’re so thankful that Christina takes time out of her very busy schedule to show such care and compassion to the Rescue kitties. Thank you for being PAW-some volunteer and an important part of the team, Christina!
