I've been a volunteer with a no-kill cat rescue group for over two years now. It's been an extremely rewarding experience although there are some lows mixed in with the highs. My primary duties involve working directly with the animals to help ease the adjustment to their new surroundings. I also spend time as an adoption counselor, trying to help people find the perfect cat for their situation.
I'd like to share some of my experiences and tell people about some of the cats who have come through our doors. One of my current favorites is Cookie, a tortie rescued off the streets who was close to starving to death. She weighed three pounds when we got her and is just skin over bones. Last week, she started throwing up and became dehydrated. The vet discovered an abcess on the back of her neck which broke open on its own. They removed all the bad stuff and she is back on the road to recovery. Her neck looks just terrible now and takes a bit of getting used to but I'm sure it will heal up quickly.
She's a vocal cat and loves attention. While being petted, she likes to nip your fingers, but she does so very gently. Since coming to us, she's gained ONE pound so I hope that trend continues. It will take some time before she's ready for adoption but eventually she'll go downstairs with the rest of the cat crew.
