By Janet McAfee
On October 28, 2024, the doorbell rang at the Loving All Animals shelter gate. Visitors drop off donations, get a stray animal scanned for a microchip, or want to see adoptable dogs at the private nonprofit facility in Coachella. When the staff person opened the gate there was no human nor was any vehicle seen driving away.
A cardboard box sat outside with a handwritten note. The note said the female cat inside was named Muffin and her owners were being evicted from their home. This tragic incident is not unusual at public and private shelters as the homeless dog and cat crisis worsens in 2024. During the pandemic, spaying and neutering were not considered essential services and kittens and puppies born then are now giving birth to more animals than there are available homes. The housing crisis and higher vet costs make it difficult for some people to keep their animals
The small dogs relaxing in the Loving All Animals office were relocated to make space to evaluate the cat. The opened box revealed a beautiful beige Tabby cat who was described in their written note as a “sweet 1 year old”. She appeared well cared for, but not likely spayed and not recently if ever vaccinated. The facility is not licensed to hold cats, and there is a severe shortage of people who foster to help prepare them for their forever home.
A call went out to Selva Hurtado and Brad Wilson who foster cats and kittens for several local animal organizations. Luckily their “cat foster room” was vacant. In another stroke of luck, local cat rescuer Samantha Rhoades had an available appointment the following day for spay surgery at The Cat Clinic where they provide excellent veterinary care exclusively for cats. Brad picked up Muffin afterward and she recovered quickly surrounded by love and good care.
Several years ago, Selva began volunteering at the Animal Samaritans shelter walking dogs and playing with the cats in the cattery. The agency had an emergency intake with a cat about to have kittens and asked Selva and Brad to foster. The couple later happily adopted the mother cat and one of the kittens to Brad’s parents. Selv
a took a bottle-feeding class and then taught Brad how to feed neonatal kittens.
They set up a room in their home exclusively for feline fosters. The room has several cat trees and an area where they can sit and look at the birds in the outside feeder. Brad watches television in the “cat room” and makes sure he spends lots of quality time with the cats.
The couple were “foster failures” with one special group of kittens. Now they love being part of happy endings for other homeless felines and their adopters. The “cat room” enables them to quarantine newcomers from their personal pets.
Brad encourages others to foster, “Cats want love but are more independent. They amuse themselves, and they are easy to care for since they use litter boxes. Fostering allows you to be part of their lives and prepare them for a better future. You get to help these beautiful creatures who otherwise would suffer in the streets or languish in a crowded public shelter where their fate would be uncertain.”
As we go to print, an adoption inquiry came in for Muffin. More precious creatures need help. Fostering is fun and it’s flexible. Call Loving All Animals at (760) 834-7000 and complete the volunteer application at www.lovingallanimals.org. LAA covers vet costs and supplies. Become part of a fun life-saving team!
