Et cetera : AmeriCorps NCCC FEMA Corps Team volunteers at cat shelter in Denver

Hickory 3 Team Leader Megan Mullen working with one of the kittens at Rocky Mountain Feline Rescue.

By: Deanna Golab and Conor McCormack

AmeriCorps NCCC FEMA Corps team, Hickory 3 recently spent a day with the Rocky Mountain Feline Rescue Shelter in Denver, Colo. cleaning the facility and socializing the cats. The Feline Rescue is a no-kill cat shelter whose mission is to shelter and care for abandoned, abused and unwanted cats and kittens until permanent homes can be found, encourage responsible pet ownership, educate the public through community outreach and provide trap and release spay/neuter information and resources to the public. 

To help keep the shelter sanitary, the team washed down the walls and cages to combat the smell and make sure the cats have a clean living environment. The team also helped socialize the cats to make sure they maintain consistent human contact. This makes the cats more adoptable and comfortable because many of them have been abused or abandoned. The staff was very appreciative of the team’s help because they rely solely on volunteers to keep up with the everyday chores of the shelter.

The shelter is home to over 100 cats in a maze of different rooms and the cats can choose where to go and who they want to hang out with. The facility also has a large outdoor area where the cats can go watch the birds and chase the squirrels. The shelter also has a separate area where they care for cats with different types of diseases, a unique part of this facility.

The team enjoyed their experience at the shelter and learned a lot about cats and the adoption process. “I really enjoyed watching the cats interact with each other and experiencing their unique personalities – they are really just like humans. Some are shy and some are outgoing, just like the people on our team,” said Hickory 3 team member Melissa, an avid cat lover.  The team found the work to be meaningful and some team members liked the cats so much, they wanted to bring one back with them.