The Saturday 4-5 pm house cats volunteer shift is truly unusual. Why? Because is consists solely of mother-daughter teams!

Cherie Spinosa and her daughters Gabrielle (age 16) and Annelise (age 13) have been volunteering for nearly a year. Of her volunteer work, Cherie says, “we enjoy getting our cat fix at WSHS. Watching the cats get excited when we feed them…and believe it’s a blessing to help care for them.”

Together they have enjoyed following the cats’ progress and “cheering as they become adopted…and enjoying how the cats climb all over us.”

Rounding out their household are two cats, two frogs, and two rescue dogs, 6 year old Hampton and 4 year Hope. Two things the girls have learned through volunteering are, first, that it is very different taking care of dogs and cats. (No comment on which animal is easier.) And second, pilling cats can be “interesting.”

Of the team dynamic, Cherie says, “Ann and Sandy trained us when we began volunteering, and they are wonderful to work with. Everyone works so well together.”

A second member of this volunteer shift is Ann Kilgast. Ann volunteers in the kennel every Wednesday but has had to take a sabbatical from the Saturday afternoon house cat shift due to an injury and the college application process.

Ann says that her volunteer work has been fulfilling. She’s met friendly people and loves the warm feeling in the cattery “with all the cats staring at you, wanting a little touch and some human touch.”  

Ann calls herself a “stay at home mom,” but we’re pretty sure that all the volunteer work she does for her church and her daughters’ school, probably keeps her out of the house a lot!

Ann says that the mother-daughter team is important because the moms have chosen to spend time with their daughters in a meaningful way.

Rounding out Ann’s home are two cats, two frogs, and two rescue dogs.