“I started volunteering at Furry Friends in December of 2024,” Amanda says. “In fact, my first shift was the Tuesday PM shift on Christmas Eve. I had unexpectedly lost most of my possessions as well as my job, money was tight, and my partner and I couldn’t afford to visit family for the holidays. My senior cat’s health was rapidly declining and I needed something positive to occupy my mind and my time.   

“I just started volunteering with Furry Friends in January 2026,” Alina says. “I was looking for cat rescues to volunteer for in my area and this was one of the first I found.

“I began volunteering with Furry Friends in March 2025,” says Jen. “After the Presidential election, I was feeling down and I wanted to do something that would potentially make me feel better, while allowing me to make a positive contribution. Because I love cats, I started looking for local volunteer opportunities and found Furry Friends. I was drawn to their mission and impressed that the rescue’s been so successful for so long and powered by so many volunteers. 

“I’ve been a Furry Friends foster for the last year, and have cared for 24 kittens and two mamas so far,” says Misty Ray (also known as Misty Rae O’Sunshine on FB).

“I had a beautiful 21-year career in the Air Force, and after a few random jobs, I was struggling to find a purpose that satisfied me as much as serving my country. After pondering the idea of starting my own rescue, it became more about how I could assist local rescues with the issue of cat overpopulation. I subsequently reached out to Furry Friends to see how I could help, and I’m so happy I did.

“I’ve been volunteering with Furry Friends since November 2022,” says Cindy. “It’s been such a rewarding and joyful experience.

“I found Furry Friends while I was recovering from a traumatic hiking accident that almost took my life and shifted everything for me. It gave me a fresh perspective and made me realize how important it is to go after the things I truly care about. I’ve always had a special love for cats, and even dreamed of one day running a cat sanctuary or rescue. While I was getting back on my feet, I made a promise to myself: no more waiting for the ‘right time.’ Life’s too short.

Today we remember our dear friend and fellow Furry Friends volunteer Linda Rader. Linda has crossed over the rainbow bridge to be with all the cats that she has saved and loved in her lifetime. She gives new meaning to the term “everyday hero.” While some might call her a crazy cat lady, we, at Furry Friends, call her an angel.

 Linda retired from her job and immediately joined Furry Friends in 2001, two years after our founding as our first Adoption Coordinator. She handled the intake of all the cats, coordinated their care, interviewed potential adopters, oversaw those cats in foster homes, and handled each cat’s adoption.

“I have volunteered with Furry Friends for about a year,” says Donna. “I got involved when I started looking for a tuxedo cat to keep my current cat company. Fortunately, I found Neptune on the Furry Friends website and fell in love both with her and the shelter.

“I have volunteered with Furry Friends for a little over three years,” Caitlin says. 
“When my beloved cat of 18 years Licorice passed away, it was a dark time for me. I was also suffering from some health issues, and to help cheer me up, I would often visit pet stores to look at the cats. One day when I was doing just that, I suddenly realized that I wanted to work with cats. I’ve loved them my entire life, and yet it had never occurred to me to work with them. After doing some research, I found Furry Friends, and the rest is history!

“I’ve been volunteering with Furry Friends since 2009,” Natasha says. “I’m the shift lead for the Sunday night shift at the Halfway House. I started volunteering because I wanted to give back to the community in a way that involved caring and advocating for animals.

“I have volunteered with Furry Friends since August 2024,” Bonnie says. “After losing our sweet orange tabby in April, our house felt so empty. In June, I decided to investigate options to help at the Humane Society since we weren’t quite ready to adopt. In the process, I came across a posting for Furry Friends and their need for volunteers and fosters. I decided to apply, received a response the same day, and before I knew it, I was saying ‘yes’ to fostering five eight-week-old kittens! 

“I have volunteered with Furry Friends for more than a year,” Karin says. “As to how I got involved? I happened to meet another volunteer when she stopped to say hello to my dog during one of our walks.

“I have volunteered with Furry Friends for 4 1/2 years,” Freya says.
“When I lived in Virginia, I volunteered at the Fairfax County Animal Shelter and the Humane Society of Fairfax County.  After moving here in September of 2020, however, I knew that I wanted to volunteer at cat rescues in the area. For a while, I volunteered at the Humane Society of Southwest Washington in the cattery and the West Columbia Gorge Humane Society doing the Monday evening Tuck-In. But now, I volunteer exclusively with Furry Friends.

“I decided to volunteer as a foster for Furry Friends after losing my precious cat to illness in 2023,” says Jill. “She was a stray, and it took me years to gain her trust. Everyone asked me why I even bothered. Truthfully, I had no answer other than it brought me untold joy!

“I have volunteered with Furry Friends since December 2024,” Kate says. 
“I worked as an Animal Care Technician at Oregon Humane Society, and continued there as an Animal Care volunteer for some time after I changed careers. Eventually, though, I wanted to contribute to the welfare of pets in my community as a Vancouver native. I knew of Furry Friends through the relationship Oregon Humane Society had with them, and so I inquired about volunteer opportunities here.

“I’ve volunteered with Furry Friends since January 2025,” says Amanda, “and got involved thanks to referrals from multiple rescue friends.
“I’m a kitten/cat foster and it involves tending them and transporting them to vet visits and adoption events. I love taking care of my fosters and watching them grow and thrive and become loving pets. I always wish I had more time to snuggle them since the hardest part is taking them to adoption events and knowing it might be the last time I see them. While I hope beyond hope that they find loving homes, I will always welcome them back if it doesn’t work out.

“I have been volunteering with Furry Friends since November 2024,” Adara says.
“I am taking a gap year before I go to college and wanted to volunteer at a shelter. When I found Furry Friends, I thought that they would be a great place to do so. Before I started volunteering, I was attending high school, and after I graduated, I took a month-long trip across the country in a camper van, which was amazing! I am an aspiring artist and will be attending CWU in the fall for their arts program.

“I began volunteering in early December of 2023,” Gloria says. “I got involved because I’d decided that I wanted to work with cats in need, and a Google search led me to Furry Friends. I was subsequently connected with Gail Bauhs, Supervisor of Socializers.

“I have been volunteering with Furry Friends for five years now,” Pam says.

As to the reason she got involved? “I had moved to Arizona to live with my sister and her kids. My health was getting worse, and between the warmer weather and family help, I was hoping to feel better. We were living on 40 acres of land and were going to be homesteaders, but six months after I moved there, we had a house fire and lost nearly everything -- including the best animal I will ever know.

“I have been fostering kitties for Furry Friends since June 2013,” Roni says. “To date, I’ve fostered a total of 23 litters which included 18 mama cats and 115 kittens. I’ve even done a round of ‘bottle babies.’

“When I looked up agencies on the Internet, I was extremely impressed with Furry Friends’ mission. I promptly called and spoke to Linda Rader who not only brought me my first litter but proved to be a source of great information and help during her tenure with Furry Friends.

“I must point out that this is a family affair,” Tina says proudly. “While my partner, Trevor, and I do most of the day-to-day work, my children (7, 11 and 14) play a big part in making sure all of the cats and kittens we foster become accustomed to living with children. They have learned to be quiet and move slowly when we have new fosters who are adjusting or a new mama who has just given birth. We’ve been told that our family raises the sweetest kittens, and that’s something we’re really proud of. It’s a direct reflection of the love and respect we accord all of the cats in our care.