Jenn Foster ‘couldn’t resist’ adopting more cats
10/2/2024
When Jenn Foster began volunteering at Furry Friends Refuge — a no-kill pet shelter in West Des Moines — she had no intention of adopting a third or fourth pet. She already had one dog and two cats.
Yet, when she volunteered one day, she noticed a cuddly cat at the shelter, Allie. Jenn had recently lost a lap cat to cancer and liked Allie’s affectionate demeanor.
Jenn adopted Allie and, after a few weeks, noticed lumps in her body — the start of a rare feline disease. After two surgeries and treatment, Allie recovered. Jenn’s husband, Bill, gave Allie her medications, and now Bill is her favorite person.
“It was hard to chase her down to give her meds. It saved her life. The illness took a lot of resources, but now she’s 100% healthy. Nobody would have adopted her if we hadn’t done it,” Jenn recalls.
As she continued to volunteer three days a week at Furry Friends, another cat, Shadow, caught her attention. He was affectionate and playful.
“I saw him for a month every day I worked,” Jenn says. “Nobody adopted him. I couldn’t resist. I didn’t intend to adopt a fourth cat.”
The newly adopted cats join Roscoe, a 14-year-old rescue cat, and Jules, a cat she received from a friend. Their dog, Sophie, was adopted from a shelter in Oklahoma.
Jenn is a fierce advocate for shelter animals. At Furry Friends, cats aren’t kept in cages. They have climbing structures and cat hideouts.
“This is better for cats, as they can interact with potential adoptive pet parents,” Jenn explains.
As a frequent volunteer, she familiarizes herself with cat personalities.
“We work with cats and can see the progress to make them an adoptable pet,” she explains.
Jenn asks prospective adopters about the type of pet they are looking for.
“Some don’t want kittens. Some want cuddly cats and are looking for different things,” she explains. “I can steer them in the right direction.”
Additionally, she picks up cats from other shelters, suburbs or the Polk County Animal Control unit. In her career before retirement, she worked as a crisis counselor.
“I spent my whole career helping others. I want to keep giving back,” she reflects. “It’s the perfect place to work at.”
Jenn says Furry Friends is “a beautiful place” for cats. They also accept dogs and other small animals.
“We don’t give up on cats. We try to help owners with the costs of pets if they are ill or become adopted. Furry Friends has a 98% live release rate. I think that’s a pretty high rate compared to other shelters.”
When cats come to the shelter, Jenn does everything to make them feel comfortable.
“They are so excited to see someone and are grateful for the attention,” she says. “I love animals and volunteering.”
For more information on adopting, fostering or volunteering at Furry Friends Refuge, visit https://furryfriendsrefuge.org. ♦
