Felines get a second chance at Animal Foster Care

OKANOGAN—Tucked away in a draw southwest of Okanogan is a little building that is making a big difference in the lives of felines who have fallen on hard times.

The Okanogan County Animal Foster Care Association, also known as the Animal Foster Care Cat Shelter on 4 Spring Coulee Road, is a 501(c)3 non-profit, no-kill shelter dedicated to providing a safe haven for cats until they can find a home. They receive proper treatment for illnesses or diseases and live out their lives at the shelter or in foster homes.

The shelter is a busy place. At the close of 2023, the facility had: 

• 215 cats under its care at the shelter or in foster homes.
• 26 cats living at the shelter.
• 1,240 cats transferred out:
• 1,198 to Northwest Organization for Animal Help (NOAH).
• 36 to Seattle Humane,
• 4 to Pasado’s Safe Haven.
• 2 to PAWS.

This number includes 314 adults, 755 kittens, and 31 mothers, with kittens equaling another 140.

Animal Foster Care took in 1,502 cats in 2023 and adopted out 152. It expects to exceed those numbers in 2024.

The facility survives largely through donations and adoption fees. It is open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturdays. To learn more about donating or volunteering, call 509-422-3364 or visit animalfosatercare.org.

Mike Maltais: 360-333-8483 or michael@ward.media