Whisker City

I began donating to Whisker City a couple years ago and decided I wanted to do more so I started volunteering. Whisker City is a haven for orphaned and neglected cats and kittens waiting for a forever home. The kitties are free to roam about both inside and out in the cat enclosure. The cats get excellent care and all of their health needs are addressed, no matter how serious. April, the director has the biggest heart and never turns any kitties away. She works harder than anyone to keep everything running smoothly. I love volunteering at Whisker City, all of the volunteers are so dedicated and such a great group of people that are passionate about the well being of orphan kitties.

I have been a volunteer at Whisker City for over two years. We are a 100% volunteer run shelter. All of the volunteers are avid cat lovers and very dedicated to providing a clean and happy atimosphere for our cats. Whisker City has helped people by temporarily keeping their cats while they are in housing transition. We have received cats whose owners have died or gone into nursing homes. We have taken in many local neighborhood stray kitties, both male and female (some ready to have kittens). They get neutered/ spayed. We raise the kittens until they are old enough to adopt out. Sometimes people are moving, and need a temporary place to hold their kitties until a new adoptive family can pick them up. Some people have moved to places where they can no longer have their companions of 10 years. We just reently took in 17 cats from a California Kill shelter (several of which were kittens). We have a variety of cats ranging from senior to kittens, all of which are available for adoption. Part of our volunteer training includes making sure you take time before you leave to pet the cats. We work hard to keep WC clean, happy, and we try very hard to socialize the cats. We enjoy our work, and make sure to talk to the kitties as we work. Some volunteers clean, some come and pet the ktities, some do both. I find it especially rewarding when the litter boxes and floors have been cleaned; the atmosphere is great. We love our cats at WC. There are many volunteer opportunites: marketing, adoptions, cleaning, gardening,socialization, etc. available if you are looking for a place to volunteer. April Brown leads by example and works just as hard, and/or harder than the rest of us.

Six months ago I found a cat that was in extremely bad shape. After days of desperately seeking a place that would help this cat, I received a call from April of Whisker City telling me she would help me with this cat. When I arrived at the shelter I was immediately impressed with the way it was set up. All the cats have free roam of an entire house, complete with couches, beds, scratchers and toys galore. There is even a tv that was playing soothing classical music! There are cages but was informed that the only times cats are kept caged is if they are new and being introduced or if they are being treated for any medical issues. All of the cats are happy, well fed and cared for. Within just a couple days the little kitty I had brought in was receiving the medical attention she needed not to mention good food, fresh water and lots of love. I very quickly decided that I wanted to volunteer at Whisker City and after 6 months I have not regretted my choice to do so. This place is absolutely wonderful. I could not have found a better, cleaner, healthier more loving atmosphere for my little"Hope", thats what I named the kitty :). Whisker City is truly a place of compassion, love and hope for so many cats that would have otherwise not had a chance.

My family inherited my mom's cats when she passed away. We tried to make it work, but my daughter's allergies were so bad we were forced to find a good home for both. April Brown listened to me cry and she understood the tough spot we were in. She agreed to take them and provide lifelong care. Its' been 2 years since I had to make that very hard decision and I'm so thankful Whisker City exists. Both cats are still at the shelter living in a warm and loving environment. Whisker City is a real home with caring volunteers. We are regular contributors and will forever be grateful for their kindness.

I've been volunteering at Whisker City for about eight months now and it's been nothing short of a fun, fulfilling, and inspiring experience. My first thought when I initially started volunteering was "Dang, these cats have it good!" I was expecting cages, regulated interaction, just sad little faces that I could use my cat experience to help out in a tough situation, but yeah, I was wrong---beds ( and an actual bed) , cat trees, myriad cozy spots, chairs, a futon, food and toys galore, an outdoor "catio", dedicated kitty staff--this is kitty nirvana! I just think it's so wonderful that the kitties can loll outside and watch the birds, listen to the sounds of nature, or just supervise our cleaning from their numerous creative perches---even on not-so-nice days there are inventive weather-proof sitting areas for a needed breath of fresh air....
The owner, April, has a natural talent for cats, it truly is amazing to see--I thought I knew alot about cats and I still learn from her interactions with them and her natural instincts and intelligent decision-making. She has a heart of gold and no cat is left to suffer or is ever neglected---she has an energy, creativity, drive, and passion for learning that is rarely seen --and it's infectious! She is also very open to new ideas and input from volunteers, listens well, keeps an open mind and never asks anyone to do anything that she wouldn't do herself ( and probably alot harder and with a ton more gusto!). The other volunteers are lovely, dedicated, quick to help, and easy to get along with---such a great group of people that I'm proud to work alongside( and as a nurse by profession I appreciate a collaborative team)...
Yeah, I'd say this was a great decision on my part---I can do as much as I like, use the talents I have to enhance the environment, or just stop by any time for a visit , hang out with the kitties, get my fill....I love that it's a spontaneous, open, receptive, relaxed , have fun-enjoy-and-respect-the-kitties-and-each-other kind of environment. So, if you ever decide to stop by, get ready to see some happy kitties enjoying the views, licking their lips from recent treats, relaxing to music, having their beds and blankets fluffed, just generally directing the show, here at Whisker City!

I have been a volunteer for Whisker City for over a year now and It has been a great experience for me!
April is a dedicated owner and is a pleasure to see her dedication to the program!
I am so grateful to play just a small part in this well-run organization -it's truly inspiring to see so many different people working together to help cats live happier, healthier lives.

I should mention that in addition to volunteering, I also adopted a cat from Whisker City six months ago, and he is the best! A great companion who makes me laugh on a daily basis.
I highly recommend volunteering here or just come on by for a visit!

I love all the great things about whisker city! it is the most loving place for kitties. the kitty 'house/home' is always welcoming and the kitties seem so happy to be there and are all well cared for. I had the need to take 2 found kitties to whisker city.....and they found great homes for them within days. THANK YOU WHISKER CITY!!

I have been a volunteer at Whisker City, a cat shelter in Shoreline, WA for over a year. The cats live in a house with a huge living room, bedroom, and enclosed sunporch. They are caged only if they need special care. The shelter takes in cats from families who cannot keep their pets and street cats with no owners.

I was at the shelter earlier this week, when we took in 15 kittens brought up from California. These kittens were hours away from being euthanized. We will feed them, deal with any health issues, and then deliver them to an agency we work with for adoption by local families.

Blue Sky Charities has been supporting this shelter for around 30 years, through good times and bad.

Thank you to Whisker City for being an organization that is well worth my donations. I have visited the facility several times and it is always a clean and happy environment. You can tell that the volunteers are passionate about their work and April Brown is a total rockstar. Cheers to many more years of well taken care of (and spoiled with love) animals and I will continue my support of this non profit. The Seattle area is lucky to have such a great place for cats & kittens.

I volunteered over the summer and found that all the cats were well taken care of. It's a wonderful home for cats without a family and I am very happy a place like this exists.

I volunteered at Whisker City between 2002 and 2009. I helped with the adoptions on the weekends and worked with Kristin, the former employee who wrote the scathing review. I quit volunteering because I could not stand working with this very angry woman. I came back when she left and love volunteering there.

I love Whisker City!

I have been involved with Whisker City since early 2013. I have had a rescue cat taken in by them. I foster some special needs kitties for them but have visited the shelter often. The volunteers are dedicated and love cats. Volunteers are dedicated to helping the cats and finding homes for them. The shelter saved the cat I rescued when no one else could take him. Cats can free roam the shelter as long as their health allows them to be in the general population. Additionally the cats have an outdoor enclosure they can access with lots of perches and chairs they can lounge in. There is a bed complete with bedding changed daily that the cats can lay on or just hang out. There are cat trees for their use and many beds or small cave like structures for those who prefer to hide, Multiple cat boxes are throughout the shelter and they are bleached and washed every day. Blankets and mats are washed and dried by whichever volunteer is working that day. Food and water bowls are kept clean. I urge you to support Whisker City and to consider volunteering with us. We have some wonderful cats that might just be your kitty soul mate. Come in and get to know us. We would love to see more volunteers, donations and adopting parent s.

Best,
Marie Bailey

I volunteered at this shelter and was horrified at the lack of care for these cats. I volunteered every weekend and found empty water bowls every week. One cat was in a cage in a very dark corner, not getting any light or much human contact. One day I smelled a decaying type odor near the cage, called the owners to alert them, and when I came back the next week this poor kitty was dead.

They had cats that were considered not adoptable but left in a small cage constantly. The last time I weekend I volunteered there was a batch of kittens that were not eating. They were skinny and lethargic. I mentioned this to the paid employee and she changed the food. When I came back the next weekend they were worse. The paid employee had not alerted the owners nor were these kittens taken to the Vet for care. I talked to April, the owner, and she stated she doesn't check on the cats very often and wasn't aware of how the animals were taken care of. April stated they keep this employee because she is dependable in terms of showing up each day. I said what good is that if she doesn't take care of the animals.

This is not an acceptable shelter but a few cats get good homes. I would never give to them.