Branford Compassion Club: 5 Years, 1,100 Cats Later

Gracie, a petite and feisty brown tabby, moved to Branford Compassion Club’s (BCC) new shelter when it opened five years ago. She has seen almost 1,100 of her fellow cats and kittens adopted, but she is still there, looking for a forever home. But that may change soon. Gracie is BCC’s longest resident.

Abby, a gray tabby, Artemis, black with a white spot on her chest, Chloe, a longhaired gray beauty, and Thistle and Nettle were looking for homes, too. 

Visitors mingled among the cats, while volunteers juggled adoption applications and paperwork for kitties who were going to their new homes at the recent fifth anniversary celebration.

In addition to celebrating its brick and mortar location, BCC has reached another milestone. After close to 20 years of relying on volunteers, the organization hired Pat Cotton, a volunteer since 2002, as shelter manager. She also serves as acting president.

“There are not enough cat rescue organizations,” Cotton said. ​“But there are a lot of people who care about cats.

“Eunice [Lasala] dragged me in,” she said, laughing. One of BCC’s founders, Lasala is active in caring for the area’s community cats.

Cotton had previously worked in West Haven as a kennel technician and found the volunteer work with the Compassion Club closer to her Branford home. She also worked for a law firm. When she left her job, the position at BCC was a natural segue to her volunteer work. The responsibilities have become more and more time consuming as the organization has grown – screening adoption applicants, assessing the cats, working with veterinarians, kitty KP – are all part of running the shelter.

Cotton paused to greet Simba and his owner, Alyssa Parzych. Simba was found in October as a one-week-old kitten and Cotton coached her through the bottle feedings necessary for such a tiny kitty. Simba, an orange tabby with white paws, was secure in his harness and leash; he was relaxed and clearly enjoying the attention.

Naturally, Cotton is a big advocate for feline welfare. ​“We’re never going to solve the cat problem if we don’t have better spay and neuter laws.”

Cotton said the average number of cats at the shelter is 35 to 40, plus there are about 75 volunteers. Five years from now, she hopes BCC will be doing the same thing it’s doing now.
Pat Cotton, Peg Johnson, and Krista Hanniford are longtime BCC volunteers.>

New to BCC is Cheryl Wilcox, an attorney and animal welfare advocate. Her legal expertise proved helpful in a hoarding situation in New Haven where 43 cats – 38 adults and five kittens born afterwards – were rescued. Wilcox worked with the cats’ owner to help her deal with situation and avoid prosecution. She said the cats were adoptable and with the help of BCC almost all have been placed.

Marilyn Kennedy is a BCC co-founder and treasurer. She has seen the organization through from its beginnings to the success that it is now. ​“We could be bigger,” she said. ​“It’s a very busy place… the turnover is incredible. We’re very selective about where the cats go.” 

In the communal cat room with its big picture windows and comfy furniture, many of the cats are free to roam around. It’s been ​“catified.” That is, there are ramps, shelves and cubbies mounted on the walls, which expand the cats’ territory. They were installed a few years ago with funds from a deceased BCC supporter and manufactured by The Vertical Cat. Without a doubt, they are well used. There are also three or four other rooms for cats.

They’re all hoping for forever homes. Hope perched on a shelf.

A Happy Ending

Just as we were going to press, we learned that Gracie was adopted. It was cause for yet another celebration at BCC, complete with cake, especially since she was the 1,100th cat to be placed.

Gracie’s new parents are Mat and Deanna Lewis of North Haven; she also has a sibling, Peanut, who was also adopted from BCC and visited with volunteers. According to Cotton, they were drawn to her story about not being adopted for so long and are willing to do what it takes to provide a home for her. Gracie was showered with gifts to help her transition to her new home.

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