Looking for a furry feline friend? This Olathe-based nonprofit is the Cat’s Pawjamas

Helping furry friends find forever homes is second nature to Michelle DePrima. That’s why she founded the Cat’s Pawjamas Rescue Society.

After working with various cat rescue organizations over the last two decades, DePrima knew how she would structure the Cat’s Pawjamas.

“I was very clear about what we wanted to do and that I stay small. I didn’t want to have any more fosters than I could personally support,” said DePrima.

Because the non-profit is a foster network, there is no shelter location. Every cat they put up for adoption lives with a foster volunteer until it goes to its new home. That also means they have a good idea of how each cat will respond to different home factors, such as living with other pets or interacting with children.

It’s important to DePrima that people get a cat with the right personality for the scenario available, and sometimes that means redirecting people from a cat they thought they wanted to one that will be a good match for their lifestyle.

“I had one person who applied for a cat, and they had six kids between the ages of 2 and 12. That’s going to take a special cat,” she said.

From 2021 to 2023, they facilitated 336 cat adoptions, growing each year. By mid-November this year, they had adopted out more than 100 for 2024 alone, and DePrima expects their overall total to hit 500 by the end of the year.

The group has adoption events at the PetSmart in Olathe. Those interested in looking at cats this months will find felines there on Dec. 22 and 29.

“We do use it as an opportunity for people who have already applied to come visit the cats,” DePrima said. “There are a lot of differing opinions on low barriers to adoption. While I’m not on the extreme end of that, I am definitely on the more open side.”

That means they will do same-day adoptions, and don’t inspect homes.

“We believe that pretty much everybody should be able to have a cat in their lives, if they can afford it, if they know what they’re getting into, if they’re going to take good care of it,” DePrima said.

One of their sponsors is Marketplace Animal Hospital, where they work with veterinarian Brian Godsey.

“We couldn’t do it without him. We take a lot of medical cases, and they tend to be very expensive,” DePrima said.

All of their cats are spayed or neutered, have shots appropriate to their age and are microchipped. Many are kittens, but there are juvenile and adult cats available, too.

While they’re being fostered, the Cats Pawjamas provides food and medical care, though foster families do have to provide their own litterbox materials. They key thing DePrima says they look for in foster families is the willingness to socialize the cats and be able to share information about their personalities.

If you’re not in a position to foster a cat but still want to help, DePrima has all kinds of volunteer opportunities, from transporting cats to grant writing and fundraising.

Spring Hill resident Janessa Busby has been fostering with the Cats Pawjamas for two years and has adopted a cat herself.

“I can’t imagine our house without him. We’re getting to give that joy to someone else,” Busby said.

She likes the agency that being part of the group gives her.

“You find four kittens in a garage, and you’re actually able to do something instead of walking away, feeling helpless,” she said.

For more information about fostering or adopting with the Cat’s Pawjamas, visit catspawjamas.org.