I interviewed Malissa Birchall who is the founder of Kitty Up Cat Rescue (kittyupcatrescue.org).
What is it about cats that you love, and is there a specific cat who inspired Kitty Up?
My first experience with cats was when I was 12 years old. My dad found Smokey in a dumpster and brought him home.
What is the focus of Kitty Up?
To save as many cats as we can. We also arrange a lot of transports up north for dogs and cats and work with other cat rescues to find placements for stray cats. Spay & Neuter is a huge part of what we do and takes up 80% of our budget. We pull cats from everywhere, especially Bartow County shelter – they need help really badly. I also send 5 Feline Leukemia cats every month to Austin Pets Alive in Texas. We help wherever we can and foster a couple of dogs too.
When did you start Kitty Up and why?
August 2018. I am a Vet Tech and have worked with many rescues. I live in Paulding County and was driving into Atlanta every day and realized there was no cat rescue in Paulding and it was desperately needed. There is a lot of education needed in this county about TNR. A lot of people around here regard cats as pests as opposed to friends.
What is a story that you like to tell?
I like to tell people about a cat called Catra. She was found in Bartow county in a dumpster hanging by a rope around her neck with her arm trapped in the rope. We rescued her and had to amputate the arm (her arm between the rope and her neck was the only reason she didn’t die in there). She was adopted by an amazing family. She developed FIP (Feline Infectious Peritonitis) and the vet recommended they euthanize her but they paid for an experimental treatment that worked. She is a big, beautiful cat whose life has been saved twice.
How many cats have you helped since you started?
Over 3000. Last year we transported 1400.
What do you want the community to know about Kitty Up and how can they help you?
We are here to help. We have a food closet with dog and cat food for people that need it. We provide TNR and vaccines. We do a lot of networking in the rescue community. We are 100% donation based. Food donations are always needed especially Friskies pate and Purina cat food. We always need blankets, sheets and towels too.