Darlene, Hailey and Firecracker

Darlene Stewart and her daughter Hailey are two of the best friends a cat could have.

As volunteers at the Ellis County SPCA, the mother-daughter team see to it that every week, all the cats and kittens get a little special attention.

“We’ve been volunteers at the shelter since January 2009 and we really love working with the cats,” said Darlene. “We spend time with the cats, love on them, play with them, clean their room and groom them.”

With more than a dozen cats up for adoption at any given time, the need for volunteers like Darlene and Hailey is huge, said Dana White, shelter director for the ECSPCA.

“We’re lucky to have Darlene and Hailey,” White said. “They help us with the very important job of keeping the cats socialized. Cats can become depressed, withdrawn and even afraid of people if they’re not given attention, and Darlene and Hailey give our cats the love they need to stay happy and in good spirits.”

Darlene says that Hailey enjoys the volunteer work so much that if something prevents them from keeping their usual weekly appointment, they make sure that they reschedule their time right away.

“We have four cats of our own, and so we thought that we could spend time with the cats at the shelter because we know about cats,” Hailey said. “Most people go to dogs more so cats don’t get as much attention, so we like to clean their cages, give them treats and brush their coats. It makes them happier and friendlier, and they’re able to get out of their cages for a little while.”

Darlene said the time spent volunteering also teaches Hailey about the importance of community involvement. Hailey is an 11 year-old student for whom community service is already a major part of her life. Nevertheless, says Darlene, it’s not the community service lessons that motivated them to help out at the shelter.

“We really love the cats and feel drawn to them,” said Darlene. “There is nothing like bonding with a cat who is shy and withdrawn. Many times after just a few visits, that same cat will jump in your arms, insist on being petted, and then begin to purr. It makes a person feel good to know that a little time can really make a difference for the cats. The interaction is always fulfilling. We really enjoy our time at the shelter, and we enjoy knowing that we’re helping the Ellis County SPCA.”