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Life and Work with Kate Undercoffler

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Today we’d like to introduce you to Kate Undercoffler.

Thanks for sharing your story with us Kate. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
Growing up I have always loved cats! Always advocating for animals, animal rights and helping others to gain knowledge to also share that passion, with of course, a focus on cats! Cats are amazing creatures who, as a population is very much loved on the internet, but not so much outside of the world wide web. In 2016, I had this breakthrough — I needed to be involved as much as possible to help save lives and I had no idea how deep that box would go, but I dove right on in!

At the beginning of 2016, I happened upon the Instagram of Hannah Shaw, otherwise known as Kitten Lady. I was hit with a barrage of the most absolutely cute photos of tiny felines. So I followed, but it wasn’t until a few weeks later that I realized there was something more here. Hannah was actually rescuing, fostering and using the internet to tell the story of tiny neo-natal kittens.

I was hooked, and the brightest light bulb went off in my head, my heart racing with excitement, without a doubt I knew I had to dive in to help neo-natal orphaned kittens and advocating to give them a better chance at life.

The end of 2016 and a cross country move from Kentucky to Arizona put me right in the doors of the Arizona Humane Society. I knew they had a kitten nursery and I knew I had to volunteer immediately, learning as much as I could about taking care of the most vulnerable at risk population entering shelters every year. I signed up to volunteer as soon as I could starting in January and began volunteering in the nursery March of 2017. I will never forget my first morning in the nursery, it was heaven.

The past 2 years of volunteering at the kitten nursery has taught me so much! You can even see the progress the nursery itself has made within that time. Each year we continue to learn more and more about the kittens entering it’s doors, and we continue to save more lives as a result!

My next move will take me to Québec City, Canada in 2019 and I hope to continue advocacy there, with a goal of becoming a full-fledged humane educator! As well as beginning to foster neo-natal kittens and help community cats in the city! There is a huge need there for the knowledge that we have here and I’m lucky to be able to get to share that information.

Has it been a smooth road?
It hasn’t always been smooth and I don’t think that it will ever be truly a smooth road, when it comes to saving the lives of neo-natal orphaned kittens. There are certain realities that you have to face and the outcome is sometimes not what you’ve expected. Knowing this, I haven’t let it stop me — every moment is a chance to learn and grow, and the more you know the better you can be for the next little kitten that needs your help!

My biggest advice I could give is to truly go out there and chase your passion, whatever that is for you! That means, not taking no for an answer, and also being creative. Be fearless and kind in whatever path you’re taking!

And don’t be afraid to take breaks — compassion fatigue is a huge issue and if you don’t listen to your needs, you can become burnt out. It is completely okay to take a week off, or a month or whatever time you need to decompress, truly disconnect from what you have immersed yourself in, so that you can pick up and be more ready to take on anything! Oh — and if you are a cat lady, you’re a cat lady. You’re not crazy, and it isn’t crazy to help save lives, it’s amazing — and I should also throw out for any men reading this, you’re not crazy either, get out there, because saving lives isn’t a gender specific thing — you can also love cats too and we’ll love you even more for it!

To young women beginning their journey: Learn as much as you can, and don’t be afraid to ask questions! We need more young people, not just women, getting involved with neo-natal kittens to help advocate, save lives, foster and volunteer. If you aren’t old enough to volunteer yet, get your family involved in fostering! Kittens only need a few weeks and then they can go to their forever homes! It’s a purrfect way to help save lives!

So, as you know, we’re impressed with your business – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
Aside from volunteering with AHS, this year I was able to see one of my dreams come to light! I organized and help lead a drive where I currently work, dedicated to foster heroes but also to collect much needed items that the humane society could use for both their fosters and for the shelter itself! I called it the “Tiny but Mighty Drive” and the name was very much inspired by Hannah’s [Kitten Lady’s] phrase she uses to describe the tiny but mighty neo-natal kittens she rescues!

The drive was such a success and for three weeks we collected items for kittens, puppies and critters, as well as encouraging people to write ‘thank you’ cards for the foster heroes who would be taking these items home when they pick up their foster friends from the shelter!

I’m also very active in being a voice, advocating and teaching anyone who is willing to listen about how to take care of kittens, whether they’re finding them OR they decide to foster! I am a music streamer on the website Twitch.tv, and for two years in a row, as kitten season is starting up, I put together a stream dedicated to educating people about what kitten season is, and why it is so important to help in some way, as well as how easy it is to foster kittens!

The thing I am most proud of is the steps I’ve taken to get to where I am today in my passion. The goal for me is to see neo-natal kittens thrive more and more each year, and to see more people getting involved with their local shelters, not only for kittens but for other animals. There is something so great about seeing a kitten you’ve helped feed and take care of in the nursery, go to the adoption floor then off to their forever home — it’s a win for all!!

I hope to one day see a world where we achieve no kill through education and awareness – where kittens aren’t unnecessarily born outside to free roaming cats, because we’ve gotten the community to TNR [Trap, Neuter, Return] every cat in their neighbourhood. And a world where we’ve broken all the stereotypes about being a woman OR man who LOVES cats and wants nothing but the best for them!!

Do you think there are structural or other barriers impeding the emergence of more female leaders?
Not so much in the industry that I am in – as there are so many women and men jumping in and saving lives, but in general, this idea of being labeled as a “crazy cat lady” can be quite damaging to the work we are putting into making the world a better place for kittens.

I know I’ve mentioned it quite a bit about breaking that gender stereotype – but our society has hung on to this idea that you must be crazy because you love cats. I think this stereotype is starting to finally be peeled back though, and we’re seeing more women (and men) breaking the stereotype, bringing what myself and others who are paving the way, into the mainstream– which is awesome!!

We can all continue to do better and be better – letting our voices be heard for those who cannot “speak”, and to have compassion for all!

If there is a shelter in your town, get involved. Ask what programs they have, volunteer, foster or help spread awareness on social media and around your town! For anyone saying “I wish I could foster, but I’d never be able to say goodbye” —let go of that mindset!! You want to say goodbye, because it frees you up to save more lives — and kittens really only need to crash with us for a few weeks until they’re ready to go to their forever home!

You can do this!!

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Image Credit:
Félix Perron-Brault
Kate Undercoffler

Getting in touch: VoyagePhoenix is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.

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