Today we’d like to introduce you to Renee Shamloo.
Hi Renee, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today.
The Cat Lounge Rescue and Adoption Center started in my apartment in 2019, where I would bring shelter cats that would have otherwise been euthanized into my home, provide them with the veterinary care they required, and find them a forever home. Before The Cat Lounge came into existence, I began my career in animal welfare working as an attorney to further legislative rights for animals then switched gears to working with animal shelters, rescue groups, and veterinary hospitals. After several years being out in the field, I knew I was ready to do something impactful.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Finding a location to open The Cat Lounge was surprisingly difficult. Many property owners were not fond of the idea, some of whom didn’t even allow me to view the space because of the concept. Once we found our location, I had to use the majority of my savings to secure the lounge’s current location and set up, but it was entirely worth it. Once our doors opened to the public, a whole other set of challenges arose. I ran the rescue alone for several months and found it difficult to bring on team members that were reliable and shared the vision. Thankfully I now have an incredible team that advocates for the cats every day. Additionally, the quarantine from covid started 4 months after opening, leading to 14-hour days to accommodate the increased desire to adopt. In the last three years, we began running into limitations on physical space and had to invest in renting the space next door, which is now our Kitten Nursery. Every day we face something new!
As you know, we’re big fans of The Cat Lounge Rescue and Adoption Center. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
The Cat Lounge Rescue and Adoption Center is San Diego’s first and only non-profit cat lounge. We are dedicated to saving cats in line for euthanasia at high-kill shelters and provide them with a safe haven where the public can engage in socialization, rehabilitation, and adoption. The Cat Lounge Rescue strives to reimagine the shelter experience by creating a living room environment where cats are free to roam around and interact with the public. In 3 years’ time, we have saved over 4,500 cats! We are an all-women-owned and operated organization, bringing our skills together to save lives together.
We all have a different way of looking at and defining success. How do you define success?
In this field, success means matching the right home with the right cat. Of course, we want to save as many lives as possible but providing our rescue cats with the best quality of life is the goal. We accomplish this by really understanding each individual cat and engaging potential adopters in important conversations to make sure they’re the right match for each other. Though we have a vested interest in our adopted cats, success means never having a cat return to a shelter because we found the best home.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.thecatlounge.org
- Instagram: @thecatloungerescue
