Today we’d like to introduce you to Emy Garza.
Hi Emy, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I’ve been rescuing cats for as long as I can remember, starting when I was about 4 or 5 years old. It all started when my mom rescued around 15 cats from our neighborhood, and I grew up surrounded by them. My parents are huge animal lovers, so it was only natural that I became the “cat girl” at school. People would drop off kittens at my house, call my mom for help, or I’d bring home any stray I found.
Somewhere on YouTube, there’s a video of me at 11 sharing tips on how to bottlefeed kittens. My passion for animals has always been strong, and I knew I wanted to make it my career. I started fostering for a local cat rescue in my hometown, McAllen, Texas, where I met my best friend, Audrey, who runs Murphy’s Safe Haven. We shared the same drive for rescuing cats, spending our days and nights trapping them to help with TNR, finding sick or injured ones, and relocating cats from dangerous spots to loving homes. This experience deepened my dream of starting my own rescue one day.
While my heart belongs to cats, I also adore other animals. When I turned 18, I moved to the Florida Keys to follow my dream of working with dolphins. I got to work with all sorts of amazing species, including crocodilians, dolphins, sea turtles, stingrays, and even sharks. Even while living in the Keys, I continued rescuing cats. That’s where Femme Felines began. In late 2023, I moved to San Diego and launched Femme Felines shortly after. Though I’m still pursuing my career with marine mammals, cats will always be a big part of my life. Femme Felines has already achieved so much. With my amazing team by my side, I’m genuinely excited for the future and all the lives we’ll have the privilege of saving together.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It’s been a really tough journey, honestly. Rescuing animals is super rewarding in so many ways. Getting to change the lives of so many kitties and finding them amazing homes feels incredible. But with that comes a lot of heartbreak and challenges.
When we take in a kitten, we know they’re in such a vulnerable place. They might be sick, abandoned, injured, or just really stressed out. Kittens have weak immune systems, so we follow a strict intake protocol to keep them as healthy as we can. Sadly, that doesn’t always work. We’ve lost a lot of kittens along the way, and we also take in older cats, some of whom we have to say goodbye to because of illness. It never gets easier, and it hits us hard every time.
Then there are the challenges of working with the public. Whether it’s fosters, adopters, or cat owners, we can’t always make everyone happy. Sometimes, people return their cats after they’ve grown up, which makes it really hard to find them new homes. It can be super frustrating, and rescuing is definitely not a walk in the park. From those sleepless nights spent trying to save a life to dealing with disappointed adopters, it can take a toll. But at the end of the day, we try to focus on the lives we can save and the love we can give to those kitties.
We’ve been impressed with Femme Felines, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Femme Felines is a proud woman-owned and operated 501(c)(3) nonprofit cat rescue dedicated to saving felines from life-threatening situations. Whether it’s rescuing them from euthanasia, wildfires, emergency relinquishments, or dangerous environments, we’re here to help. We don’t just rescue—we provide veterinary care, foster them, and find them their forever homes.
What sets Femme Felines apart is our one on one approach. We build meaningful relationships with all our adopters and fosters, holding each cat close to our hearts because we truly love every single one of them. Our commitment to caring for both the community and the cats is at the core of what we do.
We responded to the LA Palisades wildfire to help animals displaced by the fires and have donated proceeds to LGBTQ+ groups. We also offer free food for those affected by SNAP benefit changes, take in cats due to housing loss, and provide low cost microchipping.
Together with my Foster/Adoption Coordinator, Lynda, we pour our hearts into this work. It’s driven by our deep passion and love for animals, and we wouldn’t have it any other way.
Are there any apps, books, podcasts, blogs or other resources you think our readers should check out?
We utilize a range of resources to keep all our cat records organized. My rescue partner, Lynda, and I also prioritize our mental health. We often listen to podcasts focused on mental health, as this field can be quite challenging. We stay in close communication, checking in on each other’s mental health daily, especially during tough situations that can weigh heavily on us.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.femmefelines.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/femmefelinessd?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ%3D%3D&utm_source=qr
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FemmeFelines?mibextid=wwXIfr&mibextid=wwXIfr
