When Jen Knight lost her job at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, she suddenly had something she had not had in years: extra time. She decided to spend it fostering a cat, never imagining that the choice would completely change her life.
On her very first night, Knight’s foster cat escaped through a bathroom window. For the next three weeks, she searched everywhere, knocking on doors, putting up flyers and sharing posts online.
Then, on the 19th day, she noticed a familiar bushy tail outside her back window.
“Oh my gosh, she’s alive,” Knight remembers thinking.
Knight quickly purchased a humane cat trap, and just two hours later, she had safely brought the missing cat home.
That experience inspired Knight to create Del Gato Rescue in Los Angeles in 2020. Since then, she has helped more than 1,000 cats, including many stray and feral cats living in communities where access to veterinary care can be difficult.
A major part of her work involves TNR — trap, neuter and return. Knight helps community cats by safely trapping them, arranging vaccinations and spay or neuter procedures, and returning them to the places where they were originally found.
Cats that are friendly enough to be socialized and adopted are placed with foster families, giving them the opportunity to experience life indoors and eventually find permanent homes.
Knight’s dedication recently earned her a PAWSitively Good Award nomination from NBC 4 Los Angeles. During an episode of The Kelly Clarkson Show, she was also given a special surprise in recognition of her work.
“How do you not take them all home? That’d be my problem,” Clarkson said after learning about the many cats Knight helps.
Then came an even bigger surprise. Del Gato Rescue received a $5,000 donation from Whisker, along with another $5,000 worth of cat-care products to help support Knight’s rescue efforts.
What started with a single foster cat and a desperate three-week search has grown into a mission that has given more than 1,000 cats another chance at life.
And after years of helping cats who often had no one else to turn to, Knight finally received some support of her own.
