Pensioner Runs Shelter for 400 Cats in Angarsk

«My route is home – shelter and back. I try to stick to it and not deviate. Because if I turn aside, I»m sure to find someone. Animals seem drawn to me,« says Angarsk resident Elena Gaganova.

For the past 15 years, she has devoted all her energy and time to the »Koshkin Dom« shelter, which has saved hundreds of feline lives. Currently, about 400 tails live under the roof of the cat house, and providing all conditions for them is not easy. Elena Aleksandrovna told an IrCity journalist about the shelter»s history, its wards, and the difficulties volunteers face.

During COVID, there were up to 60 calls a day

The «Koshkin Dom» shelter appeared in Angarsk in 2011. Elena Gaganova had no connection to it then, but she dreamed of doing volunteer work.

— As long as I can remember, I«ve always felt sorry for everyone. Animals, old folks walking down the street and limping. Everyone. I had to run up and help. That»s how I was born. We always had kittens in our apartment; I myself picked up so many, fed them, placed them with acquaintances. My children, when they were little, also rescued animals. We had three of our own cats living with us, and always someone else in foster care, — says the Angarsk woman.

At 50, Elena Aleksandrovna retired. It seemed like she had time for herself. But then an official cat shelter opened in the city. That«s when the woman decided to dive headfirst into volunteering.

— My daughter once came to me and said: «Mom, I saw an ad that a woman opened a cat shelter.» It was registered in March 2011, and I found out about it around October of the same year. I started going there, helping little by little. Back then, there wasn«t much there, but a few cats and dogs already lived there. We drove over, fed them, cooked food, and waited for the shelter to be allocated its own premises, — recalls Elena Aleksandrovna.

For the first few years, the shelter was based in a regular rented apartment, which created certain inconveniences. Eight years ago, the city administration rented out municipal premises in the 4th Novy microdistrict to the shelter, where the organization is still located.

— When we moved, we had about 130 tails. Then that number grew and for several years it stayed relatively stable, between 170 and 200 pets. In 2020, COVID started, and the number of pets increased significantly. Cat owners were dying, relatives called and asked for help. Even though we accept about 1% of all requests, the number of pets with us grew to around 400, — says the interviewee.

During particularly difficult periods of the coronavirus pandemic, the shelter received 50–60 calls daily. People in despair asked to shelter cats, of which many families had two or even three. But «Koshkin Dom» is not bottomless; the number of cat spaces is limited, so saving everyone is impossible.

«What does it mean to »surrender« a cat? Is it an empty bottle?»

— When people call and ask me to take a cat or kitten, I ask a lot of questions. Often these dialogues are quite similar: «Urgently take it, the child has allergies.» I always explain that urgently won«t work, there are no spaces, let»s calm down, you send me information about the cat and a photo, and we«ll decide what to do. Do you think anyone tries to tell about their pet so it can find a new family faster? — shares the interviewee.

Most often, people just send a hastily taken photo of dubious quality and a few words about gender, age, and name. That«s where all efforts end.

— Many don»t care at all what will happen to their «beloved pets.» They took it like a thing, played with it, and then got bored. Also, my insides turn over when they say: «We want to surrender a cat to you.» Is it an empty bottle, and are we a glass collection point? What does «surrender» mean? — wonders Elena Aleksandrovna.

Moreover, not only ordinary stray cats end up in the shelter, but also expensive purebred cats and kittens, on which serious money was once spent. So, «Koshkin Dom» even has Maine Coons. Their owners don«t stand on ceremony either.

— Once, a woman called us and said that her mother-in-law has a Maine Coon. The mother-in-law got sick and can«t care for it, so the cat needs to be »placed.« We had very good hands for a Maine Coon; a friend recently lost her beloved pet, she wanted to take a cat of the same breed, but a bit later. So I asked to wait and for now do the least the former owners could do — neuter the cat. What do you think? They refused, — laments the shelter owner.

The absolute majority of the wards of »Koshkin Dom« have a touching story, an unenviable and difficult fate. Elena Aleksandrovna immediately recalls the cat Arshan, named after the village where he was found.

— One evening, people called me, told me they drove into Arshan purely by chance, for water, and saw a cat. There was a crowd of people around, a fair, cars, dogs, and he was sitting, not moving. These people started asking locals and found out the cat had been sitting like that for a week, and no one cared. Meanwhile, the animal had both front legs broken, — the interviewee recalls sadly.

Elena Gaganova couldn«t refuse the people who found Arshan, so she asked them to bring the fluffy one to Angarsk to somehow help him. The sight of the poor cat so impressed the woman that she still remembers that very first meeting.

Veterinarians suggested euthanizing Arshan because the cat was suffering greatly, and the legs couldn«t be saved — they had started to rot. How the fluffy would live with only hind limbs and whether he would survive at all — that was the main unknown in this equation. But Elena Gaganova decided that they needed to fight for this charming one»s life.

— I said then that we wouldn«t euthanize anyone yet. The cat lived on the street for a week, and in February too, and survived, so it»s not for nothing. We«ll do the surgery, and then, as God wills. In the end, Arshan»s front legs were completely amputated. The first night after that was terribly scary, — shares Elena Gaganova.

The woman took Arshan from the shelter home to monitor how the cat recovered from anesthesia. It turned out not to be in vain. The first 24 hours were extremely hard for the fluffy; he tossed and turned all night until morning.

The cat had breakfast and almost immediately started behaving as if he never had front legs. He adapted instantly, assures Elena Aleksandrovna. After breakfast, he started playing with the kittens she had in foster care. The danger passed. By the way, Arshan found loving owners and is quite happy in his new family.

«We treat and save them not for this»

Another story that struck Elena Aleksandrovna involves the cat Tigra, who was thrown from a fifth-floor window this summer. Once a completely healthy and young fluffy, he became disabled due to human fault. The fall caused a spinal fracture, and Tigra«s hind legs failed.

— For us, it was a terrible shock when we arrived at the scene and saw everything with our own eyes. We filed a report with the police, and the two women who took our statements, they not only didn»t pity this cat, they stood there and openly laughed at what happened. It just knocked me off my feet, — admits Elena Aleksandrovna.

Tigra underwent surgery, and then volunteer Svetlana took him in for foster care and rehabilitation. The woman gives the cat massage several times a day and tries her best so that Tigra can walk on his own again. There is progress, but Tigra will most likely never walk fully.

The story of Tigra and the reaction of law enforcement shocked Elena Gaganova. And this despite the fact that she has seen her fill of human indifference and cruelty. Moreover, from both those who abandon animals and those who express a desire to take a pet.

— Often people call and say: «We want to take a cat to the village,» but I always say we don«t give animals for free roaming. We don»t treat and save them so that later a cat or kitten gets torn apart by dogs. Or this happens: people call, ask for a cat, and I have all the numbers saved and recorded who took whom and when. I realize these people very recently took a pet from us. It turns out the cat went outside to walk, something happened there, she died, and now people need a new «toy,» — shares Elena Aleksandrovna«s reflections.

The wards of the »Koshkin Dom« shelter only go to owners who have passed an interview and proven they can care for their pets. Perhaps due to such careful selection of candidates, it»s harder to find new homes for the kitties, but at least there are some guarantees that the tailed one will have a long and happy life.

— You know, volunteering at a shelter is very hard work. You«re constantly stressed, in negativity. Our only joy is when we give an animal away, and then they send us photos from the new home and write that everything is fine with the cat now. Then you understand it»s all not in vain, — admits Elena Gaganova.

Most of the time, the shelter is heavy physical work. In nine rooms, about 400 pets live. Everyone needs food and water, clean litter boxes, and general order, because cats are maximally clean creatures. Add to that the constant pain for those who are unwell or have been waiting for their new moms and dads for years. From all this, it«s so easy to burn out.

— Forget the physical difficulty. If the cats didn«t get sick, it would be much easier. And they also die. They say you get used to it over the years, but no, it»s impossible to get used to it, — assures Elena Aleksandrovna.

But the Angarsk woman doesn«t give up and continues her difficult work, despite everything. Currently, »Koshkin Dom« is going through tough times: there»s a shortage of volunteers and hands to handle the routine faster. Besides, help from people with personal cars is always needed: to bring water to the shelter, take pets to the clinic, or pick up cat food purchased for the cats from the warehouse.

— People, of course, help, I couldn«t handle all this alone, but I so wish that at least one or two people would come every day to help. Then I could fully engage in administrative matters, placing cats, managing social media. Someone also has to photograph the cats, write about them, post information. We»ll never have too much help, — concluded Elena Aleksandrovna.

The «Koshkin Dom» shelter needs dry and wet food, medications, disinfectants, and syringes. Additionally, there is a need for litter, cleaning products for cleaning and washing dishes, laundry detergents, rubber gloves, as well as various cat necessities like scratching posts, carriers, houses, and litter boxes. Help can also be provided with cleaning and caring for the cats.