about us
my grandfather’s cat
My Grandfather’s Cat helps seniors and terminally ill people feed and arrange second forever homes for their beloved pets before they move into retirement homes or pass away.
We provide a free rehoming service that helps seniors and terminally ill people arrange second forever homes for their pets, as well as a pet pantry, outreach events and educational resources to to help keep pets in their homes as long as possible with the people who love them.
My Grandfather’s Cat was inspired by our founder’s experience adopting her grandfather’s cat, Mackenzie, when he passed away. She launched this charity on May 18, 2021, her grandfather’s birthday.
how we got started
In December 2019, our founder’s grandfather passed away in hospital while waiting to be admitted into a retirement home. One of the reasons he did not put his name on the list sooner was because he had been caring for her grandmother’s 14 year-old cat, Mackenzie, since she passed away.
At the time, Mackie was known for being a mean, grumpy cat, and everyone in the family hesitated to adopt her. Knowing the options were either to adopt her or take her to a shelter, our founder chose to adopt her.
Over the next year, she learned that Mackenzie may appear to be aggressive, but she is truly a loving and adventurous cat, with just a bit of an attitude. Through sharing videos of Mackenzie on TikTok, she heard countless stories of how many seniors worried about what would happen to their pets when they moved to a retirement home or, heaven forbid, passed away.
Without family or friends to take their animals, these seniors feared that their animals would live out their remaining days in a shelter. It was the same fear her grandfather had.
So, she founded My Grandfather’s Cat on May 18, 2021, her grandfather’s birthday.
“I’ve always believed you can be the change you want to see in the world, and My Grandfather’s Cat is the embodiment of that. We are making a difference, one cat at a time.”
— Angela Rafuse, Founder
dedication
The work of My Grandfather’s Cat is, and always will be, dedicated to our founder’s grandparents, Esther and Byron Rafuse, and our beloved founding cat, Mackenzie. We know they are watching with pride from high above the clouds.
