HOW IT STARTED

Kristin Chisholm founded The Ginger Cat Project to help all of the cats she can't adopt.  She adopted her first cat, the Grimace, in 2002.  The Grimace was a 4 year-old tiger cat with a personality as big as his soft white tummy.   Shortly after adopting him, it was discovered that he had a condition called "diabetes insipidus".  It's a chronic condition, but easily managed with medication and regular medical check-ups.  Kristin was already in love with this cat, so the expense of caring for him was one she didn't hesitate to take on.  Grimace lived for another 9 years.

​

After the loss of the Grimace, Kristin and her husband, Brian, adopted 3 cats from the Animal Rescue League in Boston.  The plan was to adopt a pair of 5-year-old orange tabbies who had been brought in from another cat rescue.  While at the shelter to meet those handsome gingers, Brian became smitten with a 2-year-old cat who was found as a stray, had been adopted, but then returned.  That couple's loss was Brian & Kristin's gain.  Going from a 1 cat household to a 3 cat household was an adventure in patience but also in love.  A few years later, Kristin became aware of an 11-year-old orange tabby at the ARL who had been found as a stray.  This guy was just recovering from surgery to remove most of his teeth due to dental disease.  Knowing full well that an older cat with an already documented medical issue was not going to be easily adopted, Kristin inquired about him.  5 days later Franklin came home to be a big brother to Luke, Eric, and Pedey.  Most recently, Kristin adopted a 10-year-old ginger named Leo who had spent over 6 months in a shelter after being surrendered due to a change in family circumstances.  

​

​Several of Kristin's cats had different medical issues over the years.  Luke had a urinary blockage that required surgery.  Franklin developed a thyroid disorder and IBD, requiring daily medication, a specific prescription diet, and frequent medical visits.  Eric was diagnosed with lymphoma in 2020 after a mass was found during a surgery to repair a telescoping small intestine.  With chemo, it was suggested that Eric would live another 1-3 years.  He beat the odds and made it just past that 3 year mark.  Luke also developed lymphoma, diagnosed in 2021.  He didn't respond as well to treatment and passed less than a year after his diagnosis.  Franklin's IBD became very severe and at one point Kristin and Brian didn't think he'd make it to that Christmas.  Thanks to the great medical care he received (shout out to Dr. Jeanne Ficociello at the VCA in Weymouth and Dr. Kara Bassignani at Holbrook Animal Hospital), Franklin celebrated 3 more Christmases.  He crossed over the Rainbow Bridge at the ripe old age of 18 having spent 7 years in a comfortable, caring, and loving home.  

Kristin knew that her purpose was to provide the best life possible for animals that most people would pass over at the shelter.  She considers her home a cat retirement home for the geriatric and infirm. Unfortunately, she can't adopt all of the cats, so she is making it her mission to raise funds to help others adopt and care for these amazing animals.

​