Caitlyn Macintosh, Cat Team 7 Volunteer Coordinator and HSUS District Leader Volunteer

Initially a dog person and very allergic to cats, Caitlyn Macintosh made an unlikely candidate for founder of an organization dedicated to helping community cats. Her US Marine husband’s passion for cats, however, sparked her own interest in animal welfare. When her husband was stationed at the naval base in Norfolk, VA, she found a passionate civilian community of cat advocates, as well as a pressing need for population control among the colony living on base.

This spurred her to found Cat Team 7, which she describes as a “marriage of civilian groups with Naval Station Norfolk leadership” to trap and relocate cats to other outdoor homes that may care for them. Caitlin’s work truly embodies perseverance in the face of adversity, as strict governmental policies regarding the trapping and care for community cats on military sites makes it very hard for animal welfare advocates in those areas to do meaningful work for feral cat populations.