A statewide rescue organization that helps rehabilitate and rehome cats is seeking volunteer foster homes and potential adopters to help them continue their work of placing felines in long-term, loving homes.
Initially founded in 2009 to help support cats looking for homes through the Mat-Su Animal Shelter, Clear Creek Cat Rescue has grown since its inception to support the mitigation and rehabilitation of feral and stray cat populations from Houston to Homer, with its impact extending as far as Dutch Harbor and Bethel. Supported by a network of volunteer foster homes, the rescue works to rehome cats that might otherwise slip through the cracks, focusing on those most in need, including strays and “the starving, cold, or injured.”
Judy Price, rescue coordinator for Clear Creek, said there are few shelter options for cats in Alaska, and the work her rescue does helps support cats who might otherwise not get the help they need. She said they’re one of the only rescues that purposefully takes in feral cats, often working to rehome them through their Barn Cat Project, which helps match prospective barn cats with families.
In 2024, the organization rescued 589 cats, taking in 495 strays, 36 owner surrenders, and 45 from animal control facilities. Thirteen kittens were born while in foster care at the rescue, and 516 cats found new homes in 2024, including foster cats from 2023. Sixty-two cats were returned to their owners. The rescue started 2024 with 99 cats in foster and ended the year with 145.
One cat currently in foster, Sushi, has been looking for a home for two years. Price said Sushi is a good cat, litter-box trained and accepting of other cats in the household. She’s just a little shy and will take some time to warm up to her new family, something that may be difficult for those expecting an overly affectionate cat right off the bat. Sushi’s adoption fee has been reduced due to a donation from a sponsor who hopes she can be adopted soon.
Other cats looking for homes in Homer include Bella, a 5-year-old medium-haired tortoiseshell, described by the rescue as “one of the most affectionate cats ever.” Bella “adores and desires being with her people and getting lots of petting and cuddling up to and sweet talk.” Pebbles is a Siamese girl looking for a home out of Anchor Point. She gets along well with other cats and is described as “super loving and gentle.” Additional cats outside of Homer are looking for homes in Kenai and Soldotna, as well as further up the peninsula and into the Valley. The rescue can often arrange for volunteers to bring cats to potential families from across the state, helping match cats with homes where they will be best suited and supported.
All cats fostered by Clear Creek Cat Rescue are neutered or spayed, vaccinated and microchipped before adoption. The usual adoption fee for adults is $80; for kittens under 8 months the fee is $145. If you’d like to see a complete list of adoptable cats through the rescue or register to become a foster home, you can visit clearcreekcatrescue.org. Donations can also be made online to support the nonprofit’s work, and adoptable cats are frequently posted on the rescue’s Facebook page, which has a community of more than 16,000 followers.
