Individualized Care for Every Cat

At the county animal shelter, the chart for a cat named “Callie Sue” told a grim story: she was afflicted with URI and flea allergy dermatitis, had an illness that caused her wrist bones to deteriorate, and struggled to walk. Recommended outcome: humane euthanasia.

That ending never came to pass. Transferred to ASAP Cats, Callie Sue met a team that refuses to close the book on any cat. “Honestly, I hadn’t seen this in my 20-year career,” says Jessica Wiebe, executive director. “Euthanasia was a humane option for her, but when we met her and saw where she’s at, we knew it wasn’t the only option.”

ASAP Cats’ highly trained specialists managed her care. Now Callie Sue fills her foster home with happiness and love – darting across the rug, batting at toys, tail aloft with the playful spirit of any excited kitty. She’s proof that with the right care, even the toughest starts can lead to joyful tomorrows.

The Animal Shelter Assistance Program (ASAP) has been writing these kinds of stories since 1989 from its small purple building on Overpass Road in Santa Barbara. Last year the shelter hummed with activity: 1,282 cats and kittens found safety, 98 lost cats were reunited with their families, 916 spay and neuter surgeries were performed, and 3,212 lifesaving procedures were delivered. A network of 683 foster homes powered much of the work as intake nearly doubled since 2022, even while veterinary costs rose alongside the inflation pressuring local families.

Giving Every Cat a Chance

Stories like Callie Sue’s happen every day here. Carrot and Cantaloupe, a devoted bonded pair, arrived after Cantaloupe’s Pica diagnosis prompted two emergency surgeries to remove curtain fragments she’d eaten. At ASAP Cats they received specialized medical and foster care, made full recoveries, and – best of all – found a loving forever home. “Lots of tears were shed, tissues were needed,” says Tanner Tait, marketing and development coordinator. 

What sets ASAP Cats apart is their commitment to seeing the possibilities and hope in each and every cat. By treating every cat as an individual – with tailored medical care, behavioral insight, and creative pathways – their team turns potential tragedies into second chances.

Shelter Supervisor Nicole Wisneskie built a behavioral protocol that gives each arriving cat a personalized roadmap within 72 hours. Caregivers score fear and anxiety, response to petting, and participation in play. The shared data helps their team “direct the course,” matching cats to the best outcome: adoption, the working cats program, or the return to a community that loves them. ASAP’s expanding mobile unit brings this same thoughtful care into the community to underserved northern areas of Santa Barbara County, reaching cats who might otherwise slip through the cracks. The proof of their model’s success can be found in their 100% rehoming rate for adoptable cats. 

Even as needs grow, the team’s commitment never wavers. “We’re building sustainable solutions that improve outcomes long-term,” says Wiebe.