Foster-based cat rescue · Schenectady, NY
Saving cats, one whisker at a time.
Willie’s Whisker Rescue saves cats in and around Schenectady. There’s no shelter building: every cat lives in a foster home until they go home with you.
Found a cat or kittens? Start with our guide.
80% of our cats are fostered by Paige herself
Ready for a home
Why “Willie’s”
Named for a one-eyed kitten who changed everything
Before Willie’s had a name, Paige Quillinan spent years rescuing cats on her own, leaning on other rescues for vet bills and adoptions, or covering the costs herself. Then came Willie, a curious, one-eyed orange kitten who inspired the dream of a nonprofit.
Willie’s life was cut short by lymphoma caused by feline leukemia. The rescue carries his name, and today Paige does the rescuing and the driving and fosters about 80% of the cats herself, alongside a full-time job.
60+ cats rescued, fostered and rehomed by Paige before Willie’s was official
Read Willie’s story →Foster
Have a spare room? You could save a cat.
- Paige fosters most of our cats herself. More foster homes means more cats saved.
- Fostering means a room, daily care and attention until a cat is adopted.
- You won’t be on your own. Paige walks every new foster through what to expect.
Learn about fostering“I was sure I’d fall apart when my first foster got adopted. I cried for about ten minutes. Then Paige texted me about the next cat who needed a room.”
Wish list
Send supplies straight to Paige.
Paige keeps an Amazon wish list of what the cats need right now. Anything you order ships directly to her.
Open the wish list →Share
Know someone looking for a cat?
Send them a cat’s page. A recommendation from a friend is the best listing there is, and it costs nothing.
Browse the cats →Monthly giving
Join the Daisy Chain
Monthly gifts help the most. They let Paige say yes to a cat in trouble before she knows how the vet bill will get paid.
The Daisy Chain is everyone who gives a little every month. Any amount helps, and you can change or stop it any time.
What a monthly gift covers Sample costs
- $10 Gas for a rescue drive
- $25 Vaccines for one cat
- $50 A month of food and litter for a foster cat
- $100 One spay or neuter surgery
Found kittens? Don’t scoop them up yet.
Their mom is most likely out hunting and coming back. Here’s how to tell whether they need help.
Read the found-a-cat guide- 1
Watch from a distance
Stay far back for 2–3 hours. Mom won’t return while people are close.
- 2
Check their age
Eyes closed, ears folded? Under two weeks, and they need mom most.
- 3
Then decide
Cold, wet, crying or in danger? Bring them in, keep them warm, and contact us.