Where the name
Pasha came from.
Every rescue organization carries a reason for existing. Ours has a name, a face, and a story — and it started with one cat who never got the chance he deserved.
One cat. One promise. A rescue that never stopped growing.
Finding Pasha was born from love, loss, and a promise to help cats who had no one else.
The organization was named after Pasha, the beloved cat of our founder, Maritza. From the moment Pasha entered her life, the bond between them was extraordinary. Pasha was more than a pet — she was family.
Every day, Maritza allowed Pasha to enjoy the backyard and garden. If she wandered a little too far, Maritza would simply call her name, and Pasha would come happily running back into her arms.
Then one day, everything changed.
After the backyard had been heavily pruned, Maritza let Pasha outside as she had done countless times before. Whether Pasha became confused by the suddenly unfamiliar surroundings or simply wandered farther than usual, she disappeared.
Maritza searched relentlessly. Day after day, rain or shine, she went door-to-door throughout the neighborhood asking if anyone had seen Pasha. She posted across local social media, distributed flyers, placed large banners throughout the area, and followed every possible lead.
But Pasha never came home.
She never found Pasha. She found everyone else.
During the search, Maritza met a woman named Servia who introduced her to the many community cat colonies hidden throughout the area. Servia showed her where homeless cats gathered and where volunteers came each day to feed them.
Maritza began searching those colonies, hoping that perhaps one day she would find Pasha among them.
She never did.
But what she found instead changed the direction of her life. Everywhere she looked, there were homeless cats — hungry, injured, abandoned, sick, and struggling to survive. Kittens were being born outdoors with little protection. Cats needing medical treatment had no one to help them. Others simply needed a regular meal and someone willing to care.
The heartbreaking search for one beloved cat opened Maritza's eyes to the suffering of countless others.
“We never stopped looking for Pasha. Instead, along the way, we found our purpose.”
The cats nobody else had room for.
The colonies Maritza found during her search are still full of cats who need someone. Because Finding Pasha is NO KILL, we are able to take the cases that need the most time — and the most care.
Orphaned kittens
Bottle-fed around the clock, kept warm, and raised by hand until they are strong enough to eat and play on their own.
Sick and injured cats
Veterinary treatment, surgery, medication, and the quiet recovery time an animal actually needs to heal properly.
Cats who need more time
Seniors, cats with special medical needs, and those too shy or too bonded to be adopted out — cared for permanently if that is what they need.
What began as a search became a rescue mission.
Although losing Pasha was devastating, Maritza eventually transformed that grief into purpose. She continued feeding the community cats she had discovered during her search and began learning everything she could about feline rescue and care.
Through other experienced rescuers, including Virginia, Maritza learned about trapping community cats, veterinary care, rehabilitation, spaying and neutering, vaccinations, microchipping, and responsible colony management.
Rescue & rehabilitate
Maritza started trapping cats who needed help and transporting them to trusted veterinarians. Sick and injured cats were treated and rehabilitated. Cats suitable for adoption were given the opportunity to find permanent homes.
TNVR — Trap, Neuter, Vaccinate, Return
Community cats were spayed or neutered, vaccinated, and cared for through TNVR, the humane approach that stabilizes colonies and stops the cycle of kittens born outdoors with no one to protect them.
Microchipping
Pasha had never been microchipped, something that made locating her even more difficult. Today, whenever possible, rescued cats in our care are microchipped so they have a much greater chance of being reunited with their families if they are ever lost.
Every life matters.
When a cat comes into our care, we do everything reasonably possible to give that animal the individual attention and medical treatment it needs. Veterinary care can be expensive, and the cost of rescue continues to rise, but we remain committed to providing our cats with the best care we can.
Finding Pasha was eventually established as a nonprofit organization so that this work could continue and grow with the support of the community. Today, Finding Pasha is supported by a dedicated team of volunteers who help feed community cats, rescue animals in distress, transport cats for veterinary treatment, foster those recovering, and help prepare adoptable cats for loving homes.
What began with the search for one very special cat has become a mission that has helped save the lives of countless others.
Pasha may never have been found, but her legacy lives on in every cat we rescue, every kitten we save, every community cat we feed, and every animal we place into a safe and loving home.
Pasha's story continues with every cat we save.
Adopt, foster, volunteer, or donate — every one of those choices keeps the promise going for a cat who is still waiting.