It all started in 2020 when Friends of Normie Rescue founder Ladan Davia found a mother cat and six kittens on the side of the road. All of the shelters and rescues she called in hopes of ensuring this feline family’s safety told her to leave them outside or that they were at capacity. So Ladan went to her local hardware store, bought a trap, and set up a makeshift shelter for the seven cats in her bathroom.

Through the local cat network Ladan got connected to Marla, a rescuer with 25 years of rescue experience. Together, they rescued thousands of cats over the next two years, setting the foundation for what Friends of Normie Rescue is today. Without a physical facility, Marla and Ladan utilized a network of committed volunteer fosters to give new rescues temporary, loving homes until they were adopted. Along the way, Friends of Normie Rescue harnessed the power of social media to mobilize the Southern California cat community.

This community began to gain traction as more and more people began following its journey. Today, Friends of Normie Rescue has over 40,000 followers who support the rescue and collectively help cats get matched with fosters and adopters quickly.