“I’m just looking,” I repeated as I scrolled through the images of adoptable cats. I was lying to myself; I knew I was not just looking. I wanted to adopt a cat. I started dental school at Case Western Reserve University in 2012, understanding that the academic and clinical road ahead would be strenuous. I knew that having a furry companion by my side would make the journey that much more enjoyable. What I did not know was that scrolling through a list of adoptable cats would lead to a year’s long journey of volunteering, ultimately making me a more skilled person and dentist.
I inquired about the adoptable cats I saw online and was met almost instantly with an email from a volunteer from Tails from the City, a non-profit, no-kill, all-volunteer cat shelter. I arranged a time to visit the shelter and meet adoptable cats. I expected a clinical facility with sterile feeling rooms and walls lined with huge cages. I was surprised to pull up to a house in the suburbs of Cleveland, Ohio, greeted by an excited volunteer and tens of free roaming cats within the half duplex.
The volunteer spoke to me as if we had been friends forever and introduced me to each cat that crossed our path. She knew their names, their histories, and what would make the best home for them. As we moved from room to room, I was amazed at how kind this volunteer was and how much she knew about each of the nearly 50 animals – her dedication was clear.
I learned that Tails came to be in 2011 as a result of a hoarding situation. Quick-acting, animal-loving individuals came together to rescue over 100 animals from dire conditions over the course of a weekend. Within a week they formed a 501c3, acquired the suburban-setting shelter, began nursing the cats back to health and worked to find them loving homes. “We knew we had to help as many cats as we could,” the volunteer told me. The selfless, dedicated spirit of Tails was contagious. I knew I would be leaving the shelter with a cat and returning to volunteer.
That day, I adopted Nick, a tabby who was skilled at teaching other cats at the shelter who was in charge. Thinking that Nick’s talents should not go untapped, I signed up as a foster for Tails. Over the course of my four years in dental school and several more after that, Nick and I fostered nearly 50 kittens and cats. It was such a joy to have little kittens running around. I provided food, shelter, and human interaction while Nick provided guidance from an alpha feline. Fostering brought me a sense of responsibility outside the dental clinic. I learned to prioritize my time and resources, ensuring that I had enough time to complete lab work, study, see patients, and successfully socialize my foster cats, giving them a greater chance at adoption. This skill of prioritization is one that helps me every day in my life as a wife, mother, dentist, and consultant.
Along with fostering, I often volunteered my time to other, less glamourous Tails tasks. I spent weekends at the shelter cleaning cages. I transported cats from the shelter to local pet stores for increased exposure to enhance chances of adoption. I brought cats to and from spay and neuter clinics. I even tried my hand at TNR (trap/neuter/release) a few times. These tasks were less alluring than fostering but were things that needed to be done for the shelter to continue to run. Every Tails volunteer completed these seemingly mundane duties, and they did it with smiles on their faces. The kindhearted volunteers of Tails showed me that true dedication means doing the fun things (like snuggling kittens) along with the less desirable things to carry out the shelter’s mission. The same can be said for dentistry. It can feel easy and fun to be a dentist when the hygiene patient has no cavities or when the crown fits the prepped tooth perfectly. It is more challenging when you must have difficult discussions around untreatable decay or a failed root canal. Anything worthwhile, whether it is cat rescue or dentistry, will have highs and lows.
When I would try to get a feral cat into a carrier to be transported to the vet clinic for vaccinations, I reminded myself of the shelter’s mission, to rescue and help as many cats as possible. When I am struggling through a difficult dental procedure, I remember that the patient’s oral health is my priority. Remembering the WHY behind it all, especially when you are in a low, is key.
Nick is now in his golden years, and we have retired from fostering, but I have not forgotten the lessons learned from my non-clinical volunteering during dental school. I am sure to prioritize my time and energy to best treat patients while also maintaining a productive life outside of the clinic. I know that there will be ups and downs, and I remember to think about my why on the seldom days when I am feeling down.
My time volunteering with Tails gave me both an outlet and a unique way to develop soft skills as a dental student. I am forever grateful that I gave in to my desire to adopt a cat all those years ago; it helped make me who I am today.
About the Author
Dr. Amanda Thompson is a general dentist practicing in New Jersey. Dr. Thompson grew up at the Jersey Shore. She earned her undergraduate degree in biology from Boston University, Master of Biomedical Sciences from Rutgers (formerly University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey) and attended Case Western Reserve University’s School of Dental Medicine in Cleveland for her Doctor of Dental Medicine. When she’s not practicing dentistry, Dr. Thompson enjoys spending time with her husband and baby daughter, running local road races and baking sweet treats.