She may not seem like a stereotypical "cat lady," but Maria Gross is slowly becoming known as just that in several Long Island neigborhoods. But, unlike those typically depicted as said cat ladies, Gross' focus is rescuing feral cats and reducing their rapidly growing population.
When she started the organization Courageous Cats in July 2007, Gross was already deep into her mission, which had begun about a decade prior, when she rescued a feral cat named Courageous who later turned out to be, in her words, "a great pet." Gross realized then the importance of giving a home to stray cats or those deemed by shelters "unadoptable."
The 42-year-old Malverne resident started volunteering her time and services to helping others rescue cats, and eventually gathered several friends and started her own group whose focus is "TNR" –– trap, neuter, return.
Gross and about 10 other volunteers mostly work out of their homes and service the communities of Elmont, Franklin Square, Lynnbrook, Malverne and Valley Stream, among others. After trapping the cats, they take them to one of two veterinary centers to get neutered or spayed, tested for diseases and vaccinated against rabies. The cats are then "fostered" –– taken temporarily to live in the homes of volunteers –– rehabilitated, socialized and prepared for adoption.
In addition to posting adoption information on her Web site, courageouscats.org, Gross posts it on petfinder.com and always has several cats on display at PetSmart in Valley Stream. "I'll go anywhere to promote adoption," Gross said, noting that she's joined different pet stores during "adoption days" and has put up a stand a local street fairs, among other things. While petfinder.com has been a great tool, Gross said it's mostly word of mouth that helps the cats find new homes.