K.I.S.S.: Hopatcong Woman Runs Cat Rescue from Home

Chris Margo's answer to retirement stalked homeless around her old employer's parking lot.

Margo worked at Pfizer's Parsippany plant for almost 30 years, and in 2002 she noticed stray cats wandering about the cars. She began feeding them, which turned into bringing them to a veterinarian to get spayed and neutered, which turned into opening an animal rescue in her Hopatcong home.

Margo's non-profit, Kitties in-need-of Someone Special, has since served more than 2,500 cats and continues taking in stray and unwanted felines and making them adoption-eligible.

"This becomes part of you," she said.

Pfizer's Parsippany spot shut down in 2008 after Johnson & Johnson bought it. She had been operating K.I.S.S. for about three years part-time, but it became a full-time undertaking when she was basically forced into retirement.

K.I.S.S. has expanded into seven other locations—one in Newton, Franklin, Lake Hopatcong, Denville, Ledgewood and two in Rockaway. It charges $110 per adoption, $75 with a $125 deposit if the cat is too young to fix. Each cat is given all its shots.

Conversely, Hopatcong's animal pound charges just $15 per adoption. Margo said her rates are more common and make half-hearted adopters think twice before making such an investment.

Margo added K.I.S.S. finds homes for 250-350 cats a year.

Sue Broderick, who runs a Rockaway cat foster home, said Margo's attention to detail sets K.I.S.S. apart from other rescues.

"Chris really cares about the cats," Broderick said. "I mean she makes sure they have a good home. She's been involved with rescuing for a long time. She's seen other groups that may not do things up to her standard."

Margo was a Noah's Ark board member in the late 1990's.

"I really wasn't planning on starting a rescue," said Margo, who owns four cats and a dog.

Margo might not have had much choice. She began helping the cats roaming Pfizer's parking lot find homes with co-workers. Word traveled fast that Margo could provide friends with cats, and the work became "a passion," she said.

"It's emotional. It's physical. At time's it's frustrating," Margo said.

Margo admits sometimes she gets attached to the cats. She keeps anywhere from 10-15 at her rescue at time—enough for her to manage without feeling overwhelmed, although sometimes she enlists volunteer aid. Helpers often play with the cats, help distribute K.I.S.S. information and follow up on adoptions, making sure owners treat the cats right.

Margo often advises potential adopters against declawing their cats, calling the process "cruel." But she doesn't stop them from adopting if they plan to declaw the cat. She just wants adopters to be straight with her.

"She's very honest with the adoptions," Broderick said.

Most of K.I.S.S.' cats come from Hopatcong's animal pound and local shelters. Margo said adoptions have slowed because of the economic downturn. She said summer is also a down time for pet adoptions.

K.I.S.S. often holds pet adoptions at the Rockaway Mall's PetSmart and sometimes at the Roxbury Mall's Petco. Potential adopters are welcomed to set up private appointments, Margo said.

For more information, visit kiss.petfinder.com.