Life & Work with Casey Christopher of Palms

Today we’d like to introduce you to Casey Christopher

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
In December of 2014 I adopted a kitten from the West Los Angeles animal shelter. I named her Imogen and she completely changed my life. At the time, I was working as a television editor and photographing botanical gardens and national parks for fun. When I saw the photos of the cats on the kennel cards at the shelter, I knew I could take better photos and help more animals get adopted. I started to volunteer for the shelter every week, photographing the cats and kittens, as well as caring for the animals, cleaning cages, and facilitating adoptions. I started an Instagram – @ImogenTheKitten – where I posted my kitten along with adoptable animals from the shelter.

In October of 2015 I photographed adoptable black cats and kittens on a black backdrop and the photos went viral. I love black cats and wanted to showcase their beauty while discussing how black cats are typically overlooked in shelters. After that series went viral, I gained more confidence in my photography and started seeking other opportunities.

I began reaching out to other shelters and rescues to offer to photo their cats and kittens and soon began taking photos for many rescues including Best Friends, Stray Cat Alliance, and Kitten Rescue. In April of 2016, I met a wonderful orange cat at the shelter who was blind. He was the first blind cat I ever met and his name was Regis. When I learned Milo’s Sanctuary had rescued him, I asked them if I could come up and visit him and tour the sanctuary. This inspired my next photo series “The Beauty of Blind Cats” and my affinity for blind cats was born. That series went viral and raised over $10,000 in a week for a cat named Thomas. It remains one of the best things I’ve ever done. After that, I really poured everything into rescuing cats and kittens, particularly those with disabilities.

In 2018, I left the television industry and began working in animal rescue full-time, first at Stray Cat Alliance and now at Lange Foundation. Animal rescue is the most fulfilling – albeit exhausting – job I’ve ever had. I have taught hundreds of people how to care for cats ranging from tiny kittens to seniors. I’ve saved super sick kittens minutes from euthanasia at the shelter, worked tirelessly to get them healthy, and found them loving homes. I’ve transformed from someone who simply adopted a little kitten to deal with anxiety and depression into an expert in kitten care and a fierce advocate of cat welfare. I love saving animals, but the animals in need just keep coming and there is simply no place for them all to go.

I moved from mid-city to West Adams in 2019 and it was the first time I’ve seen community cats on a regular basis. When I would walk around my neighborhood in the early mornings or evenings, I could easily see 25 cats out and about. I began doing TNR (trap-neuter-return) to spay and neuter the cats, preventing more kittens from being born on the street or ending up in overcrowded shelters at risk of euthanasia. Along with friends and neighbors, I’ve TNR’ed about 50 cats just within walking distance of my apartment. There are still so many cats in need of TNR in South L.A. and Los Angeles in general, but it is very difficult to get appointments for affordable spay neuter.

In the last ten years, I’ve fostered over 150 cats and kittens, often taking kittens with special needs or medical issues. I like taking on challenging cases so I can learn something new, keep improving my skills as a kitten rescuer, and share my newfound knowledge with others. I’ve fostered cats missing eyes or limbs or tails, paralyzed cats, cats with deformities, cats with cerebellar hypoplasia, cats with cancer, and cats in need of hospice care.

I’ve photographed approximately 10,000 cats and kittens in shelters and rescues in the last decade, raising much-need funds for veterinary care, as well as increasing awareness of the overcrowded shelters in Los Angeles, the crisis that is kitten season, and the need for low-cost spay neuter.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The biggest struggle is that there are simply more animals than places for them to safely go. The animal shelters in L.A. city and L.A. county are over capacity. Rescues do their best to intervene and save as many animals as they can, but rescues are out of space as well. Fosters and volunteers are doing everything they can, but cats can produce kittens at an alarming rate (the gestational period is only about 63 days) and we cannot keep up.

Many people who want to adopt can’t afford it. The cost of vet care has skyrocketed since the pandemic. Many owners can’t afford routine care for their pets, let alone an emergency vet visit. And spay or neuter can easily cost hundreds of dollars. If you have a litter of kittens along with the mama cat, that really adds up.

More and more, owners are reluctantly surrendering their animals to the animal shelter due to the economy and loss of their home or their job. That is when the shelter actually has room to take in new animals. Shelters are so overcrowded that dogs are living 5 or 6 to a kennel meant for 1. Perfectly healthy and adoptable animals are being euthanized for space.

Adoptions are down and intakes are up. This isn’t sustainable. The only way out of this heartbreaking situation is with easy access to spay and neuter and affordable vet care. Pets should be able to stay in the homes where they are safe, happy, and loved.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I am a photographer who specializes in cats and kittens. I love photographing cats being themselves and I aim to capture their individual personalities. I primarily use photography to raise awareness about animals who are typically overlooked. I also fundraise for rescues for veterinary care and promote adoption.

Aside from photographing adoptable animals, I take photos for brands and for pet owners. I will happily photo cats and dogs. I love photographing animals happy in their homes with their families and giving their owners photos showcasing their pet’s beauty, character, and quirks.

I am especially proud when someone tells me that they adopted a certain animal based off a photo I had taken. Knowing that my art inspired someone to adopt and save a life is the absolute best feeling.

When people fall in love with the kittens that I foster, I know that I’ve succeeded. Having thousands of followers see my kittens grow up and care about their well-being is amazing. I love hearing that I’ve inspired someone to foster a kitten or adopt a cat. But I really love when people see one of my disabled fosters and realize they aren’t anyone to be pitied. They are perfect as is and deserve loving homes. When people see my fosters through my photos and videos and love them like I do – I wish every cat had that chance.

Do you have any advice for those looking to network or find a mentor?
I have been rescuing animals for so long that most of my friends now are also rescuers. I love talking to people about cat welfare, teaching people what I know and learning from others. Social media is extremely helpful. I have met a lot of friends and expanded my network tremendously through Instagram. There are so many of us working to better the lives of cats and kittens. It’s really amazing to be a part of such a large group of people trying to do good in the world.

Pricing:

• $200/45 minute photoshoot

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.CaseyElisePhotography.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/imogenthekitten/
• Other: https://www.langefoundation.org

Image Credits
Casey Elise Christopher