05/31/2026
The Heart of Saving Strayz: Grandma Judy
If you’ve followed Saving Strayz for a while, you’ve probably heard me talk about Grandma Judy.
But today, I want everyone — especially our newer followers — to truly understand who she is, what she means to us, and why Saving Strayz exists in the first place.
Saving Strayz began because of Grandma Judy.
When our paths crossed, she was trying to get a group of her cats spayed and neutered. Around that same time, I was facing the heartbreaking reality of cats who were scheduled to be euthanized. Cats who still had life left in them. Cats who just needed someone to say, “Not today. Not on my watch.”
I remember looking at her and asking, “You have a big space… do you think we could bring some here and save them?”
Without hesitation, she said yes.
She had no idea what that one little word would turn into. 😅
That one “yes” became the beginning of everything.
Because of Grandma Judy, hundreds of lives have been saved. Cats who were overlooked. Cats who were forgotten. Cats who were neglected. Pregnant moms. Tiny kittens. Scared cats. Broken cats. Cats who simply needed time, safety, and someone to believe they were worth saving.
Later, I asked her another big question.
“Do you think I could turn Saving Strayz into a nonprofit and use the barn to help cats?”
And once again, she said yes.
That yes changed my life. It changed their lives. It became Saving Strayz.
Because Grandma Judy believed in me, we were able to create a safe, warm, loving place for cats who had nowhere else to go.
We don’t keep kittens at the barn — ever. As we’ve grown over the last three years, we’ve been incredibly blessed with amazing fosters who open their homes so our babies and many of our cats can grow, heal, and learn love in a real home setting.
And one of my favorite moments at the barn is when a cat finally decides they are ready for more.
You’ll hear Grandma Judy yell from the house,
“Who did you let in now?!”
And I’ll smile and say, “Yep… they’re ready.”
That moment means everything to me.
When an outdoor cat decides they want to come inside, it means they trust us. It means they feel safe. It means they have finally let their guard down. It means all the patience, all the feedings, all the soft words, and all the love worked.
People often ask, “Why are these cats outside? They’re so sweet!”
And the truth is, not every cat wants indoor life. I’ve tried — believe me, I’ve tried. I’ve replaced more window screens than I can count. Some cats have lived outside for so long that freedom is what they know and love. Grass. Snow. Sunshine. Running. Fresh air. And, of course, about eight million treats a day from Grandma Judy and me. 🐱
And that’s okay.
Saving Strayz has never been about forcing cats to be something they are not. It has always been about meeting them where they are.
Now, we also have the cottage on the property for cats who fall somewhere in between. Cats who are surrendered. Cats who aren’t feral, but aren’t fully comfortable with people yet either. Cats who need time before they can trust again.
So we go slow.
We feed them. We love them. We sit with them. We pet them while they eat. We let them decide when they are ready. And little by little, trust begins to grow.
That is what Saving Strayz is about.
Patience.
Love.
Second chances.
Meeting cats exactly where they are.
On the hard days — especially with my MS — there are moments when I don’t want to move. There are days my body is tired before the day even begins. But I get up anyway, because they need me.
And when I can’t be there, Grandma Judy steps in without missing a beat.
She feeds them. She watches over them. She loves them like they are her own — because they are.
Grandma Judy is not just part of Saving Strayz.
She is the heart of it.
She is the soul of it.
She is the steady pulse behind so much of what we do.
I lost my grandparents, so I don’t have them here with me anymore. But Grandma Judy and Grandpa Tim came into my life exactly when my heart needed them most. They became family in a way I didn’t even know I needed.
And Saving Strayz became what my heart needed, too.
Saving animals is what I am meant to do. Helping people is what I am meant to do. Educating, supporting, loving the ones nobody else wanted, and giving them a chance — this is my purpose.
I don’t know how many years my body will allow me to do this the way I do now. But I do know this: if someday I have to do it from a wheelchair, then that’s what I’ll do.
Until then, I’m going to keep living fully in this moment.
Growing.
Saving lives.
Rehabbing cats.
Helping families keep their pets with food, litter, or whatever support they need.
Loving the ones who need us most.
So when you hear me talk about Grandma Judy, this is who I mean.
The woman who believed in me.
The woman who said yes.
The woman who opened her heart, her property, and her life to cats who had nowhere else to go.
The woman who made Saving Strayz possible.
Grandma Judy, thank you for trusting me. Thank you for loving these cats. Thank you for standing beside me through the chaos, the heartbreak, the mess, the miracles, and every wild idea I’ve brought your way.
Thank you for being just crazy enough to take this journey with me.
There is never a dull moment with me around, that’s for sure. 😅
Because of you, we have Saving Strayz.
Because of you, hundreds of cats got another chance.
Because of you, lives were saved.
And because of you, this dream became real. 💛🐾
Sure, love you to pieces.
Judy Ranke
