A young tabby kitten with gray and black striped fur, light-colored eyes, and pointed ears, sitting on a soft, gray, fluffy surface.

Building a Kinder Community for People and Animals

About FMCA

For more than 50 years, FMCA has been saving lives and filling critical gaps in animal welfare services in Montgomery County and beyond. Established in 1974, our volunteer-run nonprofit is committed to protecting vulnerable animals through ethical care, transparency, and lifelong advocacy.

From hands-on rescue and adoption to proactive spay and neuter programs and emergency shelter support, we focus on practical, humane solutions that strengthen both animals and the community.

Two paw prints, one larger and one smaller, in a light brown color.

More Than a Rescue

What Makes FMCA Different

FMCA works across the full spectrum of animal welfare — supporting community cat TNR efforts, providing medical care and resources for colony caretakers, rescuing vulnerable kittens into our adoption program, and partnering with adopters, volunteers, and local organizations to create lasting solutions for animals in need. We bridge gaps that others cannot, and we do it entirely through the power of community.

Close-up of a Siamese kitten with blue eyes sitting on a tiled floor, looking up toward the camera.

Our Mission in Action

FMCA focuses on three core programs that work together to create lasting impact across the region.

Three cats eating from blue plastic food bowls on a tiled floor, with a white wall and baseboard in the background.

01. Rescue & Adoption

Our largest program is a life-saving rescue and adoption operation. Through a network of volunteer foster homes, animals receive veterinary care, stability, and love while they heal and prepare for adoption into forever homes. As a foster-based organization, our animals live in real home environments, allowing us to get to know their true personalities and make the best possible forever home matches.

We regularly receive calls from compassionate community members who have discovered litters of kittens in their backyards, workplaces, and public spaces. Our work supports not only the animals themselves but also the people who reach out seeking guidance when they do not know where to turn.

02. Community Cats & Prevention

We address overpopulation at its source through a proactive trap-neuter-return program. Each year, FMCA funds hundreds of spay and neuter and vaccination packages for community and feral cats across the region, helping stop the cycle of unwanted litters before it begins.

We work alongside partner organizations to maximize the reach and impact of humane TNR efforts across our region.

We also operate a Community Cat Medical Fund, which provides emergency and essential veterinary care for injured or ill community cats and offers financial support to caretakers facing hardship. Many of the people who contact us are individuals quietly feeding feral or stray cats in their neighborhoods, trying to do right by the animals in their care. We offer practical, humane solutions that benefit both the cats and the communities they live in.

A woman in a black winter coat, gray hoodie, glasses, and white sneakers stands outdoors on a grassy area, smiling. She is holding a large blue bag. The background features a field with brown crops, a cloudy sky, and a red barn on the right side.

03. Shelter Support & Emergency Response

FMCA maintains a close partnership with our local municipal shelter, the Montgomery County Animal Services and Adoption Center (MCASAC), stepping in during emergencies such as cruelty seizures, hoarding cases, and situations involving animals with complex medical needs.

When animals require specialty surgeries or urgent medical intervention, FMCA provides the funding to make that care possible. Beyond emergency response, Friends of Montgomery County Animals supports the shelter in ongoing ways by purchasing enrichment supplies, enhancing animal living spaces with items such as expanded kennels, secure hiding areas, and raised bedding, and sponsoring adoption events that help animals find homes faster.

This collaboration strengthens the entire animal welfare ecosystem in Montgomery County and ensures that no animal falls through the cracks simply because resources are not available.

Our Impact

Numbers tell part of the story.

Here is a snapshot of what our community made possible in 2024 and 2025.

IN 2024

  • 98 cats taken into Rescue and Adoption

  • 72 cats adopted into loving homes

  • 68 vetted cats transferred to partner rescues

  • Funded 736 community and feral cat spay/neuter vaccination packages

  • 63 emergency medical procedures funded

  • Funded 8 specialty surgeries for MCASAC animals

IN 2025

  • 81 cats taken into Rescue and Adoption

  • 75 cats adopted into loving homes

  • 77 vetted cats transferred to partner rescues

  • Funded 802 community and feral cat spay/neuter vaccinnation packages

  • 43 emergency medical procedures funded

  • Funded 11 specialty surgeries for MCASAC animals

A pie chart showing the distribution of income among countries, with the United States making up the largest portion at 44%, followed by China at 13%, and other countries with smaller percentages.

In 2024, FMCA maintained an overhead of just 7%, ensuring that the vast majority of every dollar donated goes directly toward animals in need.

Community Driven. Donor Trusted.

Powered by Volunteers. Guided by Integrity.

FMCA is an all-volunteer, foster-based organization with deep roots in upper Montgomery County, MD. Compassionate community members donate their time to oversee operations, foster animals, assist with trapping efforts, and respond when animals need help most. There are no paid staff — every dollar saved on overhead is a dollar that goes toward animal care.

We collaborate with local veterinarians, local shelters, and other regional rescue organizations to ensure animals receive the care they need. These partnerships are not incidental — they are central to how we operate and how we are able to serve the community as effectively as we do.

Trust and transparency guide everything we do. FMCA has earned the Gold Seal of Transparency with Candid, a leading charity rating organization, reflecting our commitment to accountability and responsible stewardship of donor contributions. You can view our full Candid profile here.

We are also proud recipients of the Great Nonprofits Seal. You can view our full Great Nonprofits profile here.

Person wearing a protective face mask, goggles, and gloves, standing next to a metal cage or kennel outdoors.
Seal featuring the words "GreatNonprofits 2025 Top-Rated Nonprofit" and a blue banner.

Awards, Affiliations, and Partners

  • Gold and teal badge with stars and text reading "GreatNonprofits 2025 Top-Rated Nonprofit".
  • A certificate with a gold border, text reading "Gold Transparency 2026 Candid."
  • Logo for Green Acres Pet Center featuring a house outline with a dog silhouette inside and the company name below in green text.
  • Metro Ferals logo with purple text and a purple circle containing a stylized 'M'
  • Black logo with a stylized dog silhouette, the words 'SPAY NOW' beneath it, and 'Animal Surgical Center' below that.
  • PetSmart Charities logo with red, blue, and black text and a small red and blue paw print
  • Logo of Seasons Nursery with a autumn leaf and stylized text.
  • Vet Trek logo in blue and black text.
  • Logo of MC Animal Services & Adoption Center with blue text and design elements.
  • The word 'PROMISE' written in large purple letters.
  • Logo of Caring Hands Animal Hospital with a paw print in the center and text in a circular arrangement.
  • Lazar Veterinary Surgery logo featuring a dog and a cat silhouette with the text 'Lazar Veterinary Surgery'
  • Logo for Animal Place Veterinary Hospital featuring a black dog and cat with a red heart on a black background.
  • Black background with a line drawing of a cat's face and paw, and the text 'Cat Clinic' in a speech bubble.
  • Loudoun HVAC logo with stylized blue text and image of a heating and cooling system vent

Our Leadership

FMCA is led by a dedicated volunteer board committed to the highest standards of care and nonprofit management.

Board of Directors

PRESIDENT
Linda McMakin

VICE PRESIDENT
Julie Falconer

TREASURER
John Doolan, CPA

ACTING RECORDING SECRETARY
Steven Toms

CORRESPONDING SECRETARY
Marion Webster

DIRECTORS
Claire B. M. Proffitt, President Emeritus
Dorothy Fitzgerald
Cheryl Harlow

EMERITUS BOARD
Winifred V. Reed, Treasurer Emeritus

A close-up of a white kitten with blue eyes standing on a gray carpeted surface.

Be Part of the Work

Whether you donate, foster, adopt, or share our mission, you are part of the effort to protect vulnerable animals in our community. Every action helps create better outcomes for the animals and the people who care about them.

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