When my brother Ron Radzai died in his seventies last October, he left us with 28 cats at his Pennsylvania home.

Ron, who called himself “Papa,” was single his whole life and content with having only cats for his family. His housekeeper said he treated his cats better than some people treat their own children.

Cats first discovered Ron when he started working from home in Oakland decades ago. He left his windows open and the neighbors’ cats visited him while their owners were away at work. They soon preferred being with Ron all the time, as he fed them expensive cat food, plied them with treats and gave them lots of attention.

When Ron left California for his new home in Pennsylvania in the mid-90s, he flew six of these cats with him. Ron, a freelance foreign language translator, worked from his home in the country, surrounded by corn fields, and enjoyed the daily company of his cats. When the local farmers heard he took in cats, they left their entire litters on his doorstep.

When Ron had eighteen cats a dozen years ago, and discovered another new delivery, my younger brother, who lived only five miles away from Ron, asked: “Surely you want just a couple of them this time, since you have so many already?” Ron replied: “That’s no excuse. I built a bigger house and I’m taking all of them.” That was the last time the subject was mentioned until Ron passed.

My younger brother promised that if anything happened to Ron, he would take care of his cats for as long as they lived. Most of them are now between 10 and 12 years old.

When it became too hard for my brother to handle all 28 cats, I started contacting the local Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and other private “No Kill” shelters in large cities nearby such as Harrisburg and Philadelphia. None of them helped. They were either too full or only accepted cats off the street. A few people responded to my post on Craigslist but declined my offer.

I was stumped. So I contacted Terri and Geoff Fletcher, longtime members (and currently the volunteer coordinator and treasurer, respectively) of Vashon Island Pet Protectors (VIPP). I first talked to Terri as early as November 2024. From the very start, Terri, on behalf of VIPP was open to the possibility of my bringing Ron’s cats to Vashon, if transport could be arranged — but how do you move so many cats across the country?

I was ready to give up on getting them here when Natalie Hoyt, the daughter of Voice of Vashon stalwarts Cindy and Jeff Hoyt, offered to help. Her initial idea was to fly east, rent a van and drive back across the country with a friend and as many cats as they could carry. She also researched air transportation companies, and found one that was more cost effective than her spending a week driving the cats over.

Once we decided on this option, I then had to find a vet in Pennsylvania who was willing to pay a house call to see which of these cats between the ages of 10 and 12 were healthy enough to travel, a process that took several weeks. The vet determined that 10 of the 16 cats she cornered could travel. She also found a local transportation agent who was willing to provide carriers, pick up the cats, and take them to the airport.

Terri, Geoff and other VIPP volunteers met the plane at SeaTac airport and took the 10 cats — in two batches of five — to the VIPP cat shelter, where they were checked in and settled.

Sheila is one of the cats formerly owned by Ron Radzai now awaiting adoption at Vashon Island Pet Protectors. (Courtesy photo)

Ron shares a striking similarity to another islander — Paul Norton — who had a special love for cats. Paul remained single and lived on Vashon his entire life. Like Ron, he left many cats behind when he, too, died in his seventies last fall. These two seemingly unrelated lives were connected not only by their love of cats, but also by my husband Doug, who, like Paul, grew up on Vashon. The two were classmates through school on the island.

While not quite the same route as the Pennsylvania cats, VIPP also handled all of Paul Norton’s cats when he passed away and found new homes for them.

We are very fortunate to have such caring people on Vashon. I take comfort in knowing that a little piece of my brother will remain with me by seeing his cats live and thrive here. Those of Ron’s cats that are here now must feel they have died and gone to heaven.

For information on adopting a cat or to make a donation, please contact Terri Fletcher on 206-389-1085 or email contact@vipp.org.

Kathy Ostrom has lived with her husband in the home where he grew up on Vashon since her retirement in 2010.

Kathy Ostrom