Barb Weber pets one of the felines at Barb’s Precious Rescue and Adoption Center in Palatine. Weber started the rescue 10 years ago and is expanding the organization’s reach. (Photo by Kevin Beese/Chronicle Media)

Cats kept finding Barb Weber.

For some reason, the former Palatine resident kept having cats show up at her house.

“They were either injured cats or cats that were not wild, they were domesticated and left outside,” Weber remembers. “As I was taking them in to take care of them, my husband was able to retire. We said, ‘Let’s find a facility that we can actually have a rescue,’ so I can have help trying to take care of these cats.”

The Webers created the first animal rescue in Palatine and 10 years later, the facility is not only still going, it’s growing.

Barb’s Precious Rescue and Adoption Center, located at 313 N. Quentin Road, has expanded to have a full-service veterinary center, will be adding dog rescue to its services next year, and will be adding another building to separate adoptable felines from cats still in training.

The rescue facility is the culmination of a dream for Barb Weber.

“You know when you have a dream when you’re a kid? I drew out these plans when I was like 22,” Weber recalled. “I was like ‘I just need a facility. I need a facility with all these rooms.’

Cats at Barb’s Precious Rescue check out visitors to their room. (Photo by Kevin Beese/Chronicle Media)

“It was originally kittens, toddlers, teens, adults and then special needs, and when it started to come to fruition 10 years ago, then it just took off. Now we have all these kittens and then having the opportunity to have the center across the way that actually is truly going to meet the needs. Then, I’m sure when we meet the needs, we’re going to have to meet more needs.

“Then we can specialize. Ultimately, I do see that we are going to outgrow our space because of the dogs. We only will have space for six dogs. I’m sure that’s going to take off, too, and when it does, I think you are going to see Barb’s Precious Rescue with more land somewhere else that will be for dogs. I see a long future with our rescue work.”

Felines at the Palatine rescue (Photo by Kevin Beese/Chronicle Media)

Barb’s Precious Rescue has grown from a small initiative into a fully operational shelter. With the support of community members and contributions from the Ehlert Family Foundation and the Wayne and Claudette Johnson family, the shelter has expanded its capacity to house 250 cats and soon six dogs in the 7,500-square-foot facility.

Since its founding, Barb’s Precious Rescue has provided care for nearly 5,000 cats and kittens, offering food, shelter, and medical services, including on-site veterinary care. The rescue’s mission is to find forever homes for each animal, operating as a no-kill, cage-free shelter supported by public donations and more than 200 volunteers.

Weber is chief operating officer for a health system in Iowa and splits her time between Iowa and Illinois.

“Volunteers truly own their shift,” Weber said of the helping hands at the Palatine rescue. “We are cascading leadership down, so I don’t need to be present.”

Weber said it didn’t take long for the rescue facility to reach capacity after it opened 10 years ago.

A cat bats at a play toy. (Photo by Kevin Beese/Chronicle Media)

“Once we opened, we were licensed for 50 cats. We reached 50 in four weeks. They changed it to 100. Then we went back for 200. It is amazing the need that is out there and we’re only talking about the northern suburbs.”

Weber said the need made it apparent early on that the rescue was going to a vital entity.

“The rescue was supposed to be a little hobby,” she said. “It turned out to be definitely more than a hobby.

“It’s definitely a great passion. The community, the village, all the volunteers, everyone came out of the woodwork to help us grow.”

Weber, who now lives in Barrington, said the facility’s David A. Helt Veterinary Care Center, which offers essential services such as spay/neuter procedures and dental care for rescue cats, is a state-of-the-art care center.

She noted the Helt Center offers two surgical suites, a dental suite, two treatment area, a pre- and post-op area, a digital imaging system, ultrasound, dental ultrasound and X-ray facilities.

“We have a full imaging system,” Weber said. “We can really diagnose and treat any illness.”

Weber said creating an Adoption Center next to the rescue will alleviate some of the confusion that happens in the current building.

“People come in here looking for a kitty. They may like this one, but he may not be ready to go,” Weber said inside one of the rescue’s age-divided rooms. “It’s a bit more challenging because not everyone’s ready for adoption in this room.

Resting felines barely acknowledge visitors. (Photo by Kevin Beese/Chronicle Media)

“The not-ready kitties get stressed out because people are coming and going. So, we are finding the best solution for us is to have a working building where cats are being socialized and so forth and the only people in the building will be us, so they have consistency. Then, those ready for adoption will be next door.”

She said once felines wind up ready for adoption, they are usually taken by an individual or family within seven to 12 days.

“If they’re ready to go, folks adopt,” Weber said.

She noted that cats that must be vaccinated may take six weeks to two months to get through the immunization process.

Although the Palatine facility continues to expand, Weber has no plans to make “Barb’s Precious Rescue” a household name.

“We’re not going to be a chain, but I think once we address the community need, then I could see us addressing future needs,” Weber said. “We started with a little old house and with the support of the community and our volunteers, we grew.”

kbeese@chronicleillinois.com