Led by Experience. Fueled by Compassion.
Meet Our Founders
Tom & Amy McGuire
Founders, The Fur Seasons
The Fur Seasons began with two rescued cats from halfway around the world — and two people who refused to let their stories end in the streets.
Tom and Amy McGuire combine decades of leadership experience with a lifelong love for animals - creating a sanctuary where abandoned cats could heal, rest, and find the homes they were meant for.
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For years, Tom’s life revolved around boardrooms, strategy sessions, and leading teams in the automotive industry. As a CEO and co-founder of a successful company, he was no stranger to big challenges and bold decisions. But through all the business milestones, there was always one constant at home: cats.
When his company was sold in 2024, Tom finally had the chance to follow his heart. Rescue wasn’t just a passion waiting in the wings—it was a calling. Having seen firsthand the heartbreaking realities for cats overseas, he knew he wanted to be part of something different. Tom envisioned a rescue built on compassion but strengthened by smart strategy, where every cat’s journey was treated with dignity and possibility.
Today, Tom pairs his start-up mindset and problem-solving drive with his deep love for “all things cat.” He lives in Dane County with his wife Amy, their sixth-grade daughter, and what he fondly calls “a small herd” of cats. He also has two tenacious adult daughters, one in Texas and one in Illinois.
Whether he’s enjoying family time, sharing a quiet moment with a rescue cat with a miraculous story, or pursuing his dream of piloting, Tom continues to follow the path that matters most—helping cats find their way home.
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Amy has always had a gift for caring for people. With more than 25 years of compassionate customer experience and leadership, she spent her career at a Tier 1 insurance carrier helping people through some of their most complex and difficult moments. She learned how to listen, how to balance many needs at once, and how to make others feel seen. But outside of the office, her heart was leading her somewhere else—toward rescue.
For over a decade, Amy has quietly been on the frontlines of saving cats, whether helping with international transports or stepping in when local cats needed a lifeline. Every experience reinforced what she already knew: her purpose was to make sure no cat was forgotten.
At The Fur Seasons, Amy brings together her professional strengths—attention to detail, empathy, and steadiness—with her unwavering devotion to cats. She shares her home in the Madison area with Tom, their middle-school daughter, and a lively entourage of feline family members, each one a reminder of why she said yes to this journey.
‘Every guest deserves the dignity of a five-star stay — no cages, no chaos, just comfort.’
(Our name, The Fur Seasons, is a nod to the world-renowned Four Seasons philosophy of care and hospitality — adapted for cats in need.)
The Heart Behind the Work
Why We Rescue
For Tom and Amy, this isn’t just a rescue. It’s a promise.
That every cat who walks through our doors will be treated like family — loved, understood, and never rushed out before they’re ready.
Their journey began with Bentley and Pluto, two Persian cats rescued from Kuwait. Bentley’s quiet resilience and Pluto’s unshakable charm became the heartbeat of The Fur Seasons. Inspired by the rescue group Angels with Paw Prints, Tom and Amy began flight-parenting cats to the U.S., sponsoring rescues, and eventually building a sanctuary where each guest’s dignity comes first.
“We do this not for attention. Not for profit. But because someone has to.”
The Fur Seasons isn’t just a clever name — it’s our guiding philosophy. Inspired by the Four Seasons’ standard of hospitality, our rescue adapts that same ethos for cats in need.
Every guest is treated with dignity
Comfort and safety are built into every detail
Healing is given time, patience, and compassion
Families and adopters are welcomed as part of the experience
