Esther Chamberlain has given Pam and Oren Robinson something to meow about.

The owners of It’s All About the Animals, a nonprofit, no-kill cat shelter in Rochester, were recently surprised by a $10,000 donation in honor of Chamberlain’s late mother Georgia.

The Robinsons received the check from Esther last month.

“I was totally ecstatic and beyond words,” said Pam. “I’m still in shock.”

Georgia, who passed away almost two years ago at the age of 91, had been a friend of the shelter and a devoted cat owner.

“From early on my mother loved cats, and we all developed an affinity for cats along the way,” said Esther, a Chelmsford resident. “It seemed just like a perfect marriage. My mother was a great believer in taking care of animals. When she passed away, the most logical thing for me to do was make a donation.”

Georgia, a native of Wareham, moved to Rochester in 1946. An environmentalist, she helped start the town’s Conservation Commission.

“She loved open space and land and worked very hard to get the Conservation Commission to understand their responsibilities to the town,” said Esther.

In keeping with her love of the outdoors, Georgia created a way for her cats to spend time outside.

“My mother built an outdoor area so her cats could enjoy the pleasures of being outside but still be protected by creatures,” said Esther.

With a portion of her donation to It’s All About the Animals, Esther requested that the Robinsons build a protected outdoor area for the felines in their care.

“Georgia always did things the right way. I want to do this correctly,” said Pam.

She remembers Georgia coming to visit the animals several times in the organization’s earlier years and feels they had a lot in common.

“I really admired her,” said Pam. “We say what we have to say. We’re not gonna pull punches. She was a good lady.”

The funds will also go towards expanding and upgrading the facility. The Robinsons often find themselves challenged for space and at capacity as the only cat shelter in the tri-town.

Added to space constraints is the need to quarantine many of the new arrivals due to contagious ringworm infections.

Decontaminating the rooms and their own clothes without a separate washing area and washer and dryer takes a lot of effort, said Pam. An air filtration system would also be a welcome addition.

An architect is working on plans now for an expansion, but Pam estimates the cost could total more than $150,000. With the Robinsons doing almost all their own work at It’s All About the Animals and funding much of the costs, raising that amount of money will be a challenge.

“They need all the help that they can get. These are people who aren’t thinking of themselves. I just think what they’re doing is wonderful,” said Esther.

Esther wants to see her donation spark more generosity. She is calling on local cat lovers to match her donation.

“Sometimes when people see that someone else is making that type of contribution it will spur them,” she said. “Sometimes you need to prime the pump.”

Donations can be made by mail or through Paypal. The former is preferred as Paypal deducts a percentage of donations.

It’s All About the Animals is located at 103 Marion Road, Rochester, MA 02770. More information is available at www.itsallabouttheanimalsinc.com or by calling 508-763-2035.