The owners and volunteers of It’s All About the Animals, Rochester’s privately run cat shelter, celebrated its new nonprofit status at the organization’s annual open house on Saturday.

Pam and Oren Robinson spent 25 months working to designate the shelter a federal nonprofit organization, which allows the couple to seek grants and accept tax-deductible donations to fund It's All About the Animals.

Assistance from Linnea Michel, a Dartmouth-based attorney, helped the Robinsons navigate the complex application process. In 2012, Michel opened The Legal Center for Nonprofits Inc. to aid to area nonprofits.

“We were very fortunate and feel honored to get the nonprofit designation,” Pam said, adding that new restrictions are making it near “impossible” for groups to become nonprofits.

The shelter opened in 2009 with the goal of helping the area’s feline population.

About 40 cats are cared for at the shelter now. Only abused and abandoned animals are accepted and each one has a story.

Twinkie, an older cat, came to the shelter injured and suffering from diabetes and was nursed back to health.

Alexis arrived pregnant. Following a difficult nine-hour labor she gave birth to a litter.

“She would not have survived if we didn’t have her here,” Pam said.

On Saturday, Alexis and her daughter and son were all adopted.

Another cat, Dumpster, arrived after he was found taped inside a box abandoned in a Fall River trashcan.

“If a cat is in need we take them in,” Pam said.

The animals are allowed to roam inside several buildings on the property. The main building has several shelves for cats to jump on, a door leads to an outdoor space screened from predators and plenty of toys provide mental stimulation.

Another building, dubbed the “Social Club,” is for shy animals. Some former feral cats are housed there now and are getting used to human interaction.

“We want to provide a space that is as close to home for a cat as we can possibly make it,” Pam said.

The shelter is also well equipped to treat any medical issues the animals may suffer from.

Looking forward, the couple wants to add more outdoor enclosures for the animals. Donations are welcome and needed to keep the shelter open.

The shelter, which has been privately funded by the Robinsons, is run with the help of volunteers. Dependable volunteers are being sought as well.

For more information on It’s All About the Animals, visit www.itsallabouttheanimalsinc.com.