Helping cats find the loving homes they deserve is at the center of everything we do at Cat Town. But it's stories like Meghan and Sadie's that remind us that we're not just helping cats find home, we're helping people find home, too.
Read their full story below, and if you're moved by what you've read, you can help Cat Town win $25,000 by voting for Meghan's story in PetCo's Holiday Wishes Campaign on Facebook.
Meghan and Sadie enjoy a sunny morning together. Photo courtesy of Meghan O'Neil.
I never thought of myself as a cat person. The cat my parents had growing up was temperamental and would bite so I thought all cats were like that. I thought I wanted a dog, but because we couldn’t have one in our apartment, I just accepted that now was not the right time for a pet.
When my animal loving mother in law came to visit, we took her to the cat café near our apartment for something to do. As we pet and played with the cats at Cat Town, I started to see the unique personalities of different cats. After that visit I started following them on Instagram, filling my feed with cute cats- why not?
Sadie, comfy and cozy in her forever home. Photo courtesy of Meghan O'Neil.
And then I saw her face. She popped up one day, just like all the cute cats before her, with her freckled nose and inquisitive look. But something was different this time- I knew she was my cat. When I went to meet her in her foster home, even though she just calmly napped and wasn’t that interested in me, I signed the paperwork on the spot.
The head of the foster program at Cat Town told me she cried when she saw that someone had inquired about Sadie, as she was so invested in her story. When they first found her years prior, she was miserable in a shelter. Through the help of Cat Town, her personality blossomed from shy and scared, to sweet and loving. Four or five years old, Sadie had been in and out of the foster program numerous times. Due to a variety of circumstances, she was adopted and later surrendered more than once. She had even lived in a car with a previous owner for a year and a half. Sadie had never been able to find her forever home.
A few months after adopting Sadie, my husband and I split. The stability I thought I had was shattered. When he moved out I found myself living on my own for the first time in my life. Except I wasn’t. Sadie sleeps curled up next to me every night. When I come home, I am greeted at the door. If I’m sitting, she’s in my lap. She even follows me into the bathroom, or will wait by the door if I close it. I used to scoff when people referred to their pet as their best friend, but now I totally get it. I cannot imagine going through a life change such as this without her patience and companionship. In a time of uncertainty, I can count on her.
On a sunny afternoon, Sadie like to curl up in a comfy chair. Photo courtesy of Meghan O'Neil.
We can’t plan everything in life. Sometimes relationships end. Sometimes a cat goes through a few owners before finding the perfect fit. Sometimes a skeptic falls in love with a cat at first sight. For the first time, Sadie is finally at home, and thanks to her, I am too.
Vote for Meghan's story by following the steps below, and you could help Cat Town win $25,000 toward our life-saving work!
1. Visit petco-foundation.fbapp.io/2017-holiday-wishes-people-s-choice-award
2. Scroll down to the Cat Town submission for Meghan O'Neil (the submissions are listed alphabetically by organization).
3. Select Meghan's Cat Tow story. NOTE: If you click "read more," it takes you away from the voting page. To vote, just click the picture so the box turns yellow).
4. Scroll to the bottom of the page and hit submit.
That's all it takes! Thank you for helping us give Oakland's vulnerable shelter cats a second chance!
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