Rex takes a quick rest after a play session in his studio. Photo by Liz Lazich.
OAKLAND — Kitten season may be over by traditional shelter standards, but Cat Town is still flush with young felines.
Right now, you can meet 14 while sipping a RAWR cappuccino in our main adoption center, visit with another seven in the Studios next door, or schedule adoption sessions with three in foster homes, where they are getting one-on-one attention until their future guardians come along.
Check out all 24 adoptable cats under 1 year
That means we need patient, understanding potential adopters willing to help these energetic, playful, sweet, if still shy, kitties continue blossoming.
Why do we have 24 young cats in addition to cats of all ages as winter approaches? Because our mission with the Forgotten Kitten Project is to rescue cats that didn't get the positive human interaction they needed in the formative early months and were therefor at risk for euthanasia.
When the shelter cages get full in the spring and summer with new litters, we fulfill our mission of freeing the most vulnerable cats from cages: the sick, stressed, shy and senior ones who don't have much of a chance of adoption. As the kittens go from tiny to tweens without learning to trust humans, or they have a medical setback, they are rendered "unadoptable" by most animal shelter and rescue standards.
That's when Cat Town intervenes. The team partners with the Oakland Shelter to get as many of those young cats as possible out of cages and into free-roaming spaces, to socialize them until we feel they are ready for the next chapter.
At the shelter, Tiger (above) was totally fearful, but since his arrival at Cat Town, he's started to enjoy the company of humans through play and a slow approach to pets. Photo by Cathy Niland.
That's the essence of the Forgotten Kitten Project, taking in cats 3 months to just under a year and working a regimented behavioral program to turn hissy, scared kittens into companions.
I've already told you about sweet Milton who has grown in our studios, foster home, and now our adoption center. And a tabby named Merlin who has made great strides over the past couple months. There are so many more to meet, each with their own path to Cat Town.
So, come visit us to see if you are a true cat whisperer and can get pets and play time with some of our shyer youngsters or can be a play companion for our more energetic ones. And if you are looking for your new best friend, reach out to info@cattownoakland.org to set up a time to meet any of these 24 formerly forgotten kittens.
If you can't make it in, keep up with us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to get a behind-the-scenes look at our furry friends and the progress of our FKPs.
Cat Town is working to help other rescues across the country replicate our work with Forgotten Kittens thanks to a generous grant from Maddie’s Fund. Learn more about our Forgotten Kitten Project in our weekly Kitten Wire dispatches. Be sure to check out the full series.
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