Dream spent her first few weeks at our Adoption Center hissing at anyone who came near. Photo by Erica Danger.
When Dream arrived at the shelter with her kittens, she was frozen in fear, and would hiss at anyone who got too close. She was 10 months old — too old to be a Forgotten Kitten — but she seemed open to change. When shelter volunteers approached her slowly and gently, she’d allow them to pet her. It would be an uphill battle to win her heart, but we had to take a chance at giving her a better life.
We brought her to our Adoption Center to start the long process of building up confidence and trust in people. At first, she kept up the hissy front, but over time, we saw her soften. Once she’d made enough progress in her Studio, we moved her to our free-roaming room to learn from watching other confident, friendly cats.
Dream accepted pets from trusted friends, and loved chin scratches!
There, she made new friends, and discovered her potential for leadership. She soon put herself in charge of the other cats in the room, issuing bops to anyone who didn’t respect her personal space and ensuring resources were distributed fairly to all (with a little extra for herself). She had favorite people who she let pet her, and she occasionally took other cats under her wing.
If Dream had decided not to let anyone near her, things might be different — but with the help of our volunteers, week by week, month by month, she continued to make more progress. Then, she got adopted! Her adopter tried for three months to win her over, but she was the only cat in their home, and it just wasn’t working. So, she came back to us, and got adopted again — this time to a home with another cat! However, they never got the chance to meet, because even through the bathroom door, the two quickly proved to be a rocky pairing.
Dream found her confidence — and her love for play! Photo by Teresa Wood.
Both times she returned to us, we learned more about her. She loved to play, and would spend hours chasing after toys — especially her favorite sparkly tassel wand. She liked being around other cats, but was picky about who she considered an acquaintance. She would proudly sit in the center of the room at our Adoption Center, where she was comfortable, but would hide in a new environment.
Each time she returned, our volunteers were also overjoyed to have her back in their lives. They even pooled together donations to win her the title of Mayor of Cat Town in our Summer Yard Sale, and gifted her a play rug to go home with her. We all believed Dream’s perfect family was just around the corner.
On her most recent stay with us, Dream made a special cat friend: sweet and social Padrick. The two would walk around together, play together, and cuddle together. Dream even shared her treats with him — a very special honor — so we decided to make them a pair.
Dream, Padrick, and their adopters, ready to go home!
Then, an adopter showed up, looking for a cat (or two!) who could round out the dynamic of their other cats at home — one extremely playful, one extremely shy — and we saw a perfect match for our favorite bossy girl and her second-in-command.
They had met Dream before, but this time was different. This time, she didn’t snub them, and in fact, let them pet her. Hearts melted. Tears were shed. Dream and Padrick were going home together.
Based on what we learned from her past adoptions, we knew Dream would need time and patience to settle into her new home. We supported her family with our Case Management program — and today, over two years after Dream first entered our care, we’re thrilled to share that this once terrified and hissy girl now enjoys kisses and being carried around like a baby.
“I'll never forget the first time Dream came up to me for pets without coaxing, I literally cried.”
— Dream’s adopter
Today, a generous donor is offering us a challenge to raise $5,000 by midnight, and is triple matching contributions. If you can help us reach that goal today, this match will transform your gifts into $20,000 to help more scared cats find love. We like to think that amounts to about the number of kisses Dream receives every day in her new home.
Donate now to support Cat Town’s work — and help the shelter cats, like Dream, who need us most.
Dream, Padrick, and their new brother, Memphis (another Cat Town alum), share a cat tree.
Cover photo by Erica Danger.