At Cat Town, we often pull cats who seem angry at the shelter. It can feel scary to help these cats at first, so most organizations pass those cats by, but we’ve learned that an angry cat is usually one who was once loved by someone. Having lost so much, their emotions get the better of them in a stressful environment…
Today we’re turning the spotlight on Jules, a cat whose journey shows the impact dedicated and compassionate care can make in a feline’s life, showing that Love + Time = Magic. Formerly known as Emilia, Jules first came to Cat Town in the spring of last year. Trapped as a stray on the streets of East Oakland, she was very fearful in her cage at Oakland Animal Services and needed…
In late August of 2017, I took a trip to Cat Town. I had planned on grabbing a latte and playing with the cats, but all of that changed when I met Clayton Purrshaw (FKA Guy). Once I saw him I immediately thought "that's my cat". He was playfully chasing a string toy and sliding all over the floor. When I followed him into the quiet room, he placed his head into my palm and let me scratch his ears until he fell asleep. That moment is what sealed the deal for me. By mid-morning he was on his way home with me to begin our new life together.
Trapped and brought to the Oakland shelter as a young adult, a scrawny street cat named Lavender would scramble away from any hands reaching into her cage.
A group of volunteers had just started Cat Town in 2011. I was up for a fostering challenge and took Lavender home to stay in my bathroom. During our visits, she’d make herself as small as she could, her tense body quaking each time my hand would make contact. I realized, sadly, that she viewed me as her captor.
As a former stray, London is an expert at hiding. This defense was his first thought when he was brought to Oakland Animal Services, where he hid in his bed as often as he could. He was receptive to chin scratches and pets, but he was starting to feel cage stress, and began hissing at shelter volunteers when approached.
Cat Town stepped in to help London move past his cage stress, so he could continue working on the confidence the shelter volunteers had helped him build. It was slow progress, but with patience he started peeking out of his cubby more and more, curious to see what other Cat Town cats and visitors were doing all day.
