Bali and Ceres

When I think of what donations can make possible at Cat Town, I think of Bali and Ceres. Their adoption is still one of my favorites, because it probably wouldn’t have happened anywhere else. 

Bali and Ceres at our Adoption Center.

Bali started out as a scared kitten at Oakland Animal Services, our city shelter. She had made a lot of socialization progress, but was becoming frustrated in her cage, where she’d been alone for two months. She was beginning to show behaviors that make it hard for a sweet girl like her to get adopted, so we brought her to Cat Town to help her learn how to play gently while building up her bravery — that’s where she met Ceres!

Ceres was a former colony cat, shy and sweet. It took him months to shake off his nerves at our Adoption Center. They were such an unlikely pair — neither was particularly bold or outgoing — but little Bali bonded with big ol’ Ceres right away, and started following him around everywhere. He really brought her out of her shell, and having her by his side seemed to give Ceres courage, too. They got adopted as a pair, and their adopter reports that they’re still inseparable.

Bali and Ceres in their forever home.

I have a special spot in my heart for shy little cats like Bali and gentle giants like Ceres. In a traditional shelter environment, they probably never would have met each other — but because we could give Ceres all the time he needed to feel safe, they met here, and it made such a big difference for them both. I love that their lifelong friendship started at Cat Town.

Our supporters do much more than keep Cat Town’s doors open. You give us the ability to let cats stay with us as long as they need. They have really good lives in our care while they build up their courage, and with time and love, they each find happiness — even harder-to-adopt cats like Ceres and Bali, who needed to meet a few people before they found just the right fit. 

I hope you’ll consider donating to Cat Town today, to give us the resources we need to make more stories like Ceres and Bali’s possible next year!

Thank you,

Genevieve Cottraux
Adoption Coordinator

Helping Parsley

Parsley and Rosemary share a carrier on the way to their foster home.

We took 3-month-old kittens Parsley, Sage, Rosemary, and Thyme into our foster program to help the city shelter with an outbreak of Panleukopenia — a highly-contagious viral infection, which puts every kitten housed in proximity at risk of euthanasia. These little ones had been at Oakland Animal Services in the same room as a kitten who developed symptoms and tested positive. The shelter was out of space, and without a safe place to isolate in, they’d be out of options.

“This doting foster immediately noticed Parsley wasn’t doing well when this spunky kitten’s energy crashed out of the blue.”

One of our trusted fosters stepped up to take these scared kittens in, and gently helped them build trust, while they waited out their 2-week quarantine. This doting foster immediately noticed Parsley wasn’t doing well when this spunky kitten's energy crashed out of the blue. Her breathing had become labored, and she had a fever. Close to midnight, they rushed her to an emergency vet, who gave her fluids, an antibiotic IV drip, and put her on oxygen overnight. Parsley was stable, but would need to be separated from her littermates while she recovered from a serious case of pneumonia.

Parsley eats a meat tube treat.

We offered to bring over supplies to help her foster with the new arrangement, but they had already proactively set up their home to keep all the kittens safely separate. We continued to monitor Parsley’s recovery with plenty of encouraging updates from her foster, who gave her all the medicine she needed — and we’re happy to report this little one is now back in good health!

When cats and kittens enter our care, we know that we have to do all we can to give them the best possible outcomes. Medical emergencies that put kittens like Parsley and Arroyo in grave danger can rack up thousands of dollars of vet bills in the blink of an eye — and we’re incredibly grateful that we can afford the cost, thanks to our generous supporters who believe that the chance at a long, healthy, and happy life is simply priceless.

Parsley and Thyme play with a cat dancer toy.

Arroyo's Story

Arroyo and his foster share a sweet moment.

When medical emergencies arise, we can step up, thanks to your support! We’ve recently had more urgent cases than usual — including Arroyo, a 6-month-old kitten who suddenly came down with a severe mystery affliction — and as always, our team was up for the challenge, because of the incredible donors who back our work.

When Arroyo’s foster texted us that he’d developed a bloody mouth full of ulcers overnight, we quickly got him to the vet. Shortly after, we received an urgent update: Arroyo needed emergency care that they could not provide. Something was wrong with his blood.

We dropped everything to transfer him to emergency care then and there. A few hours later, we learned that Arroyo’s blood had no platelets and couldn't clot.

Arroyo wears a bandage while recovering from his blood transfusion.

The vet advised us that Arroyo wouldn’t even be able to survive a tissue sample for diagnostics, so we had only two options: humane euthanasia or a hail-mary blood transfusion. We opted to give him the blood transfusion. We knew it might not work, but it was his only chance, and we had to take it.

Thankfully, Arroyo bounced back in less than 24 hours! We were overjoyed at his speedy stabilization, and delighted to be able to reunite him with his sister, Brooke, for careful monitoring in his foster home.

Arroyo snuggles with his sister, Brooke.

With his platelet count back up, we could perform lab work for his long-term care. The results?

Arroyo has a rare autoimmune condition, immune-mediated thrombocytopenia, which means his body attacks and destroys its own platelets. He’ll need steroids for the next 6 months to pull through, and his incredible foster has risen to the challenge for him.

Despite the medical turmoil, and many vet visits, Arroyo has remained active and happy. He’s a plucky little cat, after all, and we’re incredibly grateful to be able to help him, thanks to you!

Join Team Shailene

When a cat needs above-and-beyond help, we can step in because you support our work. Right now, Shailene could use a helping hand.

This darling young cat has the sweetest disposition, and loves to play with her sister and best friend, Reese — but Shailene has had chronic upper respiratory infections and nose bleeds since November, which haven’t improved with the usual medications. Her original diagnosis was calicivirus, a serious but highly treatable condition. With further investigation, we determined that she has a hole in her soft palate that connects to her nasal passages. She’ll need a rhinoscopy and CT scan to determine the best course of action for her treatment. The initial estimate for this care is $6,000, and once we get a prognosis, more medical work may be needed for her to make a recovery.

Shailene at Oakland Animal Services.

We want to get Shailene healthy, so that she and Reese can get adopted. We know these sweet girls can help bring joy, love, and comfort to some lucky family — all they need is a chance.

We’ve applied for grant funding for Shailene’s medical expenses, but the available funds won’t cover the full cost of her care. Will you join us on Team Shailene, and help get her to a specialist?

With your donation today, Shailene can have her best chance at a long, full life — and if we raise more funds than are needed for her care, we’ll be able to help even more cats get the medical care they need to thrive.

Thank you for all you do to help us give cats like Shailene and Reese a second chance!

With gratitude,

Your Cat Town team

Shailene and Reese in their foster home.

A Pep Talk for Crux and Sierra

Okay girls, we know you’re ready to find a very special adopter!

Crux — you have come so far since you first arrived at Cat Town! Your inner confident cat is on full display when you play with so many visitors. You pounce and leap and twirl and are clearly having fun. And all the while, your progress is growing by leaps and bounds, too!

“And lately, you’re letting people sit closer and closer, when before you would have dashed away. ”

When you first arrived at Cat Town you were so uncertain. You’d hide out in cubbies away from people and other cats, trying to feel safe in a strange new place. It’s great to now see you spend all your time in our big, open space with so many other cats and people. While you’re still a shy girl and not ready for pets, when we get out a toy, you are on it! And lately, you’re letting people sit closer and closer, when before you would have dashed away. We are so impressed with your progress, bringing you closer and closer to finding a forever home.

Crux, you are such a stunning tuxedo girl that everyone notices your striking beauty. Someday soon a patient and loving guardian will see what we see in you, and want to give both you and Sierra a home. You may now be starting to look for your person, too, because when you’re not playing, you’re perched on a chair watching everyone or looking out the window — and now your friend Sierra, has taken up the same watch!

Sierra, we know you’re shy about being touched as well, but people can’t help it: your unusual gray abby-tabby coloring — especially the lovely ombre gray stripes on your tail and legs — makes wanting to pet you the very first thought in our minds. We know you’re still building up courage to let admirers in just a little bit closer as you calmly perch on your favorite infinity scratcher (right next to the window, of course), and we are rooting for you to finally learn how great it is to have a human best friend. It’s just as good as having a feline friend, trust us!

We know that Crux has been a good role model for you — just a little more brave, and full-on when it comes to playing! We know that by watching her example, you’ll eventually graduate from your “one-paw-in, one-paw-out” approach to being all-in, too, but in your own way. You don’t have to leap in the air like Crux — she’s been practicing for months! When you’re ready to join in, we know you’ll have fun, and every baby step towards letting your guard down more is a step we celebrate with you.

One of these days, you both will be perched on a chair or leaning on the window, watching the passers-by, only to discover that a visitor inside, right behind you — someone very patient, with a soft spot for cats like you — is ready to invite you home to stay! We hope that day is soon, but for now, you have all the time you need with us.