Taking a chance — for Pita
I’ve worked in animal welfare for nearly three decades now, and one of the reasons I love working for Cat Town is that we take chances. Often, this means a cat who wouldn’t have been saved otherwise can get the support they need. That was certainly the case for Pita! Pita was living in a feral colony in July before arriving at the Oakland Animal Services city shelter. She hid in a tiny “feral box” inside her shelter cage, and was…
I’ve worked in animal welfare for nearly three decades now, and one of the reasons I love working for Cat Town is that we take chances. Often, this means a cat who wouldn’t have been saved otherwise can get the support they need. That was certainly the case for Pita!
Pita was living in a feral colony in July before arriving at the Oakland Animal Services city shelter. She hid in a tiny “feral box” inside her shelter cage, and was unresponsive to petting. Pita wanted to disappear instead.
At one year old, Pita was much older than the typical 10-week-old age limit for helping under-socialized kittens feel brave. We weren’t sure we could help her, but when we saw glimpses of sweetness surface, we decided to try, and got her into one of our foster homes. There, this kitten-at-heart quickly gained confidence thanks to lots of wand toy playtime. However, weeks passed, and she completely stalled out on letting herself be touched. Her foster, who wanted Pita to thrive and find a loving home, reached out for guidance.
My mission was to help Pita’s foster — who had invested so much time and love into our little project-kitty — as much as it was to help little Pita herself.
Typically, I’d do a home visit to see what we might change to continue Pita’s progress, but in the middle of a pandemic, that simply wasn’t an option. Instead, we tested out virtual video-chat consultation to help Pita cross that final barrier. Just a week after some online coaching on treat delivery and approach, Pita decided that petting was A-OK! Now this little girl even approaches her foster for affection and purrs when touched — a breakthrough that warms my heart no matter how often I see it, and makes me thankful that Cat Town looks out for cats like Pita.
Progress like this comes from taking chances. For us staff, we leaned into virtual support to give our fosters encouragement and advice when they needed help. For kittens like Pita, it’s taking a leap of faith even when they’re still not so sure about people.
Now Pita is ready to find herself a home — because this year, we found new ways to set our fosters up for success. With your support, we can continue to take chances, and make more progress, to help as many scared kittens as possible.
Seeing is Believing!
When I think of Cat Town, I think of life-changing transformations, like the one we saw with Farallon just a few weeks ago. Farallon arrived at the city shelter in a terrible state. He hadn’t eaten for days, and was deteriorating so quickly that the shelter sent us an SOS message to come and help him. Our team rushed him to Cat Town, to be seen at our veterinarian and get the care he urgently needed. We quickly learned that Farallon had…
When I think of Cat Town, I think of life-changing transformations, like the one we saw with Farallon just a few weeks ago.
Farallon arrived at the city shelter in a terrible state. He hadn’t eaten for days, and was deteriorating so quickly that the shelter sent us an SOS message to come and help him. Our team rushed him to Cat Town, to be seen at our veterinarian and get the care he urgently needed.
We quickly learned that Farallon had an upper respiratory infection, severe dehydration, and painful ulcers in his mouth. He wasn’t eating or grooming. His body was weak, scraggly, and covered in flea dirt. At one year old, he weighed only 6 pounds.
Diagnosis in hand, we placed this sweet boy into foster care, and gave him medication to heal his mouth as well as an oral analgesic to numb his painful sores. The difference was immediate. He could eat again, drink again, and clean himself. His ulcers healed. Under the careful watch of his foster, he gained weight at a safe and healthy speed — in spite of his “sneaky snacking” on her own cat’s dinner. His true, loving spirit began to shine through, so of course it didn’t take long for him to find his family after that!
Now, Farallon gallops around his home, plays gently with his new cat brothers, helps his teenage human with her homework, and stays close to his people. In the words of his adopter, “he’s a keeper.”
For so many of the cats at Cat Town, the work we do only makes sense when you can see where they started from. Farallon needed immediate medical attention, and thanks to people like you, we were able to act quickly to save his life. Supporters like you empower Cat Town to do the most good we can, whenever we’re needed.
At an open-intake shelter like Oakland Animal Services, there simply aren’t enough resources to give every cat the medical care they need — which is why an anonymous Cat Town donor is matching your Giving Tuesday donations tomorrow and today to help these cats! This challenge starts now, and ends at 8am on Wednesday, so please consider making a gift today to help twice as many cats receive life-changing medical care.
Gerrie's Happily Ever After
Cat Town could not help cats without people like you, so today, in thanks, we’re telling you about a senior cat you helped: Gerrie. Gerrie is 12 years old, walks with a limp, and has trouble getting around. He also needs a special diet and medication to help with his kidney function and arthritis, and has a history of night-yowling and missing his litter box. That might seem like a lot for one cat, but we…
Cat Town could not help cats without people like you, so today, in thanks, we’re telling you about a senior cat you helped: Gerrie.
Gerrie is 12 years old, walks with a limp, and has trouble getting around. He also needs a special diet and medication to help with his kidney function and arthritis, and has a history of night-yowling and missing his litter box. That might seem like a lot for one cat, but we knew that Gerrie still deserved a second chance. We set him up in a calm foster home, where one of our superstar fosters helped him feel at ease right away. Our staff made sure he had no medical reason for his litter box troubles, and taught him to use a timed feeder so that he wouldn’t yell for food at night. We worked to make it easier for him to get into his litter box, and he soon got back on track using it. Before we knew it, Gerrie was ready to get adopted!
We knew he’d need someone patient and understanding, who would meet him where he was. What we didn’t know is that he'd soon encounter an incredible couple of adopters, with lots of experience loving senior cats like him. They fell head over heels for Gerrie, and brought him home! Recently they sent us this update:
“We love this little guy very much and are so happy he’s part of our family.”
Gerrie has been such a sweetheart, and so easy to care for. He lets us know when he's hungry and when he wants his cuddles, and he and my husband have become inseparable. Gerrie loves to cuddle with him whenever he gets a chance — it's just too cute! The two of them always sit together, watching TV or taking naps. We recently bought him a cat house teepee with a heating pad and he LOVES it. He sleeps most of the day in it.
He's got a healthy appetite, and we're working on getting him more exercise by helping him walk around with a sling a few times a day. When we first brought him home, he would lie down the entire time while drinking and eating, and couldn't walk 5-feet before he would lie down. Now he's able to eat sitting and standing up, and can walk 20-feet without stopping. Gerrie has started physical therapy, and we're getting him a custom leg brace that arrives in the next 2-weeks. Also, he has not been yowling at night!
This past weekend, we have started taking Gerrie for neighborhood walks with us inside his "cat modified" backpack and camo harness. It helps him get some fresh air and sun, but it also brings such a HUGE smile to our neighbors when they see him. He's super chill and enjoys the outdoor adventure.
We love this little guy very much and are so happy he's part of our family.
We’ve always known that Cat Town has the best adopters, but it’s in moments like these we are again reminded just how fabulous our community is.
When Cat Town was founded almost 10 years ago, we counted on the goodness of people to support the overlooked shelter cats that needed our help — and we were not let down. Thank you for making it possible for cats like Gerrie to find adopters who will understand him, appreciate him, and love him. Because of your support, Gerrie found love!
From all of us at Cat Town, we hope your holidays are full of love and joy.
Bobbie and Vanessa
Sometimes cats need you to be their hero. Other times, they’re the inspiration we need to keep doing our best. Bobbie arrived at Cat Town, partially blind with cataracts, severely inflamed skin, and a sore mouthful of bad teeth. Thankfully, Cat Town was able to get her out of the shelter and into a foster home…
Sometimes cats need you to be their hero. Other times, they’re the inspiration we need to keep doing our best. Bobbie arrived at Cat Town, partially blind with cataracts, severely inflamed skin, and a sore mouthful of bad teeth. Thankfully, Cat Town was able to get her out of the shelter and into a foster home, where your donations got her the quick medical help she needed. Here she met Vanessa, and that’s when the real magic began.
“Having her companionship has been a game-changer. Seeing how she doesn’t let her limited vision slow her down keeps me motivated to keep getting better. ”
Earlier this year I had an unexpected accident. I ended up on crutches and needed to learn how to do everything all over again. Whether it was taking a shower, getting a comfortable night of sleep, or getting into a car. I spent a lot of time alone at home because it was easier not to leave the house and deal with the pity and inconvenience I caused everyone around me.
However, my birthday came during the peak of my injury. The only thing I could physically do was go to the cat cafe down the street. I had always liked cats and had considered getting one, so when I learned the cafe was also an adoption center, I decided to look into it. The center focused on some of the most difficult cats to adopt. Once I was able to walk again and could take care of an animal, I scanned their website looking for a good fit and I was immediately attracted to Bobbie, who was in a foster home at the time. She was blind and older, but seemed like a sweet cat. I later learned she was one of the longest they had in their care because of her disability and medical needs. My temporary disability made me feel a connection to her, so although it would be a challenge, I decided to adopt her.
While I was excited to have Bobbie, I definitely was terrified. I thought about returning her to Cat Town multiple times in the first week — not because of anything she did, but my own anxiety. She was the biggest commitment I had ever made in my life and I wasn’t sure what to do.
Bobbie and Vanessa, home at last!
Things changed when she began to want to be near me. She would see me on the couch and lay down right beside it on the floor. Gradually she moved up to on the couch, next to me. Eventually, I figured out where she likes to be pet and we would spend hours together, and sometimes fall asleep with me giving her rubs under her chin. And when I woke up, I would feel misty-eyed knowing that she waited in foster care for so long for a forever home where she could have these little moments.
She’s needs multiple medications and sometimes forgets to use the litter box, but we are a team. After spending so much time alone as I recovered, having her companionship has been a game-changer. Seeing how she doesn’t let her limited vision slow her down keeps me motivated to keep getting better. And I wouldn’t change a thing.
—Vanessa W.
Stories like Bobbie’s and Vanessa’s are possible because of our Emergency Medical Fund, supported entirely by donors. Thank you for helping her find a home where her determination and love could change Vanessa’s life!
Every Cat is Family
I know from experience that Cat Town does all they can to help the cats who need the most support. My story starts with a cat named Bruno, the first of three wonderful cats I adopted from Cat Town. Bruno was an 8 year old black cat with a cauliflower ear. Before he came to Cat Town, he had been in a cage for 7 years…
“I am grateful to Cat Town for giving us both that gift. The way they supported him, and me, told me everything I needed to know about them.”
I know from experience that Cat Town does all they can to help the cats who need the most support. My story starts with a cat named Bruno, the first of three wonderful cats I adopted from Cat Town.
Bruno was an 8 year old black cat with a cauliflower ear. Before he came to Cat Town, he had been in a cage for 7 years at another rescue, waiting to be adopted. I immediately fell in love with him. He was a sweet cat with the loudest meow, and he instantly bonded with my resident kitty. However, Bruno quickly became ill.
Adopting suddenly meant hospice care, instead of the many years of human strength head butts I had envisioned. Cat Town stepped in and covered 100% of the expenses for Bruno's end-of-life care, answered all of my questions, and checked on us often. With Cat Town’s help, Bruno lived his last months in a home, knowing he was loved, and purring next to me every night before bed.
I am grateful to Cat Town for giving us both that gift. The way they supported him, and me, told me everything I needed to know about them.
After a couple of months, I asked Cat Town if they had other cats having trouble being adopted. They told me about Ollie, an FIV-positive cat who had been dumped at Oakland Animal Services, covered in fleas and scabies. His eyes were practically swollen shut. He was missing some teeth, and needed to have more teeth pulled. I wasn’t sure I was ready to adopt yet, so agreed to foster Ollie so Cat Town could give him the medical care he needed… but that lasted all of one day. I had to adopt him.
Today, Ollie is healthy. He still squints a lot and is a little cross-eyed, his tongue falls out from time to time when he sleeps, and his feet and tail are too small for his body. In other words, he could not be more perfect!
Ollie loves other cats, so when his cat buddies passed away last year, I could tell he was lonely. I reached out to Cat Town, and knowing me as they do, they said they had the perfect cat for me: Tony! Tony is a senior cat with FIV, and at the time, had a bad cold, and an ear infection. The Oakland city shelter had asked three other rescues if they would help him, but all declined. Cat Town got him into foster care, and put him in their senior medical program, “In It for Life,” so they’ll cover his medical care forever.
Once I met him, there was no going back. Tony is a sweet and loving cat. He’s always sneezing and drooling, but he makes up for always being damp with his goofy nature. He and Ollie have become buddies, which is exactly what I hoped for.
Cat Town found the perfect cats for me because they spend time getting to know each cat in their care. They treat every cat like family — and because of that, my cats got a chance to get out of a cage and find their way to me, where they belong.
I hope you’ll help more cats find the people waiting to love them with a gift today.
Thank you,
Jennifer, Adopter of Bruno, Ollie & Tony
