In Part 2 of our team’s most memorable adoption stories from this year, we reflect on the power of connection: the bonds between cats, the trust they build with us, and the love they bring into their new homes.

When our team looks back at this year’s adoptions so far, we recognize the impact you’ve made on each of the 399 cats who found homes. From overlooked fearful cats to shy and misunderstood seniors, every cat’s successful adoption started with you in our corner, giving us the time, resources, and belief that these cats can be celebrated and deserve a second chance.

In October 2014, Cat Town made history by opening America’s first cat cafe, right here in Oakland. We launched this adoption center with a big dream and radical vision: to help older, shy, and sick cats have their chance at adoption, and prove that cats least likely to be adopted could find a home with the right support. In our first year of operating, we saved 467 cats — more cats than in our previous three years of work combined.

Your support helped us surpass our all-time record, with a whopping 463 adoptions in 2023, and ensured we could stay focused on supporting the cats who needed us most. While we shared many of our team’s favorite adoptions with you from the year, we have one more to share as we reflect on all you helped us accomplish and the work we look forward to doing in 2024. This is Adeline’s story of Crouton.