At Cat Town, cats who don't usually have other options can be seen for who they are, no matter their need. There are many types of cats who find their way to us: scared cats, shy cats, sick, injured, and old cats, black cats, bonded pairs — and ASS cats. That's a term we made up, and stands for Angry Surrender Syndrome (another term we made up).
“When cats go from living in a home to life at the shelter, it is often because something has happened to their caretaker, and no one else is able to step in to help. But, once they land in a cage, their behavior marks them as unadoptable by most rescue standards, and can be a reason for euthanasia at many shelters.”
Here's what we mean: a cat who has lived in a home, as part of a family its whole life, is used to a certain standard of living. A pampered house cat who suddenly finds themselves confined in a kennel is not going to be happy with their new circumstances. In fact, they might get very upset. They've done nothing wrong, but suddenly all their favorite things in life have vanished — their people, toys, sunny spot by the window, and even the food they typically eat are all gone. They’ve lost all control over their environment. Because of this, these cats can react very badly to life in a cage, and might hiss, stomp, and spit at anyone who comes nearby. It can be scary!
Lilu became depressed and less social after the other cat she lived with died, and found herself even more stressed when she was surrendered to the city shelter.
When cats go from living in a home to life at the shelter, it is often because something has happened to their caretaker, and no one else is able to step in to help. But, once they land in a cage, their behavior marks them as unadoptable by most rescue standards, and can be a reason for euthanasia at many shelters.
If we encounter a cat reacting like this at the shelter, and we know they came from a home, we always try to help them. In fact, because we work so closely with Oakland Animal Services, the staff and volunteers there might even point out these cats to us upon arrival. Often, simply getting them out of the cage is enough for them to relax, and then they can show off how wonderful they really are, and get adopted.
Just days after arriving at Cat Town, Lilu was able to relax, and show everyone her sweet disposition. She got adopted in less than a week!
ASS cats are also one of the reasons we started our Legacy of Love program. Because of Cat Town’s cage-free rescue model, the cats enrolled in Legacy of Love will never face the stress and fear that can be caused by waiting in a cage — and by enrolling, participants help many other cats find their way from a shelter cage to Cat Town, and into loving homes.
Removing cages from the rescue equation also removes a lot of stress, which is why Cat Town's Adoption Center and foster network are completely cage free. If you're interested in enrolling your cat in our Legacy of Love program, email us at legacy[at]cattownoakland.org. Or, if you think you might be ready to adopt, check out all the cats we have waiting in foster homes, ready for love. We'd love to help you find your next best friend, and give a cat in need a chance at finding love outside of a cage.