When our team thinks about our absolute favorite adoptions of the year, the cats all have one thing in common: you were their hero.
You stepped up to give at-risk shelter cats a second chance at a happy, healthy life. You gave us the resources we needed to really see these cats at their best. You helped us support them, and get them adopted, so they could thrive in loving homes. You were their hero, and ours.
Here’s what you’ve made possible so far this year:
122 overlooked adult cats could let their guards down after weeks in shelter cages
82 scared, hissy kittens grew up to be brave cats, and trust people for the first time in their young lives
17 cats with FIV and 3 cats with FeLV found homes, despite the stigma surrounding these health conditions
72 black cats had their lucky day, finding great homes
58 senior cats landed on their feet to live the rest of their days in comfort
113 sick or injured cats received surgery, medicine, dental work, or life-saving diagnostics
170 cats in bonded pairs got adopted with their best friends
125 cats received dedicated post-adoption support from our volunteer Case Managers, helping them blossom in their new homes
These cats are more just than a statistic. Thanks to you, they blossomed into incredible companions, and now get to live long and vibrant lives with people who consider them family. Here are just a few of our favorite adoptions from this year.
GENEVIEVE’S Pick: ROY ROGERS
When a potential adopter contacted Cat Town to set up a meeting with Roy Rogers at his foster home, I looked in his files, and saw that he was surrendered to Oakland Animal Services matted and obese, too large to fit into their cat kennels. His medical notes included that he had severe arthritis and possible fractures in his ankles from the pressure of his weight on his bones. All of this, and he was only 6 years old.
Roy Rogers in his foster home.
As a sucker for a big orange tabby cat, I was predisposed to love this guy. What I wasn’t prepared for was the sight of Roy Rogers trying to run to greet us at the door when the potential adopter and I walked into the foster’s apartment. It looked incredibly painful for him, but he didn’t seem to really mind. Imagine almost 30 pounds of orange tabby cat limping his way toward you as fast as he could go (not very fast). It was love at first sight for me and his adopter both. His wonderful foster said that part of his exercise and diet plan was following her around the house when she was cleaning, as he always wanted to be wherever she was.
The adopter had to consider not just helping Roy Rogers lose some weight, but also giving him daily pain medication, and the possibility of upcoming medical costs for his care. She had originally contacted us about a cat who needed medical care for diabetes, so she was ready to take on the responsibility from the get-go.
Roy was scheduled for a round of cold laser therapy, a non-invasive treatment for inflammation that the doctors wanted to try for this big boy with terrible joints but a heart of gold. The adopter followed through on the treatment, and reports that Roy is doing great, has lost some weight (and is still working on it), loves to hang out on the couch or bed and greet visitors (walking right up to them for attention), and has made friends with the adopter’s other cat.
I am so grateful to be a part of an organization like Cat Town, taking on these harder to adopt cats and getting them the love and care they deserve.
MELANIE’S PicK: JEEPERS
Jeepers with his adopter.
Jeepers came to Cat Town shortly after I joined the staff in September. He came to us through Oakland Animal Services, and before that was a stray believed to be a part of a cat colony.
Jeepers was friendly from the start, and quickly became a crowd favorite with Cat Town visitors. No matter the time of day, I could count on Jeepers to rush over to greet me at his studio door, happily accept my pets and scritches, and put a smile on my face. He is one of those cats who was always a joy to visit during his Cat Town stay.
Even though Jeepers is FIV positive and 9 years old, I knew he would get adopted quickly (and I was right). He was at Cat Town less than three weeks when a young woman adopted him. Jeepers was the first adoption pick-up I witnessed since joining the staff, and it was wonderful to see how excited his adopter was to take him home. I knew I would miss him, but was so happy to see him going to someone who already loved him so much.
Jeepers. Photo by David Yeung.
QUINN’S PicK: BILLY BUTTONS & HONEYBEE
I don’t foster much because my own cats get so jealous, but during the summer, I have to — the shelter just gets too full to ignore the need! This year, Billy Buttons and Honeybee were my foster kittens.
Billy Buttons and Honeybee. Photo by Erica Danger.
Honeybee had been in quarantine for nearly a quarter of her young life, and was a little play aggressive. We paired her with Billy, a sweet kitten who we thought could show her the ropes. At first, she scared him with how rough she played — he trembled in his bed, and hid to avoid her. At one point, I separated them for a few hours to let him regain his composure and comfort him. I had to work really hard to remind myself that Honey wasn’t a total jerk — she just didn’t know any better, and was still learning after so much time living all alone. With just a little more time, they found their rhythm, and Billy learned to hold his own. They were soon playing as equals, with Honeybee following and imitating Billy Buttons’s every move like a star-struck little sister.
When they got big enough, I took them to get spayed and neutered — then they moved to our Adoption Center, where determined little Billy proceeded to muscle his way out of our summertime “kitten pen” approximately every 15 minutes. It was utter havoc until we could upgrade our door latch system from simple velcro — which had been enough to hold back years of kittens — to metal hardware. Fortunately, they found a great adopter in just a few days, and quickly made themselves at home.
Both of these cuties absolutely stole my heart, and I’m so grateful that the person who adopted them loves them to the moon and back.
Billy Buttons and Honeybee with their adopter.