From Street Cat to Sweet Cat - Against All Odds

By Willow Liroff

Trapped and brought to the Oakland shelter as a young adult, a scrawny street cat named Lavender would scramble away from any hands reaching into her cage.

A group of volunteers had just started Cat Town in 2011. I was up for a fostering challenge and took Lavender home to stay in my bathroom. During our visits, she’d make herself as small as she could, her tense body quaking each time my hand would make contact. I realized, sadly, that she viewed me as her captor.

One day, after a disheartening visit, I was opening the bathroom door to leave when my cat Pepe poked his head around the corner. I looked over to see Lavender half-standing from her hiding place behind the toilet, her head bobbing forward for a better view, wide-eyed but not with the look of terror I’d seen at the shelter—more like a child on Christmas.

When I opened the door wider, she bee-lined over to Pepe so abruptly that I braced myself for a fur-flying scuffle. Instead, Lavender head-butted him in the face, and I heard her purr for the first time. It was in this moment that I more deeply understood her fear; she had been completely isolated from her species, her community, in an unfamiliar indoor world.

For the next month, Lavender trotted about my apartment purring after my two cats, head-bonking them when they’d sit still long enough. I was stunned by their tolerance for her, considering the agitation they’d sometimes show one another. Perhaps they understood how pure her intentions were, how rough her life had been?

As the days passed, when I’d sneak in pets as Lavender ate, her body no longer shuddered from my touch—the purr would momentarily stop; then begin again, stronger than before. This evolved to her pausing mid-meal to lean tentatively, awkwardly, then heavily into a cheek scratch. Soon after, she’d stand on her back tip-toes to meet my hand as I petted her back.

These milestones would brighten my days as I watched her blossom with the small gift of feeling safe. My modest apartment had become an oasis for her—with community, reliable food, shelter, and a new human friend.

As the years pass, Lavender continues to show me that anything’s possible, perching on her back paws for a headlong nose-nudge of my hand, or creeping into the lap of a surprised house guest. I can hardly remember that terrified cat I first met at the shelter, as she smiles at me now, often purring with just a glance in her direction.

I'm refreshed and empowered by Lavender's simple, unabashed joy, when I can’t make all the difference I’d like to in the world. It’s taken so little to make all the difference in her life, and my “foster fail” (aka adoption) has brought so much light to mine.

Back to the Cat Town Blog.

Volunteer of the Month: Hali B.

So much of the life-changing and life-saving work Cat Town is able to do is because of our volunteers. Whether it’s transporting a cat to the vet or simply helping with laundry, every task adds up to making a big difference in the lives of vulnerable shelter cats in Oakland. And what better way to kick off Volunteer Appreciation Week 2018 than by celebrating our April Volunteer of the Month, Hali B. 

Hali is a rockstar volunteer who helps out in so many ways; working as an adoption counselor, fostering kittens, and assisting with planning Cat Town’s upcoming fall event, to name a few. She’s also been one of our generous donors, supporting our organization and its continued growth.

I talked with Hali about why volunteering at Cat Town is such a rewarding experience, and why she's supports our mission, with her time and with her donations.

Hali helps 6-month-old Bozeman burn off his kitten energy at Cat Town.

Larissa C.: You’ve volunteered at other animal welfare organizations in the past. What draws you to helping animals?

Hali B.: Animals have always been a part of my life. I grew up with horses, cats, dogs, rabbits, hamsters … even birds for a bit. I feel like they give so much and ask little in return. Animals need us to be their voice.

LC: Have you been a cat person your whole life?

HB: I have pictures of my family’s two cats in my crib before I was even born. I grew up with cats, and rescued my first cat in second grade when a fluffy little calico followed me and my sister home from the school bus stop. We begged our mom to let us keep her, and she said if she was still around in the morning, she would consider it. When we ran outside the next morning to check the little box we had set up for her, we were devastated that she wasn’t there. Then we heard this little meow and out came our little lady from under the flower bushes, and she became part of our family.

My cat now, Lily, was abandoned in our complex because her previous family moved to an apartment where they couldn’t have pets. They didn’t take her to the shelter because they were afraid that with her medical condition, she would be euthanized...Another neighbor was feeding her, but couldn’t take her inside because she had [another] cat. She asked us if we would consider taking her in. I was afraid because I knew she might be sick and I didn’t want to fall in love with her if we were going to potentially have to make a tough decision. But one night it was raining, and she was sitting outside on our patio. My sister opened the door and she came running in, jumped up on the couch next to me, rolled over, and showed me her belly. That was it! She was my cat. Luckily her medical condition is not a big deal and she will live a long, happy life.  

LC: How did you get involved with Cat Town?

HB: I had read an article about Cat Town when the café opened and thought it was such a cool concept. Shortly after I moved to Oakland I was exploring my new neighborhood, and I saw the sign for Cat Town—just two blocks from my house! I took it as a sign I had been meant to be there. I made a reservation to visit, and then shortly after that, I signed up for a volunteer information session.  

Hali's former foster kittens, Cheyenne and Mars, enjoying playtime.

LC: What is/have been your role(s) at Cat Town?

HB: I’ve done a little of everything. I started as a Cat Zone attendant. Then I received a note from Ann that said Cat Town was looking for urgent help to foster a couple sets of kittens temporarily because a cold was going around—I took in Mars and Cheyenne for a couple of weeks. After a week, I figured out they had come down with ringworm, so I quickly learned how to take care of ringworm kitties...I had them for about three months while they recovered.  

I trained as an adoption counselor (AC) and have been doing that for a couple of years now. I’ve also trained to work in the Studios (in the expanded adoption center) and to handle Forgotten Kitten Project (FKP) kittens, too. I spend most of my shift time filling in where ACs are needed. Being around the corner from Cat Town makes it easy to jump in when needed.

I also helped run the 2016 Saving Pets Challenge fundraising campaign, and now I’m working on the event planning committee, helping to plan our upcoming fall event.

LC: You volunteer in so many ways. What’s your favorite and why?

HB: Even though I haven’t had as much time as I’d like to, I love being able to help with socializing our Forgotten Kittens. When I fostered Mars and Cheyenne, they were so timid at first, hiding whenever I came into the room.  And then just spending time getting them to come out, little by little, playing with them, getting them to take treats from my hand. It’s like that with the FKPs, too. Seeing them get to a place where they begin to enjoy contact with humans is very rewarding. Every time one of those little ones start purring, I melt.

LC: Tell us about the event you’re helping plan for Cat Town! Can you talk about all the volunteer work that’s gone into it, and your role in helping the event take shape?

HB: We’re working on creating something that will be our signature event each year, so a lot of the planning so far has been around developing the theme. We want to be sure it will be a way to engage more of the community, creating enthusiasm to participate each year in supporting Cat Town’s mission. Now I’m moving into building out the program for the evening and creating a schedule for the event. We want guests to be entertained and have fun!

LC: Do you have a favorite memory or cat story from all your volunteering?

HB: My favorite cat story is Elsa’s story. I remember when she arrived at Cat Town, and she would just hide in the Tribune Tower, never allowing contact. There was just something about her face, and how she peered out of that hole. I remember talking about her with Ann, and Ann saying how she wondered if Elsa would come around, if pulling her for Cat Town was the right thing. I said I truly believed there was a sweet cat in there, down deep somewhere, and it would just take the right person for Elsa to become the cat she was meant to be. Elsa went to a foster, and I was so hopeful, but then she came back to the Cat Zone and I felt so bad for her, thinking she just wasn’t given a chance. But something had changed: Elsa began to explore. And play. And take treats from volunteers. We started to see her blossoming. Then Cathy (a Cat Town staffer) decided she had to bring Elsa to her forever home, and there she became that loveable little kitty loaf I knew was there all along. I love seeing Cathy’s posts on Elsa’s Instagram, watching Elsa be fabulous. This is exactly what Cat Town does—they take chances on cats who aren’t an immediate win and allow them to blossom.

LC: What would you say to someone interested in volunteering with Cat Town?

HB: I would tell them it’s been one of the best decisions I’ve ever made! I’ve had so many wonderful experiences with the cats, but I’ve also found a supportive network, and made some great friends, too.

Hali and other volunteers catch up during our annual Winter volunteer party.

LC: You’re not only a volunteer, but a donor. What’s your own personal reason for supporting Cat Town?

HB: I’ve seen the incredible work that Cat Town does firsthand, and how the organization is dedicated to giving every cat a chance to live a happy life. Every time we pull a cat from the shelter, it becomes a team effort to make sure the cat finds the right home situation.  I want to do everything I can to be sure Cat Town continues to thrive.

Interested in joining Team Cat Town and helping us save Oakland’s vulnerable cats? Ask about our volunteer roles, like transportation, outreach, fundraising, working with the Forgotten Kitten Project, and more! You can start with completing a volunteer application form or emailing info@cattownoakland.org to see how you can get involved.

Back to the Cat Town Blog.

Our New Mural Makes Its Mark

We're celebrating the completion of our new mural created by local artist Michelle Chan (AKA EKKE).

Michelle originates from Los Angeles, but has long called the Bay Area her home. Her art captures a mixture of colorful, whimsical characters with heavy influence from both the LA graffiti art scene and Asian-American pop culture. She is passionate about culture, community, and empowering youth through art. She says, “As an artist, I think it's important to support my community. I'm excited to help Cat Town raise money to save cats because I've seen with my own eyes how much they accomplish. Cat Town is one of many reasons I'm proud to call Oakland my home."

Donors gather for the mural reveal party at Cat Town on April 7th. Photo by Scott Russell.

As a volunteer at Oakland Animal Services, Cat Town Founder and Executive Director Ann Dunn saw the challenges faced by the under-resourced shelter to adequately care for the number of animals it receives each year, and the specific difficulties cats face in a shelter environment. What Cat Town does is act as a resource to the shelter, giving the most vulnerable cats a second chance to find loving homes.

"We are thrilled to see this mural come to life,” said Ann. “This new art will unify our newly expanded adoption center with the aesthetic of our original space. Michelle’s next mural will be at Oakland Animal Services, so it is also a visual connection to our partners at the shelter."

Michelle (left) and Ann pose at our mural reveal party on April 7th. Photo by Scott Russell.

This mural highlights not only our out-of-this-world cats, but Oakland, our home. Michelle dedicated more than 100 hours to the design and completion of this work of art, even flying in her friend, Zina, to complete the work in a single week!

If you’d like to be part of our mural and support our rescue efforts, there’s still space for a few more names. And to see more great work by Michelle and Zina, follow them on Instagram as @ekke_art and @bgirl_phenx.

Back to the Cat Town Blog.

Progress Report: Huey

After an injury left him unable to feel his tail and bladder, Cat Town took Huey under our wing. We knew this extra-friendly cat would need extra-special care, and we’re happy to report that, thanks to your donations, his medical condition has dramatically improved!

We noticed Huey was not treating his paralyzed tail with the care he would have if it had any feeling. Our vet agreed this put him at risk of future injury, and amputated his tail for his safety. Huey got top notch recovery care from his incredible foster, who happens to be a veterinary technician and made sure he healed up great after his surgery. We suspect that the unlimited cuddles may have helped, too.

“Huey is such a snuggler!” reports his foster mom. “He always wants to be on my lap, and when I wouldn't let him because I was on my laptop, he laid on the arm rest and very, very slowly let himself slide down until he was nestled in the crack next to me. Such a sweetie.”

- Shanti P., Huey's foster mom

Leading up to his surgery, our staff worked closely with the team at Claremont Veterinary Hospital to get Huey’s bladder under better control. After carefully trying a variety of medications, we found one that’s given us hope. In fact, with this latest medication, his foster mom reports that Huey’s bladder now typically only leaks when he’s fast asleep for long periods, usually at night. “He takes his pills very easily,” she reports,“ and since we started his new medication, he’s only leaked twice during the day, and just a small amount. Not like before.”

Despite all he’s been through, Huey remains a love-bug. In his foster home, even the resident “grumpy old girl” cat has succumbed to his charms — the two now sleep and cuddle together, although he is still unsuccessful in getting her interested in playtime. We’d love to find him an adopter who can shower him with affection, and would especially love to get him into a home with another cat who loves to play!

We are thrilled that the new medication is giving Huey more control, so he can get the affection he craves all day long. To maintain his progress, Huey will need to stay on his medication, prescription food, and get screenings every 6-8 months to make sure he doesn’t have an infection or crystals.

If you’d like to adopt Huey, you can schedule an appointment to meet him by emailing info@cattownoakland.org. And if you’d like to help more cats get the vet care they need, please consider making a donation to our Emergency Medical Fund.

UPDATE!
Huey has been adopted by his foster, Shanti, who writes:

”I underestimated Huey’s charms! He was so happy to be in a home and very clearly smitten with Clover... He would make gentle nudges and give her the sweetest little meows and before long they were napping together, grooming each other, and playing together. Clover has has always been afraid of nearly everything, but I can see Huey teaching her and giving her confidence. We’ve become a little family without even trying.”

We could not be happier for Huey, Shanti, and Clover! Thank you for making this wonderful adoption possible!

Back to the Cat Town Blog.

KITTEN WIRE: HOW PLAY HELPED A CAT NAMED TYRA

OAKLAND — At first, it was just a glimpse of blue eyes peeking out from a hiding place. Sightings of Tyra, who came to us shy and a bit jumpy in early March, were few and far between.

But lately, we've noticed this member of the Forgotten Kitten Project showing more of her playful side. And we think the dedicated playtime — involving other cats and plenty of different toys — has helped her gain confidence and show her energetic kitten self.

Tyra, a 9-month-old Lilac Point Siamese mix, isn't quite ready to be adopted. But we are thrilled with her progress. Check out these photos showing her evolution over the course of just a few weeks. 

First day at Cat Town out of her crate, wide eyed and doing her best to hide. Photo by Liz Lazich.

Tucked back in the Quiet Zone. Photo by Cathy Niland.

She ventured outside the Quiet Zone and into the Tribune Tower in the main room, but still hunkered down. Photo by Cathy Niland.

Watching other cats play and thinking about joining in. Photo by Scott Russell.

Beginning to engage in play from a safe spot. Photo by Scott Russell.

Playing out in the open with a confidence boost from the other cats. Photo by Laura Blangsted.

Now she's just showing off! Photo by Laura Blangsted.

We'll be sure to keep you posted on Tyra's continued progress. In the mean time, feel free to help her socialize by visiting her and our other Cat Zone cats here at 2869 Broadway in Oakland.

Cat Town is working to help other rescues across the country replicate our work with Forgotten Kittens thanks to a generous grant from Maddie’s Fund. First visit to the Cat Town blog? Learn more about our Forgotten Kitten Project in our regular Kitten Wire dispatch.

Back to the Cat Town Blog.