Six months ago, Cat Town completely changed two lives: mine, and my best friend Louie’s.
At the time, Louie was a charming little gray cat living — terrified and shy — at the Oakland shelter. I was a woman with autism living — lonely and disconnected — in a little apartment. Because he was too shy to be adopted, Cat Town placed little Lou in my home as a foster. I couldn’t resist adopting him.
It can be difficult for some of Cat Town’s older, less outgoing, or higher-need cats to find their perfect match, so we’re turning the spotlight on a few of our feline residents who need an extra special person or family this holiday season. If you’re looking to make a big impact in the life of a vulnerable shelter cat, you could be what we call “a hero adopter”. A hero adopter is someone with an extra-large heart, open to helping a cat still building a positive relationship with humans or facing health challenges.
Meet all our cats looking for hero adopters, and if you are a hero waiting in the wings, we hope you'll take to the stage during this holiday season!
OAKLAND — Kitten season may be over by traditional shelter standards, but Cat Town is still flush with young felines.
Right now, you can meet 14 while sipping a RAWR cappuccino in our main adoption center, visit with another seven in the Studios next door, or schedule adoption session with three in foster homes, where they are getting one-on-one attention until their future guardians come along.
I have two hearts — one for Oakland Animal Services and one for Cat Town.
Which is why I must tell you how much Cat Town has changed the shelter.
When I began volunteering at the Oakland shelter 9 years ago, contagious diseases, even if treatable, were often cause for euthanasia. The shelter has just one vet for hundreds of animals, and there was no capacity to help these sick cats without also risking the lives of healthy ones.
So much of the amazing work Cat Town does is in large part thanks to the tireless dedication of our volunteers. From helping with laundry to adoption counseling to event planning. One such volunteer is Julie W., who wears many hats at Cat Town and helps with a wide variety of projects.
I talked with Julie about why volunteering at Cat Town is such a rewarding experience, and how exciting it can be to see the progress our under socialized cats can make in even a short period of time.
