We’re wrapping up the year with more of our favorite adoptions of 2023! As we look ahead to 2024, we hope to share more of these stories with you. Thank you for supporting Cat Town’s work, and making outcomes like these an everyday occurrence for cats who have so few options at the shelter. Your support makes all the difference, and gives these cats a chance at a loving home!
Andrew’S PICK: chadwick
For this blog post, I was tasked with sharing one of my favorite adoptions from this year. However, I find myself drawn to recount the story of the very last adoption from last year.
In December, a very sweet, frail, elderly cat was found wandering alone in Oakland. A compassionate individual brought him to Oakland Animal Services, and the shelter's veterinarian diagnosed him with kidney disease, a common ailment in older cats. His overall condition and behavior suggested there might be more severe health issues at play, possibly lymphoma, although we lacked a definitive diagnosis.
Chadwick at Andrew’s home.
At Cat Town, assisting senior cats in such conditions is a fundamental part of our mission, and I hold a personal fondness for these special cases. With my ever-supportive spouse's agreement, we welcomed him into our home as a foster, knowing he might be nearing the end of his journey. We named him Chadwick.
After consulting with Cat Town’s vet, we chose hospice palliative care to ensure his remaining time was as comfortable as possible. I believe that hospice care is one of the most compassionate things we can provide to our pets as they reach the end of their lives. We began administering medication to maintain his comfort. He was in good spirits, craving nothing more than affection, and a warm lap to snuggle on.
His impact on us was such that he became only our second "foster fail" after having fostered over a hundred cats and kittens. He was deeply cherished, and on New Year's Eve, we decided he should permanently become part of our family. He spent one more precious week with us, which I like to believe was his happiest.
Chadwick, adopted in time to spend his last days showered with love.
Dilara’s PicK: Caspian
Caspian at Oakland Animal Services.
For those familiar with the Narnia series, the name Caspian likely evokes a handsome prince who triumphs over his sad past with some help from his friends. I like to think of cat Caspian’s story as a modern-day parallel — with volunteers and staff playing the role of magical badgers and lions to lead him to success.
When I first met Caspian, he was hunkered down on a top shelf in a cage at our local municipal shelter, Oakland Animal Services. He lowered his ears and hissed when I got near him to express how scared he was. Staff, in turn, was scared to clean around him, as he would swat in self-defense. Even tasty treats were no bribe for him. To say he was miserable is no understatement, and his options were limited since no one could handle him.
Caspian de-stressing in his cozy foster home.
Luckily, we had some history on this sad fellow. He had shown up on the porch of a cat lover (smart boy!) who brought him to OAS because he was underweight and had a bad upper respiratory infection. They impressed upon us how pettable and sweet he was with them, so we felt secure taking the plunge — when a cat shows ONE person they love attention and enjoy handling, we know we can get there with other people.
And indeed we did! He first went to a superstar foster of ours, who had him purring and playing within days, and later at our Adoption Center, he quickly wooed a potential adopter who was calm and patient — the perfect match for our noble prince.
Caspian’s tale is special to me because while we may never know his full story, it was clear even through his ferocious hissing that he had experienced human love in the past — and we wanted so badly to get him to a place where he could feel safe enough to experience it again. Many hands played a part in his journey, which is a real Cat Town success story!
Caspian quickly became a volunteer favorite at our Adoption Center. Photo by David Yeung.
Suzanne’S PicK: Francis
Francis found comfort in hanging out with other shy cats while he built up his confidence. Photo by Teresa Wood.
After my first visit to Cat Town, about a month before I joined the staff as the new Volunteer Manager, I found myself thinking multiple times a day about one particular cat: Francis. A big, sturdy boy with a plush gray velvet coat and jade green eyes, he never left his safe space in the “Quiet Zone” that afternoon. He was timid and hand shy and his pupils were ginormous, but after I talked softly to him from a distance for a while, he accepted a treat and allowed me to stroke his cheek. I felt strongly there was a sweet, affectionate cat beneath his anxious facade, and was reassured by a volunteer, Pam H, that he’d have all the time he needed to blossom.
Francis happily playing in the center of our free-roaming room at the Adoption Center. Photo by David Yeung.
Fast forward to my first day on the job, and there was Francis, out and about, enjoying playtime and snoozing in sunbeams — Pam was right! Not long after, his new family came in to bring him home, and I asked to be the one to help him into his carrier. As it turned out, Francis had built enough trust to stroll right in with zero assistance — he only needed a little encouragement (and some Churu!).
To me, Francis represents the story of so many cats passed over in a traditional shelter model, who ultimately thrive with time and love. He convinced me that he’d come to the right place, and ultimately, so had I.
Francis lounging confidently. Photo by Grace Fujii.
BELLE’S PICK: THE FRUIT FAMILY
Apple with her kittens — Coconut, Fig, and Papaya — waiting to be adopted at Pet Food Express.
Oakland Animal Services saved Apple when she went into distress during labor, because one of her kittens was stuck in her birth canal. OakVet Animal Speciality Hospital assisted Apple to safely deliver three healthy kittens: Fig, Coconut, and Papaya. Once stable, the family was transferred into Cat Town foster care with our Adoption Coordinator, Genevieve. After a few weeks of warm and cozy care in Genevieve’s home, the kittens were old enough for adoption, so the whole family moved to our Rockridge Pet Food Express adoption area!
At first this little family was intimidated by their new environment — but fortunately, we have over 60 PFE volunteers who spent their mornings and evenings doting on the Fruit Family. Their shyness was swiftly replaced with playfulness! Coconut and Fig got adopted first, then Mama Apple. That left Papaya looking for a buddy to go home to — until we noticed the patch of hair loss forming around her eyebrow. A blacklight exam quickly confirmed what we feared: ringworm.
While ringworm is a minor fungal infection, it’s highly contagious, so little Papaya needed to isolate during her treatment in our care. Photo by David Yeung.
We immediately moved Papaya to a Cat Town Studio for isolation during her anti-fungal treatment, and our socialization volunteers gowned up in full personal protective equipment (PPE) to provide plenty of playtime and cuddles. We also called Apple, Coconut, and Fig’s adopters to help test them for ringworm, and when all three cats tested positive, we offered them the option to treat at home through their veterinarian, or come to Cat Town for treatment — whatever it took to get the kitties healthy and comfortable.
Papaya (top left) reunited with her siblings, Fig (right) and Coconut (bottom left) for ringworm treatment. Photos by David Yeung.
Apple’s adopters worked with their vet to create a treatment plan, so she was able to stay at home. Coconut and Fig’s adopters opted to return the kittens to Cat Town for treatment to keep their other cat ringworm-free, and Papaya was SO happy to have her siblings back! The adopters missed their kittens so much that they soon learned the ropes of suiting up in PPE so they could visit them.
For 7 weeks, our Cat Care Attendants suited up to clean, feed, and medicate the trio, morning and night. What’s more — our team thoroughly sprayed the kittens with a lime-sulfur dip and deep cleaned their Studio twice a week. Our staff, volunteers, and even the adopters all stepped up to help with the intensive treatment! By the time the kittens were officially cleared of ringworm (almost two months after their first positive test), Coconut and Fig’s adopters had spent so much time caring for and loving on Papaya that they just couldn’t let her go — so they officially adopted Coconut, Fig, AND Papaya!
Papaya, Fig, and Coconut, at home and ringworm free!
Apple, living her best life with her family.
The journey of Apple, Papaya, Fig, and Coconut’s adoptions truly exemplifies the incredible love for cats in our community that I’ve witnessed over and over again in my first year at Cat Town. I can’t wait for next year!
Thank you for helping all of these cats (and kittens!) receive the care they needed. Donors support everything we do, and made each of these adoptions possible. Thank you for touching our hearts so deeply by helping us support these cats, and helping create so many loving families in our community.
Cover photo by Grace Fujii.