Wayne and Garth: Overcoming Obstacles Together
Wayne and Garth first came to Cat Town in late 2023 as undersocialized older kittens. They were wary of people — hand-shy and understandably stressed in an overwhelming shelter setting. On top of that, they were battling upper respiratory infections so severe that their nasal discharge was tinged with blood. Knowing these obstacles would make them harder to adopt, Cat Town brought them in.
Cat Town exists to help cats who struggle in traditional shelter conditions — the fearful, stressed, undersocialized, and medically complicated cats who are often overlooked. Wayne and Garth checked many of those boxes:
They were older kittens, and still wary of humans, so most rescues didn’t have the set up they’d need to succeed
They were bonded, so would need an adopter willing to take two cats together
Their multiple medical needs required immediate investment, follow-through, and monitoring — unknowns that can make it challenging to commit to their care
These obstacles could have kept them stuck in a shelter system. Cat Town’s tried-and-true rescue model would change that outcome.
Wayne and Garth in their first two months at the Adoption Center. Photos by David Yeung.
As 6-month-olds in our Forgotten Kitten Project, they needed stability, patience, and time for their confidence to develop in a way that adopters could see.
First, we addressed both of their respiratory infections, then we focused on their more chronic medical issues that limited their quality of life. Garth had entropion, a painful genetic condition where the eyelids turn inward and eyelashes rub against the eye. In our care, he received corrective eye surgery. He had painfully rotted teeth that made eating difficult, so we got him dental surgery. Wayne’s eyes were unusual too — he had corneal damage that wasn’t painful, and wasn’t severe enough to require surgery at the time, but would need monitoring for signs of deterioration.
Then, we began focusing on the bigger picture: what would it take for these cats to build the courage needed to become adoptable?
One way for cats to develop trust is to see trusting behavior modeled by other cats, so we placed them in our free-roaming space for some social learning. Although Wayne and Garth settled into our Cat Zone quickly, they struggled to attract adopters. They remained hesitant around people, which the average guest could quickly perceive as “not interested” or “not friendly.” We could see they would need more predictable interactions to adjust at their own pace, so we decided to try another approach and give them more time.
Wayne happily playing with guests. Photo by David Yeung.
Their key turning point was foster care. In a quiet home environment, and with a foster guardian experienced helping shy cats who could help them learn a routine, their wariness softened and their personalities came forward. When it looked like this breakthrough confidence would remain steady, we brought them back to the Adoption Center to live in their own studio for more visibility to adopters, with their sweetness showing up front and center — a nice balance between the calm of a foster home and the visibility of our free roaming room.
They had made so much progress in foster that this turned out to be the perfect solution: these once-stressed and fearful kittens let their true selves shine, and were finally adopted into a family that wanted to give them the loving and compassion-filled home they deserved!
At the end of 2025 — nine months after their adoption — their family let us know they were deeply bonded — both to each other and to their people. They sent us an update that made it clear how far they’ve come:
“Dingo (previously Garth) is extremely goofy, and extremely cuddly! His most loved toy is probably still the tiny orange ball he came home with from Cat Town, though we bought him many more. He somehow still manages to lose all 25 balls somewhere under the couch or refrigerator each day. You know that Dingo is feeling content when he lets out his signature sound while purring: a little coo that sounds like a dove! The most precious sound ever.
Big relaxed stretch from Garth. Photo by David Yeung.
Newt (previously Wayne) is more cuddly throughout the day time, frequently sending a string of random letters to Zoom meeting chats because he is walking on our laptops to sit in our laps. He loves to cuddle on the couch, and any time I move an inch he is sure to adjust closer to me. When cuddling on the couch, he loves to lay belly up for belly scratches and lets out little trills of joy.
The boys are best friends and we see them cuddling and grooming each other at least once a day. They have also become our best friends, and we are so incredibly grateful to have them!”
Like so many other success stories that come out of Cat Town, this transformation proves that overlooked cats can thrive when given a second chance. We’re proud of how far these boys have come, and grateful to our community for giving these boys — and hundreds more — the support they needed at every stage to live full lives and thrive.
Garth and Wayne in their new home