Who Did You Save This Year (Part 1)

Each year, Cat Town’s staff members look back on the year’s adoptions, and reflect on the cats who found safety, confidence, and loving homes. From frightened cats curled tight in the back of a shelter cage, or a pair of hissy, unsure kittens trying to make sense of the world, each story begins with the faith that these stories will end with extraordinary transformations. 

These cats deserved patience, comfort, and a real chance, and with your support, we were able to bring in cats who need help learning to trust; volunteers could quietly sit with these cats and offer time and kindness to those not yet ready to meet the world; fosters could open their homes to cats who need extra calm and quiet to relax. And, these cats found adopters willing to look past first impressions and imagine who these cats can become once they feel safe. 

Your faith in us helps bolster our mission of giving fearful and overlooked cats a steady, gentle presence that makes these transformations possible. Every year, we’re proud to show evidence that this faith can reliably reshape lives.

Among the hundreds saved, these are just a few of the cats whose journeys were rewritten because of that support:

adeline’s PICK: Sonic & Flash

Flash. Photo by David Yeung.

Sonic and Flash came in as two very shut-down 10-month-old tabbies. At first, I couldn’t even tell them apart — until I noticed Flash had that little orange streak on her forehead, like a lightning bolt. Both were pretty hissy, ears back, hiding in the corner, not wanting to be looked at, and definitely not wanting to be pet. They barely wanted to play or even take churu. They were just so scared.

We knew they needed time to feel safe, and volunteers made such a difference. Since I’m usually going in to clean, I’m more of a disruption, but the volunteers could sit with them, offer treats, and show them people weren’t something to be afraid of. Slowly, they started accepting churu, then play, then pets. Flash opened up first — once she realized she liked being pet, she just flipped around, head-butting, being so sweet. Sonic stayed cautious for longer, just watching, but by the end she was pettable too, which felt huge. Once they became more confident, I worried letting visitors in might set them back, especially Sonic. But it actually helped them open up even more.

Sonic. Photo by David Yeung.

Seeing them go from where they started to the day they were adopted was incredible. And I got to keep following their story as their Case Manager. Their adopter told me that once they got home, Sonic — the one who’d been so scared — became more outgoing first. Flash is just as affectionate now. They both cuddle, sleep on the bed, and roam about.

To me, Flash and Sonic’s story is such a reminder of why volunteers matter so much — they’re the ones who can sit with these shy cats and help them realize they’re safe. I’m so grateful for adopters who are willing to meet cats like these, who aren’t as noticeable at first and might revert to being shy again. These two were tucked away in the back studio for a long time, and still someone came in, met them a few times, and really saw them. Knowing they’re now in a home where they sleep on a bed with someone, after starting out so shut down you couldn’t even look at them — that makes me so happy.

Sonic and Flash cozy and settled into their new home.

Kristin’s PicK: Buffy

Kristin knew Buffy just needed a calm place to feel safe.

I met Buffy at Oakland Animal Services, and at first, she was very conflicted: hiding in the back of her cage and growling when anyone walked by. When you would go to open the cage, she would jump up and hiss and stomp to tell you to get away. With the help of the volunteers at the shelter, she started coming up to the bars and rubbing on them — while chirping at you! The next time I spent time with her, I could pet her all over while she purred. Seeing that this sweet 3-year-old was learning to trust, but still cautious while she was in a cage with loud barking dogs in another room, I knew I had to get her out of there. 

I found a wonderful foster home for her, and even though Buffy was a little nervous as she settled into her new environment, she also let her foster parents know that she loved pets and company, coming out to be with people and even laying next to them. As this beautiful orange tabby got more comfortable, she showed that she had a spirited side and loved playing tag and greeting new friends at the door.

Over time this sweet girl melted her foster parent’s heart, and they couldn't let her go. Just a couple months later in mid-October, she was officially adopted by her foster! Buffy’s story reminds me of the great work we all do at Cat Town to give cats a second chance. As Foster Coordinator, it warms my heart to see these cats go from being so sad at the shelter, to now being happy little lovebugs.

Fun fact: I have my own Cat Town alumni — another orange tabby female named Buffy! — so, since the shelter had already named this girl Buffy, I thought, “Let’s keep her name!”

Quinn’s PICK: Roz & Janey

Roz. Photo by David Yeung.

Janey. Photo by David Yeung

One night in January, Roz and Janey were left outside the city shelter. The very next day, shelter’s “cat crew” volunteers started working with the pair of kittens to earn their trust. At first, the girls hissed and spit, stomping to defend themselves. Not only were they a little older than your typical, undersocialized shelter kittens — Janey was 3 months old, and Roz was 4 months — they were terrified, naturally, after a scary overnight experience landed them in a cage, in a room full of other cats. The shelter's volunteers knew it would take time for Roz and Janey to settle, and after two weeks, they got Janey to purr. 

We knew their progress would be much faster if the pair could feel safer, so we moved them to a studio in our adoption center, and our volunteers picked up on socializing them right where the shelter had left off. In a quiet room of their own, without barking dogs nearby, we could see them relax. By Valentine's Day, a volunteer left a note: "Both girls are so much more confident after just a week!" Two weeks later, the girls were adopted. But, when their adopter began having health issues that left them unable to care for these kittens, we brought them back. Their time in a loving home had left them both braver than before, and at Cat Town, we continued building that confidence. In July, Roz and Janey got adopted again. Their adopter tells us that the two are doing marvellously — exploring, watching birds, and enjoying pats.

Roz and Janey slowly learned to trust. Photo by David Yeung.

To me, Roz and Janey really show the power of community — and the continuity that's required to help fearful kittens get the support they need. From the city shelter's volunteers who carved precious minutes out of day to help the pair feel safer, to Cat Town's volunteers who were able to spend hours with them daily, building on that progress. So many places consider hissy, stompy, spitting kittens over 8 weeks old to be unadoptable, but in Cat Town’s Forgotten Kitten Project, we helped Roz and Janey get adopted twice — as brave little kittens! Now, they can return the favor by radiating love in their newfound home. If any piece of this puzzle had been missing, that outcome never could have happened. I’m so grateful to be able to see this magic every day!

Photo by David Yeung.

Cover photo by David Yeung.