Perspective Piece
A Day in The Life of a Shelter Cat
From the perspective of a furry resident
It’s a new day in the Kitty Clubhouse….a day not unlike the others! The mornings greet us audibly. We always start our daily lives serenaded by the happy barks, booms and yips of the dogs in the nearby kennel runs, who — we have learned — are welcoming our two legged friends back to the shelter (I do wonder why those silly giants must leave at all every night!).
I personally have a high tolerance for the loud hellos emanating from those curious smelling, slobbering mutts down the hall. But some of my other shelter mates, like calico Christel, still cowers a bit at the daily high volume noise. She is a rescue who grew up surrounded by strange, frightening loud sounds — the adjacent canine howling must remind her of her past. But it’s no bother; a new morning cycle also means calming music begins drifting down from the sky, accompanied by those warm brights lights. Christel reacts to the uplifting change in ambience with a soft rhythm of purring — a tempo noticeable enough to awaken her friend — big chocolate bar Arthur.
I call him Arty because we are pretty tight (as far as us cats can be!) We arrived at the shelter together three years ago (has it been that long?). It was quite the rabbit chase of an experience…being uprooted from homelessness and the never ending quest to survive alone; fending for one’s self amid so much danger!
But then these curiously friendly two leggers, so much more approachable and sweeter than others of their kind, pick us up, move us around loud rolling boxes while we are inside cages; they feed us yummy chow and fresh water, brush the bugs out of us (ask silky long grey haired Cadence if you can about how many fleas she had when rescued!). And after all that care and attention — some of it the first actual kindness many of us have ever felt in our lives — we find ourselves here in the Kitty Clubhouse! What a trip.
Anyway, to be honest — everyone here is pretty tight with Arty. That goofball loves everyone — two or four legged. He’s a big ol’ lap hog. I’ve once seen him out-butt-wiggle XXL marshmallow Juliet for the lap and attention of one particular two legger. And speaking of friendly giants here comes Laura! We all adore her. And not just because she makes our peecakes and poopcicles disappear from the litter boxes and not just for the generous helpings of food and water. No we love Laura, Nancy, Leslie and all the (I think they are called) “people” that come visit the Clubhouse mostly because they take the time and energy to keep us alive and happy and feeling good.
Did you know this shelter also has a special two legged person on site that can cure and fix most of the maladies an unlucky feline can catch? She can also repair other animals…rabbits, hedgehogs….even dogs (although she is sadly unable to make them smell any better). Sophie, the orange white puffball cuddling it up with jet black prankster Jedi on the bench by the cat tower, used to have trouble going to the litter box. But after spending time with that fixer lady she was all good as new. Wow!
Hey wouldn’t you know it? It’s midday and that usually means one thing: cleaning time. Most of us learn pretty early on here that when one of the giants brings in the loud cleaning toys that it’s best to get upstairs real quick! That one cleaning toy that sounds like a wind monster on catnip is particularly mystifying (I hear even lots of doggos mistrust that thing too). Good thing the Clubhouse has no shortage of planks and cubbie holes and tall towers to get one’s vertical on.
Whoever built this Clubhouse gets two paws up from the entire residency here. They really took into account an adult cat’s needs and wants into consideration when designing this place. There’s hiding spots, chairs for socialization, toys galore, scratching surfaces until Tuesday and who doesn’t love the outdoor patio — those residents who dig the warmth and sunshine are big fans of this area.
We are filled to the brim with fresh air and fresh scents and on most summer days we get to watch porch side bird shows (those birds love throwing parties right on the other side of the patio fencing for some reason or another). Relative newcomer Margarita, a no nonsense peach colored shorthair, entertains us every day with her back chatter to the birds. I wonder if she really thinks they can understand her?
But while we know the Clubhouse rocks — we realize we are very lucky rescues. Not all of our kind find themselves in places that are able to devote as much care and time to the needs of animals as this shelter can. For reasons beyond this mere feline’s knowledge some shelters lack enough food and space. In other shelters, not enough happy giants are available or willing to aid and assist animals in need. I wish there was enough two leggers and space and time to help all the homeless critters out in the world. Even dogs (don’t tell any I admitted that please).
Hold up — the outside door swung open and we hear completely unfamiliar giant voices approaching the Clubhouse entrance. Those aren’t staff or volunteers! Amidst the shimmering excitement flourishing around the room grey and white grump Tori suddenly proclaims what we all already know —here comes two very magical, very special people persons the others have dubbed ‘adopters’!
Frenzied, wild energy sparks several among the crowd to get into full showcat mode: preening, meowing and lifting tails to full mast. Some, like the gentlemanly sable-furred Father McKenzie, who has been waiting for his adoption day for five and a half years, prances up to the front of the gathering…hoping to catch the eyes of the adopting giants first. He is flanked by dole faced Sheldon, one of the Clubhouse’s more vocal hopefuls for finding their forever home.
Ooh I like these giants…they smell nice….they look like they have been in the company of the universe’s greatest creation before. Yep….these two are totally cat persons. Hey I’m okay sitting out this ritual for attention for today; many of my friends here have been waiting much longer for a real home than I have. It’s comforting to simply watch the adopters meet and greet each and every candidate one on one — to verify each adoption is hopefully a perfect match for both interested parties. I especially appreciate that our staff people do the required diligence necessary to ensure we will always be placed in the hands of loving, safe giants!
It looks like it’s Sheldon’s lucky day; the adopter couple have invited him into their family. I’ve never seen him chirp more joyfully. Good job, bud!
Will I miss Shel’s silly antics and companionship? Sure…but I am even more stoked to know he has reached his promised land; the hope of all rescue animals: the opportunity to be someone’s pet.
After the adoption, once the exhilarating buzz has completely dissipated and everyone returns to their normal routines I give Father McKenzie a re-assuring nose kiss — a gesture of solidarity — and prompt him to remain positive; that he will be chosen one day. We all will.
Hungry kitty bellies growl with anticipation as the late afternoon grows long. Dinner time already? Yes, please. Thanks to generous giant donors we almost always have more than enough grub to go around here at the Clubhouse. Most of us dine solo in our comfortable cubbies-for-one. Some, usually the newly initiated or the very shy and fearful, do not eat well with others — cats are gonna cat, after all.
I like to tell some of my more timid mates that there is nothing here to be frightened of; to remind them there is enough food and water and shelter here for us all; that their seemingly endless days of barely surviving life are over. But I empathize with and understand their difficulties in adapting. Transitions for hard for everyone…kitties included. Every cat is an individual; we all take different amounts of time to grow and learn.
It’s usually post dinner — when the staff is finishing their chores, the outside crickets commence their early evening symphonies and the skylights dim — that I spend a little quality time with Louise. Louise is a very unique friend. She’s a beautiful, peaceful cat who has battled trust issues her whole life. She rarely is considered for adoption, despite her perfect health.
Her extreme shyness and distrust of giants makes it complicated for the shelter to market her to potential adopters. Louise unfortunately picks the same spot in the Clubhouse any time adopters stop by; behind and under a box on the patio where she can not be found. The staff and volunteers have never quit attempting to coax Louise out of her shell, and some have mentioned even recently that they have observed definite behavioral progress. And I sincerely hope that is true!
She has a few other furry friends here; she can and does enjoy feline companionship. I am gracious to her for allowing me the privilege to bond. Each evening we chill side by side on the patio…overlooking the external decorative water fountain, admiring the performance nature presents to us. We sit in silence…allowing the evening breeze to do all the talking.
Every once and while during these buddy sessions with Louise I will wonder aloud how exciting it would be to be adopted — how incredible it would feel to know that some time in the future we will be securing a safe, secure home with one or more people; careful to stress to her that the giants who care for us here are no different than the giants who visit the Clubhouse to adopt. I am so eager for my friend to finally finish building her inner bridge of trust, so she can one day, too, become someone’s family member.
I know she will.
How do I know?
Because all of us are capable of being your pet. We just need to be given our chance.
According to the ASPCA approximately 6.5 million companion animals enter U.S. animal shelters nationwide every year. Of those, approximately 3.3 million are dogs and 3.2 million are cats. Sadly not all dogs and cats are adopted and many are euthanized due to lack of funding and space.
Cats like those mentioned in this story were inspired by my years of volunteering at Main Line Animal Rescue, one of the nation’s finest no-kill non-profit rescue shelters. Organizations like MLAR, and many others of its kind, work tirelessly to ensure every companion animal gets its chance to not just live but live happily.
