This site is dedicated to the countless volunteers who work with homeless and neglected cats. 
And to the wonderful cats who have shared our home.

Skittles | Abigail | Gabriel | Guiness | Jackie |
| Niki | Oscar | Pippin | Roger | Sammy | Tigger | Lucia |

Please spay/neuter. Thank You.  
Do you love cats? Click Here

Chien d'or has joined our colony... uhm family... not without a bit of adventure. If you would like to read Chien's Big Adventure, please click here.

Trapped October 16, 2007

Skittles… Skittles was considered a feral cat (kitten actually) and was trapped on October 16 on a nearby farm. He then went with 50 other cats to a spay/neuter clinic as part of a trap-spay-release program. He came to our place to recuperate while I searched for a good placement for him. But I got brave and picked him up and he responded so well to affection, Dave and I got attached. He absolutely adores Chien. Click here for a couple little videos showing Skittles and Chien being BFF.

Gabriel…Spring 1988 - March 11, 2005
I will always remember the day I met Ruth Cummings and Gabriel for the first time. After the loss of a pet, I was in need of a cat to nurture and cuddle. At the shelter, I was bewildered - there were so many cats and kittens, but "my" cat was not there. My husband immediately connected with a personable, adventurous tabby we subsequently named Marco.

Ruth was the manager at that time and seeing that I had not chosen any of the shelter animals, asked me what I had in mind. I said something to the effect of "a young kitten" in response to which Ruth said some word in disappointment. At that moment I knew that whatever was on her mind was what I wanted.

Ruth told me of an older kitten she rescued at nearby Canoe Creek State Park. Too paranoid and terrified to be brought into a shelter environment, Ruth took him and his mother into her own home. We arranged to meet at her home after work. When she placed Gabriel in my lap, he buried his head into the crook of arm and trembled. The apparent victim of abuse, Gabriel responded to love and affection and we bonded immediately. I held him throughout that first night. Thankfully, Marco's normal kitten behavior helped socialize Gabriel and allowed him to learn the world was not all terrifying.  

Adopted September 16, 1999 (brought to shelter 7/24/1999 at approx. 16 weeks of age).
Originally named Chelsea.
Niki… what can I say about Niki. He is a doll. His cross-eyed stare makes him lookferocious to anyone who hasn't met him properly. He's one of those somewhat deformed cats with the extra claws. But he also has missing toes which leaves his paws looking like mittens. He walks on his front toes like a ballerina. I used to worry about his ability to get around but he is just fine and climbs trees like a pro.

He is one of the most personable cats I have ever known and I suspect he may have some Rag Doll breed (and maybe Maine Coon) in him. Niki's claim to-fame in our household is his peacemaking capabilities. Whenever two of the cats are facing off in one of their perceived power struggles, Niki will walk between them, intentionally bumping into one and then the other. It is very effective in breaking the aggressive stances. I've seen him do this enough times to know that it is intentional.

   I love when he yawns and shows off his huge front teeth.   

Adopted April 5, 1999. Had been in the shelter since December 30, 1998
Oscar… This cat is a trip. He was one of the first adult cats brought into the newly built shelter and was there for many, many months. When I would go there, I always picked him up because he liked to be held. He hugged back. And when I would go to put him back in his cage, he would cling to me.

Oscar would have been best off if he had been adopted into a one cat household. Unfortunately, he was forced to deal with our colony (at the time we had 12). It was not pretty. He wanted so much to be the Alpha cat. But it was not to be. But for the most part, things have settled down. He is still sweetly affectionate. I credit Niki with the positive changes. 

Oscar has gained so much weight, he can no longer leap into my arms. Why do some cats get fat?

Adopted September 16, 1999. Was in the shelter since May 15, 1999
Pippin… aaah - my Pip. He's my baby. I saw Pippin at the shelter many times. Always, he was in one of the top cages and he would be sitting quietly and look me straight in the eyes. I do like that.

When I mentioned to one of the other board members that this tabby had become my favorite there, she said I must tell the manager since he was her favorite cat, too. So I walked into the cat room and told Alysia that we apparently had the same taste in cats. She was effusive in her adoration and praise of the tabby and pleaded with me to please adopt him. I mentioned that whenever I had a favorite, they always got adopted. That seemed to make her feel better, but she elicited a promise from me that if no one took him, I would adopt him. At that, she bent down and scoped up a DIFFERENT tabby and while snuggling him, told him, "Oh I am so relieved you will have a home."

I was stunned to realize we had been talking about two different tabby kittens! I didn't have the heart to tell her it was all a mistake.

On the way home that night and all evening, I was almost haunted by Pippin's face. I couldn't get him off my mind. In the morning I called the shelter and asked Alysia if she could put the two tabbies in the same cage together to see if they got along. Of course they became best buddies. So by noon I told her I wanted to take both. Figured if I was going to adopt one, I was certainly going to adopt the other I wanted most of all! That was one of the best decisions I have ever made. The other tabby? That was Niki.

Adopted February 18, 1997 - October 28, 2007
Roger… another cat courtesy of Ruth. I used to rent office space in the middle of town. Putting in lots of hours as many self-employed people do, I was away from home a lot. The worst part of that was missing the companionship of my cats. But my landlord surprised me by telling me it would be perfectly ok to have a cat in the office. 
   I did not want to stress any of the cats at home with relocation or commuting, so Ruth volunteered to bring me a couple rescued cats to choose from. She lugged cat carriers up the steep flight of stairs and grinned at me knowing I was going to get hooked once again. One of the carriers had a sizable mature male and I quickly eliminated that choice, opting to choose from several kittens. As the first kitten wreaked total havoc in the office by jumping on top of everything and scattering papers, the adult cat started yowling in inconsolable distress.

We returned the rambunctious youngster to the carrier and I noticed a shy, yellow kitten trying to look inconspicuous in the back. She looked so appealing to me that I wanted to see her. But before coaxing her out, something had to be done to stop the incessant caterwauling from the large tabby. I suggested we let him out to calm things down. When the carrier door opened, this handsome tabby walked sedately out, purposefully strode across the room and jumped up onto my light table. He laid down as if he had been there all his life and looked straight at me as if to say, "Look lady, I'm a REAL cat, and your choice is easy. I belong here." 

But I was still interested in the yellow kitten so we pulled her out to get acquainted. The poor little thing was terrified. She took off and hid under a chair. But when she spotted the big tabby, all she wanted was to get as close to him as she could for comfort. He wasn't thrilled, but he put up with her. And so Roger and Abby came to live at my office. A couple years later, I had the opportunity to move my business into the studio next to our home and the two easily adjusted to life in the country.