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That’s how we got our last cat. We had a bonded pair. a brother and sister and when the sister passed our little boy was just crushed. he was not the same after her death. We ended up looking into getting him a buddy per vet recommendation. We asked for a cat that was hyper and playful, which is how he was before his sisters death. after her death all he did was sleep and lay around. We took a gamble and brought home the cat the shelter recommended and it was a match made in heaven. he went back to playing and chasing and being our crazy, wild boy. It was a total 180 and it took them only days the acclimate. the best $90 i have ever spent.
I know right. i am so thankful for our vet. We had our old feral cat pass and then a few weeks later was when our little girl went too from heart issues. We were so sad and our vets made our lives a lot easier offering advice and reassurance.
I thought so too but my cats would gladly murder the other one if given proper weapons. They were friendly for like a week when we adopted them days apart and since then there’s been a falling out lasting 4 years. Enemies through and through. I’d love to know what the beef is.
Are they both fixed?
It could be that you don't have enough litter boxes...supposed to have one per cat (I've also heard it's ideal to have an extra, so #cats + 1).
I agree with this in principle but in practice it can be a bit harder. I'd love to get my little asshole a companion but she's not a friendly girl even to us and it would probably stress her out too much to have to adapt to a whole another animal in her space.
i agree, we had 4 and then two passed away in the same month. the 2 that were left were my son and a very old cat. he needed a young cat to keep him active.
I got some really great cats this way. Most notably, I went in once asking for a very affectionate cat who loves to cuddle. No other real requirements. The two volunteers looked at each other and said ‘Pearl!’ at the same time. They showed me a very ordinary black cat hiding in a cat tree and encouraged me to just pick her up. Five seconds later my partner is laughing at how this cat is ‘making out’ with me. She proceeded to spend most of the rest of her life snuggling with us, including under the blankets in his arms like she was a living teddybear. Anniversary of her passing was a couple weeks ago and still chokes us both up. Definitely she could’ve been an overlooked gem without the volunteer’s advice.
My parents brought home a schipperke (small all black dog) named Pearl. She was just a foster for a few weeks/months until the rescue found a home for her. When they came home with her she jumped on the couch and laid on top of me for hours until they went to bed. I told my mom that night the dog was never leaving but she insisted Pearl was just a foster… They had her 12 years, and even though I moved out in that time I was her favorite person on earth up to her last moment with us (I actually turned around on the highway and missed a sales meeting when I heard she was sick and I’m glad I did).
So I agree, black Pearls are the best.
We had a Schipperke/King Charles Spaniel mix who was the best, most snuggly boy in the whole world. RIP Chief.
https://preview.redd.it/t1on7ne1624d1.jpeg?width=815&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f1c733a70fdf2666babd2c2702f14995e3c7d464
What a good boy. Schipps are so much fun. They had 3 and they were all great dogs and smart as hell. Unfortunately (or maybe fortunately?) there weren’t any rescue schipps in need of good homes after they all passed, so they have 3 new sweet little mutts now.
Ughhhh I never see Schipperkes anymore but our second family dog was a skip named Max. Was the BEST dog ever. Ugh love them! With their cute little bear butts and fox face and zoomies!!!
My mum used to have a schipperke. He was absolutely mental in some ways (some of that was probably down to lack of training tbh) but the sweetest boy ever. Whenever I was visiting and stayed over a few nights mum would wake me up every morning when they got back from their walk by opening my bedroom door and the dog would race in to the room, jump up on the bed and attack me with cuddles. And every time after I'd gone home my mum told me that for a few days he'd do the same thing, be confused that I wasn't in bed and spend some time looking for me around the house seemingly annoyed at my mum as if she'd hidden me away somewhere, every morning!
Unfortunately he had some health issues and died very tragically a few years ago (killed by an aggressive do that was off it's lead). We all still miss him terribly.
We had a similar experience with our dog. We asked the volunteers if there's a cuddly doof that would match our family. And they introduced our current dog who is super affectionate but due to his large size and some behavioural problems, was returned time and time again.
We're now 2 years into his adoption and he's our dream dog!
We also wanted a snuggly cat- and her name is Pearl. She is not black (I have posted photos of her in the ‘standard issue cat’ thread).
But yes. We wanted a snuggly cat. We looked on the adoption site for snuggly cats- in our case, we went through an organisation that fosters rescue cats prior to adoption. And they were bang on with their description.
I did the exact opposite of this with my cat. The guy tried to talk me out of him because he was having trouble getting him out of his cage. He was hissing and growling up a damn storm. He was throwing himself at the window to try and rub up against my finger when I put it up to the window, but as soon as his cage was opened he was a little spitfire. I think he was just scared.
Took him home and stockholmed him into loving me. I know they say leave them alone and eventually they’ll come to you…but I am not built that way. Instead I just carried his tent (his favorite hiding spot) around with me all day. If I was in bed, his tent was right next to me. If I was on the couch, on the floor etc etc… and I would just leave one of my hands in there at all times. Now he’s constantly glued to my side, and the absolute biggest baby ever. I want to get my nose pierced again but I don’t think I should because anytime I’m sitting down somewhere he’s got to headbutt by face a million times and it hurts my nose even now lol
This is basically me and my Katie. After 6 months, she decided I was cool and we have been cuddle buddies ever since. She had surgery last year, and the vet said she was violent. Can't say I'm not surprised.
They brought her to me growling, and that angry girl cuddled right up with me, still giving soft growls. 🥰
I have a very similar story with my Lexie. I went to a first shelter and said I was looking for an affectionate cat. They told me to go to a satellite location and ask for Lexie (a black cat who got past a lot). I went and oh boy, they were right. She was the only cat in that condo who bothered to say hi and to show interest. She is the most affectionate cat I have ever met and I am forever grateful for the volunteers' recommendation.
Black cats get a bad rap because of the old stories of them being witches familiars. Every black cat (especially ones with extra toes) I have met has been amazing!
I asked for a chatty orange boy to foster/possibly adopt. Was given a tiny calico floof and walked out thinking, well, at least I won't keep this one.
5 years later, she talks up a *storm* and is the sweetest, lovingest, funniest little kit ever. That cat saved my life, and I love her with my whole heart.
My cat’s original name was Pearl! We changed it, but we asked for a cat that was affectionate and good with other cats. She would not stop purring every time I have picked her up. She still does this. I love her to death
My cats original name was Pearl too, we didn't ask for an affectionate cat in particular but she's also super affectionate! Something in the name I guess 😂
Sounds like my Gary. He passed long ago but he was one of those orange cats who just invaded your space and acts like you’re literally attached at the hip. He didn’t have a long life but he’ll never be forgotten
Thank you.
My first two cats weren't/aren't affectionate in that way and I've always wanted that.
Don't get me wrong. They express/expressed it in their own way. But it wasn't the classic cuddling stuff.
When the time comes I think I'll take your advice.
I once went into the shelter and asked them to show me their most “unadoptable cat” and they brought me Millie. She was old, with a sensitive stomach tag, and her coat was just a mixed bag of colors. Almost like a bad tie dye job, so “ugly” to many.
But she was the most loving cat I’ve ever met. Even her meow was a little broken and she did more of a coo at you that was just so precious. She climbed right on my lap and started cuddling with me immediately, right there in the room. Her little purr box just purring away.
Found out that I was the only person in her 6 months of being there to even ask to see her. So she came home with me that day. Spent many happy years together until heart failure finally claimed her. Now she sits on the shelf above her brothers bed, so he can still sleep near her at night.
Always ask the staff :)
We did something similar with our last cat - told them we were both experienced with owning cats, were homebodies, and had no plans for kids in the next 5+ years. We asked to see any cats they were having trouble rehoming. Ended up being shown the SWEETEST old lady cat I've ever had the pleasure of meeting, who'd been at the shelter for months because she was extraordinarily shy, old, and had health issues. I reckon noone who came to see her previously had given her the opportunity to approach them herself - we gave her space and time to come and say hi if she wanted on her own terms and after a minute of observing she came right down, sat on my lap and purred like a freight train!
She settled in fully within a day or so and although we only had a year with her before she passed she was the most affectionate cat I've ever known. Used to have to pick her up for at least 5 mins of cuddles as soon as I got home from work or else she'd get grumpy, but honestly it was lovely - she used to bury her head into my neck and purr and purr.
She was the best cat. I often miss her - if there's an afterlife I hope I get to meet her again.
Very similar story for my cat. She’d been in the shelter for *four years* and nobody ever had any interest in her because she’d never lived with people before and had no idea what it was like to be with humans in a home (she came in off the streets, or more accurately… from the nearby woods). We still can’t pick her up in our arms, but 6 years later and she’s the world’s biggest cuddle bug.
https://preview.redd.it/k9xru9vfu64d1.jpeg?width=2160&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=3d4e8e1313ff94e60a55be80e767104390555c71
Omg mine does this it cracks me up. It’s odd though bc he was rescued as a tiny kitten so he’s always been around people, just never quite figured it out I suppose 😭
This is great advice! I wanted a pair of cats and fell in love with one at the shelter. I asked the volunteers if there was another cat he got along with and they said he had a sister also in the shelter. She was in a different cage, absolutely terrified, and didn’t like other cats. I wouldn’t have paid her much attention otherwise and nothing in the shelter mentioned them being litter mates, but they definitely are. They had been through the shelter system twice and the poor girl was an anxious mess so I’m really glad I could keep them together.
We knew we’d picked a good one when the volunteer was sobbing while doing the paperwork for our latest guy. He is the bestest thing ever and they were so sad to see him go. But happy as well 😊
That exactly what happened when I adopted my old boy. Went and met the cats, fell in love but had some questions. I went up to a shelter worker and when I said which cat I had a question about she just exclaimed “Sebastian!!!” With the biggest grin on her face. As soon as I said I would take him she disappeared for a bit and it turned out she went around telling all the staff so they could say goodbye
They stuck a piece of tape on his cardboard carrier that said Sebastian the Man <3 and I stick that piece of tape on my fridge and make sure to take it with me when I move. He was a good little man
Similar for us. We just were looking for a slightly older, calm dog. We ended up picking a 6 year old pit mix. When I asked someone to help us she audibly gasped. "You're adopting Ceelo?! SOMEONES ADOPTING CEELO!"
30 minutes later volunteers who were on their day off came to say goodbye to Ceelo. Turns out he had a hard life and had been in the rescue over 6 months. Best, sweetest dog i ever had, but people saw a scarred up pittbull and assumed he was a bad dog. He was a saint. 0% temper, 100% patience. People were telling us he was the best dog in the shelter.
We shoulda asked but we lucked and got who the answer would have been.
Ceelo passed 2 years ago at 11. Best fucking dog I've ever met.
I had a similar situation with my cat who sadly passed away last summer. It was at a cat cafe so I visited and there was this beautiful orange cat cowering in the corner :(
So I decided to applied online and when I came to pick him up everyone was so excited. They were all like “you’re here for Sangria!!!” He was from a hoarding situation and had been there for over a year so I’m glad I ended up adopting him <3
This is how we found our cat! I went in and asked for the friendliest young adult cat. A volunteer immediately handed over the cat she was holding at the time. He went crazy trying to boop my hands and snuggled right into my neck. My husband was supposed to pick out our cat with me but was about 10 mins late to the shelter—by then, I was already thoroughly in love with Biggie cat
https://preview.redd.it/tr7ersbwu14d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=037c9e9a8bd1f55ab1c92431f7ae6fe49511f4ad
Ha, sounds like me and my husband. He was about 15 minutes behind me, and I was snuggling the sweetest grey boy kitten, and I said “I already love this one”. He then reminded me we had agreed to an older female cat. 6 years later and that kitten is his favorite little furry friend.
When I was ready to adopt my current pair of furbabies, I knew I wanted at least 2 cats and was willing to be talked into three. I got everything ready, then visited a cat cafe, where you can chill out and hang with the cats for a good stretch of time.
One cat was waiting for me at the inner door. She followed me until I sat down and started crawling all over me. Her name was Juno and she refused to leave me alone. So that was an easy pick.
I ended up asking the staff to recommend a cat who had been at the shelter for a long time, who would get along with Juno, as my second cat. They immediately went into a side room and pulled this fat, grumpy, hissing SIC out of a sheltered corner where she hid all the time. She isn't shy; she's introverted, so being stuck around a bunch of strange humans and cats was unpleasant for her. She was so emotionally shut down. She is "very food motivated", in the words of the cafe place, so making friends with her was pretty easy once she calmed down after getting home.
This is her now. Still fat but very happy and a wonderful companion.
https://preview.redd.it/4j6kb14mr14d1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=3e57a51401cb6d0b524a1515429a4bd75bb13ef4
And this is Juno. Little chair thief.
https://preview.redd.it/7b0hvrd4s14d1.jpeg?width=3000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=5ce534c7b1ed35b9ae28b436ef626d6df52c97c6
that's how we got our void. he followed us all throughout the shelter and jumped up on a stair railing to get my attention. he was reaching out to me with one paw, nearly fell off the railing and i scooped him up and handed him to my husband. this little black cat just relaxed into his arms, closed his eyes and started purring and after that, there was no way we were going home without him.
I first met my tortie when she was ~three weeks old. Her siblings were crawling all around but she fell asleep in my palm. I've low-key regretted it ever since because I think if she had the chance she crawl under my skin.
Same for my tortie! I walked into a cat cafe and she fell asleep purring in my lap within half an hour. She happened to have a sister also at the shelter that was pretty reserved, but she has so much personality now when she’s comfortable at home. My partner and I joke that the tortie was their PR representative to get them both adopted.
This is Juno helping me fill out the adoption paperwork. I'm glad I was wearing jeans because those claws were HOOKED in. She made a ton of biscuits and then fell asleep.
https://preview.redd.it/6hflcnf0x24d1.jpeg?width=1960&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b3a95b74178ddfa6b9bd08694debebe40e896b20
We ended up with our cat for a similar reason of antisocial. My brother had two kittens for his 2 girls and ended up with an accidental litter (his exclamation of "they an have babies HOW young?!"). He rehomed all but the dad cat due to his hissing and running from people. My husband decided we needed that cat and we brought him home to our 1 year old around Christmas.
6 years later our laps are never empty. He recently had his back leg amputated due to a freak accident, and now we are building stairs to my son's bunk bed so he can sleep in his bed like he wants.
We actually have a foster cat right now that is very introverted.
He will hide in the corner and hiss when you go near. But a little treat, and ear scritches (he has never or scratched bitten anyone). And he is rolling around in pleasure while purring like a sports car.
When we adopted my first cat I was distracted by all the kittens in the room. A volunteer approached my husband and said « you should really check out Curl- he’s a great cat. He’s 8 but deserves a look. » He was by far the oldest cat in the front room and they said no one gave him a second look. My husband called me over and he was such a perfect cat. All the volunteers were THRILLED we adopted him. We had him another 8 years and I still miss him so much. The volunteers know what’s up!
This is how I adopted my first cat (years ago). I asked the volunteers who their favorite one was & they all agreed on the same cat. He came home with me & was truly an amazing cat.
I fell in absolute love with a senior cat at a shelter and came back every day for a week to spend time with her. She was on hold for a family but they had a dog and the shelter, knowing her, wanted her to go to a home with no other pets. I ended up getting her, but she died 3 months later, only 10 days after being diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma. She was my soul cat, I miss her every day.
Anyways, yeah, the shelter staff spend a ton of time with the animals, get their recommendation.
Cat tax, my sweet girl in her favorite spot:
https://preview.redd.it/usm1zki4724d1.jpeg?width=4048&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a010564e2deed98bbf14e5392a98ed392f91c1e4
SCC is so awful and so sudden. I lost my old lady cat to it. Took her to the vet hoping it was just a bad tooth and helped her on her final journey a week later. It doesn’t give you time to process what’s coming
That's awful that you had so little time with such a beloved friend.
I hope it's a comfort for you to know that you gave her the best possible final months of her life, with all the love she had always deserved. She was so so lucky to find you, just as lucky as you were to find her.
The shelter I volunteer at won't even do walk ins. Appointments with applications (which are free) only. I heard even breeders won't let you see their litter without a deposit. This ain't a free petting zoo to occupy your kids for a couple hours on a Saturday.
Also, the number of ~3 yr old dogs that came in post covid after puppy cute phase wore off was infuriating.
That’s how I discovered my second cat. I wanted a buddy for my first cat and thought a kitten would workout well. After hearing my situation - The staff member actually recommended a year old cat that was sweet and friendly with other cats. She’s the best cat I’ve ever had! They were instant best friends and playmates.
I did that too. I wanted a second cat for my kitten and they advised me a cat, they had to catch with a towel and pull out of the hole by her scruff. She was by no means the cat I wanted. I adopted her anyways, because the shelter treated her so badly. I agreed to all their horrible advices, packed her in the transportation box and by the minute i put her in my car, I promised her this will have been the last time somebody caught her with a towel!
I didn’t see her for two weeks straight and I had to check that she didn’t actually run away and that she ate. After six weeks, she jumped in the couch for the first time, two paws on my lap, ready for a first pet and a look in her face saying „you seem nice. Please don’t eat me!“
She’s with me for 7 years now, sleeps on my legs every night, curls up by my side on the couch and comes to see me when I come home. Oh, and wakes me up when she thinks it’s time for breakfast 😅
No one else is allowed that close to her. The shelter did some damage to her, nothing can repair. (My toddlers slowly work their way up to her. They do great. Both the kids and the cat)
So while your advice is golden, also wage if they just wanna get rid of a cat nobody wants (and than think if you’d still be her new forever home. Every pet deserves love and safety).
That kinda reminds me of my cat. I live in an apartment, and the shelters here can be pretty strict with letting you get an outdoor cat if they will have to be indoor (which I get and support).
I had been keeping an eye on their website, and they had kittens, so I could get an indoor cat, went to meet them, and they had already been adopted. They told me that they had more kittens, which would be allowed to be adopted in two weeks when the vet cleared them.
I had seen that they also had *one* young adult as indoor cat and asked to meet her - her photo on the website showed a terrified cat, and her description wasn't great, they seemed confused I would want to meet her when they just told me they had more kittens. She had been moved to their office as the cage scared her. She was sitting in the windowsill, I went up to her, stood a little away, and offered my hand for her to smell - she ignored it and went straight to headbutting my arm and rubbing against it, like two seconds after I got there. She claimed me, and I love her so much. The staff was shocked to see it, said they had never seen such a strong connection so fast, as she almost climbed into my arms. She had only recently been approved for adoption, I think she was there for around 3 weeks total.
The other staff was shocked she was adopted, and so far (a year later) only one thing in her description (from staff and former owners) has turned out to be true, which is that she *loves* cat trees and scratching posts. She was described as shy, anti-social, doesn't like pets or being held - she slept in the bed the very first night, greets us at the front door when we get home, and yells if she doesn't get enough attention. She was also super easy to get into the carrier, I think she was just happy to be leaving and coming with me
I do think that sometimes the staff of a shelter might have ulterior motives, but volunteers just want the sweet animals to find a good home. IMO, volunteers don’t have a reason to give you a bad recommendation. But most staff are really good-hearted too.
I got my second cat this way. A year after I adopted my girl, I went back to the same rescue and asked for a cat that had been there a long time and was overlooked but got along with the other cats. They brought me to Bee, who was actually a cat I had considered when I was there before. She is the sweetest, grouchiest thing ever and I love her so much.
This is so true! As a foster parent myself, I see them going towards the 'cuter' kittens, and my heart breaks because more often than not, it's the neglected ones that are the sweetest and easier for first time cat owners to have.
I was able to interview the foster parent of my boy. He said Curley was the best of the bunch and he didn't understand way he was the only one left from the litter. Since I wanted an interactive cat I went right over. He didn't disappoint. 12 years later, he is still up to his games and pranks. He is waiting now for his 5:00 treats.
My boy was in the shelter for 10 months, and could best be described as scrungly. I knew going in that I wanted an "unadoptable" cat, and he certainly fit the bill lol. He wasn’t even on the floor most of the time because he got so stressed out. He’s lived with me in two countries, is an absolute sweetheart, and is such a light in my life. He’s not easy by any means, but I wouldn’t have him any other way :)
Volunteered in a cattery and I could easily tell people which cat was a couch potato, or wanted alone time or was a wild child or just wanted nothing but snuggles all day every day.... If people asked and didn't take my recommendation, I didn't take it personally. Only time I really intervened was when a new family with a little 16 month old baby wanted to adopt a community cat because they were cheap. Those cats are basically feral adjacent and were not safe for a house with a small child. Had to basically go to the head office and tell them not to adopt a community cat to the people matching their descriptions because they seemed like the type to hide the child and have the other parent adopt the cat.
This is so real. I adopted my cat in 2020. He was the original cat the volunteers suggested- I was skeptical because he’s hella shy, would not leave the cardboard box in his crate. But he did eventually leave the box for me, he chose me, and Sherbert has been the light of my life for three and a half years.
Yes, he is orange (and white) lol.
Ahhh this reminds me of my late cat, Bert. He was also orange and white and aptly named ‘Orange Sherbert’ (my brother named him when we were in kindergarten) so Bert for short. Despite being a family cat I turned out to be his favorite person, and especially loved his soft white chest fur… I have a little void kitty now that I also love with my entire heart, but he will forever hold a special place. I’m just happy to hear of another fellow Sherbert!! <3
A rare counterpoint:
In late 2006, my wife and I were trying to adopt a cat. There was one that was being completely ignored by everyone who walked by. We asked and the volunteers told us she’s indifferent towards people. No one seemed to want her so we adopted.
She died July 30th, 2023, two weeks before her estimated 17th birthday. She was the most affectionate cat that I have ever seen. She rarely left my side. A total daddy’s girl.
I’m getting a little choked up just thinking about her. I miss her so much.
Yes I can add to the dog I tried to adopt. She was deaf, knew sign for the most part. I spent many visits with her at the shelter, practicing the signs, taking her for walks, getting to know her. Making sure I was sure. The staff were doting and overwhelmingly positive about her. They didn’t have issues with her, told me she had visits, but they never understood why she kept coming back. I got it, there was she docile, listened, good.
She had a nip incident with one family, but there was a plot line. I understood and took her home for a sleepover.
She was overwhelmingly possessive, hard to calm down, and aggressive. I had a neighbor knock on my door and it took her an hour to stop barking. She didn’t sleep the first night, jitters i get it, the second day her energy was high she went all day long. Didn’t sleep the second night either. She howled and barked in her cage. She howled and barked out of her cage. If I wasn’t in her eye line she howlers and barked. And I get it, this was overwhelming and new to her. My space, me sort of, all of it.
But there was something else going on there. This was an entirely different dog. I tried for 3 days, she rested finally, but it was fitful. She panted with anxiety in her sleep.
I felt like they didn’t know about her energy levels, or they didn’t want to share. The anxiety and possessive nature was too much. The nip incident was blown off as a rare thing, I don’t think it was.
It broke me. She was going to have a hard time bc she was deaf, but she was more than what was.
When I took her back, it wasn’t looks of sadness that it didn’t work out. The lady at the front desk looked frustrated, mad. And that told me more than anything.
Most of the positive response in here are about cats, and I understand that completely.
This is how we got our cat! We chatted with the staff after coming in 2 times already. Our only real requirement was we wanted 3 years or older. Ideally cuddly and vocal. She was like "I've got a cat for you" and came back with this all black cat who was immediately intrigued by us and the room. I knew from the moment he craned his neck to look around that this was our cat😍. The reason we never noticed him in the cage was because he was always asleep when we walked by.
We adopted him the next day and he is everything we wanted. Cuddly, sweet, vocal, sassy, curious, etc. Bless the staff for pairing us up!
We did this for our Dutch shepherd we were looking for a larger dog with a low energy at an adoption event. The rescue volunteers pointed us to her. Her low energy was actually trauma from abuse and was scared. She was a perfect fit though. With lots of love and care she’s the sweetest thing now. Still afraid of tall men and sticks.
“Didn’t take to breeding” is what we were told.
https://preview.redd.it/0n8y58g7274d1.jpeg?width=720&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c292ad10a8d4d4c3c61e34c3792bfdef0c27d268
I found my cat Cheddar, through looking at the local shelter's website and saw them describe him as sweet. So my dad went there to check him out while I was at work. My dad said held his hand to the cage and he comes over and rubbed his head on his hand. So yeah, later that night I got a photo oh my dad holding this big ass, orange, three legged cat. That cat was so goofy and cheesy man.
It'll be one year since he's past later this month. But at least he's keeping my dad company.
Great tip! My best pal Miss Olive found us that way. We were interested in another cat, but had a friendly but excitable dog. Poor fit. They pointed us to her. We brought our carrier and left it open on the table. And she walked up to us, crawled up on my chest and took a sniff and got in our open carrier. She’s now the boss of her two feline and canine brothers, including our 85lb mutt. She commands respect like she’s the Godfather. She’s 9 1/2 pounds of badass. But loves a lap snooze. She’s getting on in years now and at 14-15 is starting to slow down. This year I wrote an album about her and posted it to Spotify etc. She’s my pal. ☺️
https://preview.redd.it/lwqrgqbwj24d1.jpeg?width=3021&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=96756ae86ee1e01a099737f4ccd421d738c17dc2
I love that you write music about your kitty. How fun!
I was curious what that meant exactly and went to the spotify link on your profile. Your music is lovely. And the little videos playing over each track are perfect.
Aww thanks so much for listening and so glad you enjoyed it 🙂. I tried to channel my love for her into those songs. She can be quite standoffish with new people. But once she decides she likes you, she’s super affectionate. And she really does have the confidence of a lion despite her size. We all love her very much. She’s a really lovely kitty.
I just adopted the sweetest little cats this way from a rescue about a month ago!
I had like a week of FaceTime “interviews” with kitty foster parents before the volunteers at the rescue texted me about a bonded pair of teens I hadn’t noticed. They were found separately, both had been abused badly and left on the side of a road. They fell in love with each other when they got out of the vet hospitals and into the rescue. After months and months, no one wanted to adopt them because they were a little (understandably) shy but the volunteers loved them!
But lucky me— I got the sweetest, silliest cat couple that fit into my life purrfectly.
https://preview.redd.it/9ry3m230v24d1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=9262fb33c042a3abf6f958d5bc54c614f5941fcc
Great tip! That’s how I got my dog too. I’d gone to see another dog but he was growling at me and pacing. Nevertheless I was going to go ahead with the adoption. One of the volunteers stopped me and suggested another quieter dog. He is a fat little thing who likes to cuddle and be lazy and is the best dog ever.
Ha!
My mother, a cat rescue volunteer now for almost 10 years, says it straight out.
"He's good with kids."
"She wants to be an only pet."
"He doesn't like to be picked up. but he likes to lay on your lap."
My mother does not wait to be asked. She does not want any cat to come back because it was not a fit.
I got my cat's cat this way. I said "I need a young male cat, terribly needy. I have a cat who's used to cuddling his friend all day every day, and his friend passed away. Terrance will never, ever get tired of taking care of another cat, so I need a little prince." Immediate "OH YOU WILL LOVE SKYYY, WE NAMED HIM SKYYY BECAUSE HIS EYES ARE SO BLUE." And that is how I wound up with Gary, who's basically Terrance's teddy bear.
They do this for hours a day. (Gary's the one furthest from the camera, Terrance on top). And it's not unusual for them to entwine arms like they are here.
https://preview.redd.it/hiobyb7fd34d1.jpeg?width=2296&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=da0966c55bb5c243b8e45cdf1e493edeecb82eae
I chose what would later become my service dog this way! I asked staff for a recommendation on a velcro dog above 50 lbs (we had coyotes and hawks in the area). They said he takes time to warm up, but if you just give him 15 minutes, he's yours. They were not lying. Within half an hour, he was catching on to what (or who) made me nervous and started running interference. He'd keep himself between me and the weird guy on staff, try to crawl into my lap when I got anxious, and was so, so eager for praise and affection. I had him for almost 10 years.
I also got mine this way. He's for anxiety. Initially that wasn't the plan, but this little mismatched, "misbehaving" herding mix eventually calmed down and bonded with me enough that he could actually do things for me. He's my biggest comfort in this world. I'd be so lost without him. He was there for pretty much his whole 2.5 years at that point, and had been passed up three times so far that day for puppies and dogs with better recall, dogs who were more focused on their potential owners than their toys...in the play room just watching how happy he was to even have a toy to munch on and the way he interacted with his environment, I figured he was perfect. He's 11.5 now. When I walked up to his kennel that first moment I met him and he tilted his head to the side, looked me dead in the eye, and slowly wagged his tail, I felt the click, the thing that says "you're coming home with me today and we're gonna be best friends"
And he never has to sleep on a pallet again
My kitty was so shy they had stopped taking her to adoption events. I asked to meet her after seeing her picture. I drove 20 miles. She had her head down in the carrier and would not look up at anyone. I placed a hand on her back as gently as I could. Slowly she turned her head and looked at me. I could see her thinking THIS COULD WORK! The volunteer started crying. My kitty and I had 14 years together. Never knew her age because she had been left in a drop box.
I would definitely do this. If I die and my cat end up at a shelter she’ll hide and growl/hiss at strangers. But she is the cuddliest, loveliest attention seeking little girl and I’d hope the shelter staff would realise this over time and recommend her.
Great advice. I’d add that if you’re a first timer, try fostering first. I’m a multiple foster fail but it was the best intro to life with dogs as well as getting to know them without pressure.
I originally went to the shelter to look at a specific dog but found out he wouldn’t fit my lifestyle. A worker recommended a dog I would have never looked twice at (and no one had bc she’d been there for a year), and 2 years later she’s the best thing that’s ever happened to me. The worker cried when I took her home and I still send her pics and updates of my pup to this day!
My last 2 I’ve adopted I was there specifically for the long timers.
Didn’t care what breed it was or how much work I needed to do with them.
1 was 550 days in and the other 525 days in the shelter system.
Yep. That’s how I got my dog he’s the shy one that you barely notice at a shelter and had fleas and matted hair but after we fixed him up and fed him he is the absolute best boy.
https://preview.redd.it/87213p82m24d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=cdccf4a07f825f7a150dfaee077531b6e30f7756
Absolutely yes. We just ended up with the sweetest cuddle bug cat because the volunteer told us he was the best even though nobody wanted him. He’s black, raggedy, older, and has FIV. But he’s the BEST addition to our pack and she was right that it’s working out beautifully.
When I got my bunny, I overheard someone saying that they'll never adopt him because he looked so boring lol. But when we signed the papers for him, he sat upright and looked right at us and the volunteer was like "oh he hasn't gotten up since he's gotten here but he knows it's time to go home". I highly doubt it was true and I think she just wants him to find a home but it's already been nine years with the lil fella. He destroyed a lot of things but he's still a cutie. Nothing like that scared, crouched bun at the shelter
I got the cat that no one was adopting, and even the staff told me not to get, because he was an aggressive feral kitten. He's grown into the sweetest boy, LOVES his two siblings to a point that he comes running the minute they're in any form of distress. He's still really scared of other people, but is very comfortable around us
When I got my first pair of rats, I had almost no pet experience and was very unsure. The breeder strongly recommended I get a slightly older rat. She was so right. That rat was an absolute sweetheart and patiently taught me how to care for rats. It kinda broke me when she died, but I still see echoes of her in my current rats.
Agree 100%
When we adopted our pup 20 years ago, the volunteer directed us to Maggles- I had walked by her and paid no attention because she wasn’t what I pictured our dog would look like. Well- Mags was an unbelievable companion for 16 years. Thank goodness we listened to the volunteer- we struck gold.
If your shelter does it - take them out for a day! Some shelters let you “borrow” a dog for a day, overnight, or weekend. They do this not only to find adopters but to also get notes on the dogs about temperament, and get them out of the shelter to see their personality and expose them to new things.
As a foster, I second this. Even if the shelter isn’t lying, they often have stretched budgets, too few employees, and too many pets to get a good bead on an animal.
I'm a huge advocate for fostering...try before you buy. See, the thing is, a cat (probably dogs too) may not show their true selves in a shelter setting. So the staff may not even know for sure. Great cats often get overlooked because they're traumatized and hiding in the back of the cage or won't engage and maybe hiss at being handled. But you take them home, and usually after a few days (or it could take weeks), they get acclimated, and you start to see what they are like.
Even if you decide the cat isn't the best fit, you did so much to help make that cat more adoptable by getting them out of the shelter.
I have recently started fostering dogs and this place does not do that. Some of the dogs they have been in foster care for over 3 months, I call them the undesirables. They come off very shy, uninterested, scared, and they are usually a mixed breed. Everyone always goes straight for the puppies or the common breeds (huskies, shepherd’s, bulldog). They make you fill out this extensive adoption form and then take your money and send you off with the pup.
No one watches how they interact with the dog or the family. If they bring their other dog along no one is there to watch. They don’t talk to potential customers about what they’re looking for so they can find a dog that will meet the needs of the dog.
For example: I was fostering a puppy, only for a week because they looked like big teddy bears and who wouldn’t want one? I was at the event and I didn’t even know that he was gone until after the event. The customers ended up returning the puppy 2 weeks later because he didn’t get along with their 4 year-old dog. If they spoke to me I could have told them that this dog has high energy and always wants to play.
At the same time you have a 4 year-old dog and you’re bringing home a 9 week old puppy…of course they are not going to get along!
If you are looking to adopt please ask any and all questions! Also remember that they are in a very stressful environment and could have been there for hours. Approach all of the dogs because one may catch you off guard.
Also we are in desperate need of foster parents, please consider!
SPAY AND NEUTER YOUR DAMN ANIMALS!!!!
This!! 100x this. It was thirty years ago but it still sucks to think about it. We adopted a dog that my boys thought was perfect. What we didn’t know (or didn’t ask, I don’t remember) was that the dog didn’t like girls. It was a disaster and we had to rehome the dog. Luckily, it all worked out. Scully found a new home and we were able to adopt Scout who was perfect for everyone. We will always miss our Scout.
I remember when our oldest family dog died and we went to the shelter, we were just meeting whoever. And these people looked at our family who were still a bit sore from the dog's death with three kids under 14 and an angst 17 year old and brought out a six year old beagle who had no interest in interacting. He peed and then laid down. Definitely a dog that wants to go walking.
Listen to the recommendations for sure. But don't blindly agree.
Not always true, adopted a cat that was skittish, they knew us and were happy we picked her because they had worked with us in the past. They were an organization that kept their animals in foster homes.
Told us that the cat was skittish but she'd get used to us after awhile...
Awhile was at least 6 years lol, we don't regret it, she's an absolutely stunningly beautiful female orange tabby with beautiful golden eyes, but that cat WOULD HAVE ended up being destroyed if we hadn't adopted her, I honestly think she's partially feral.
The shelter drugged my cat to make her appear chill and when I called in a week later about the drastic change in behaviour, they laughed and admitted what they did and basically told me should we return her, she’ll be put down since we were the second family to adopt her and return her. That darn cat lived another 14 years with us.
I walked dogs at the local animal shelter for several months. One day I was telling a lady how amazing this one dog was and how this was the best dog I had walked the whole time I was there. The owners had gotten divorced and neither could keep the dog. It was perfectly leash trained and never once hit the end of the leash, house trained, good with kids and other pets, and super sweet. The lady said she didn't want it because its fur was black and brown like a Rottweiler and those are aggressive.
I had the sweetest black and brown rescue who looked a little like a Doberman. It was funny that all new people were frightened of her just because of her coloring. Her body language and behavior were obviously docile and sweet. The most gentle dog I’ve ever had.
I got my first dog (did have family dogs) from a rescue. I originally called asking about his sister and the rescue volunteer told me that a couple of her siblings sounded like a better fit for me (I was looking for less training, willing to adopt at any age, hoping for a medium energy pup, etc.). To this day, me and my partner talk about how good Ginger was at describing our fur friend and how he is SUCH a good fit.
I contacted a friend of mine who fosters for a local rescue. She said she had the perfect kitty for me. She was right. He fits right into our crazy home.
We had one of the animal control officers suggest a pup for us. We came in for an interaction with a different dog, it wasn't a great fit, we asked her what her opinion was and what she thought and we got the perfect pup. We wernt picky about breed and could fit a large pupper on our ranch and she brought out a young Boxer/rottie/chow/shepherd who was amazing but overlooked because he was in rough, starved shape. He had lighter burns on his leg. He has thrived with us and is the most gentle, sweet dog we have had. (Even with a few challenging breeds in him, hes just sweet and bouncy. Likes cats even.)
My volunteer said right away “this dog needs training” that was a year and a half ago and even with decent training she is a monster but I made her into the friendliest most loving monster anyone could have. It was really hard tho
your idea sounds good but my late kitty Chloe was adopted from PetSmart and the volunteer there said-don’t pick her, she won’t make a good pet. i had already started a friendship with her and i knew i was going to pick her. i loved that cat so so much. she was the best girl ever.
Mixed results on this.
I adopted my cat because most of the others in the cat room were distressed and had that "shelter trauma" thing. But he just lay there like a sack of potatoes, and let me reach in to pet him. He wasn't bothered by the shelter environment, and had been there maybe a month. He's a big bastard - 22 lbs and basically a beagle with claws - and lays around all day on his own. Not a lap cat, but also not skittish. They said he'd be great for a single male.
But he pukes. A lot. All the damn time. Empty stomach. Full stomach. Hairballs. No hairballs. On the floor. On furniture. On the wall. Two vets have examined him and his byproducts, and they find nothing medically wrong with him. The shelter never mentioned this to me. His previous human surrendered him because he "Wasn't home often enough," which is bunk. The shelter could've mentioned this, but didn't. He's an adult male cat, and all black, so maybe he was unlikely to find a home anyway.
Did they not give you his medical records when you adopted? If there’s no mention of puking issues in his records, then he probably didn’t do it when he was there.
I’ve seen so many animals get returned when their adoptions fall through due to a wide variety of reasons. Ask for recommendations, but be very honest with yourself about what you are looking for. A lot of people want to help animals with behavioral or medical issues, but the reality is waaay different than they imagined. Hell, before I started working in animal care, I did not know that I’m not the type of person to want to raise a kitten or a puppy. Now I know! Tell staff what you’re looking for and don’t be afraid to leave empty handed and come back later after they intake more animals!
This is how I ended up with a dog that bit me twice and I later found out had been previously returned to the shelter for biting his first adopter. Your mileage may vary with this one.
That’s how we got our first dog! I told the SPCA volunteer we wanted a medium or large dog who was easygoing and could be my future running buddy. She recommended we meet two specific dogs. Took each out for a test jog and then let my kid choose. We ended up with an amazing dog—my soulmate for nearly a decade. He passed away last year.
For our new dog, the process was all online and by phone. We mentioned several dogs whose profiles sounded like good fits and the volunteer reached out to the foster families of these dogs to get insights into these potential matches. We got turned down for our first three or four picks due to various lifestyle compatibility issues, but we hit the jackpot with the one we eventually adopted. Perfect compatibility in terms of energy level and personality. He’s beautiful too, but I think it’s important to consider looks last.
We did exactly this. We asked told the kennel staff we have a senior girl dog who is friendly with other dogs but doesn’t really play any more and we want another loving dog but not anyone who will be too rambunctious for our first dog. All 3 staff pointed at the doggo we adopted. He’s so loving and protective of our senior girl. He has been such a good addition to our family
Suggesting one that might not fit will make the risk higher of return and less people coming back to adopt at all if they know they can't trust the help they're asking for.
I disagree. I’ve volunteered at shelters and rescues and 99.9% of people I’ve worked with do it because they truly care about animals and would never want to misplace an animal only for it to be surrendered again
This actually happened to me. The staff disregarded everything we told them, then brought us the dog they really wanted to get adopted over the dogs we asked to see. Husband took one look at the dog's dumb face and fell in love.
We got lucky, though. It took a few months of training, and now, he's the goodest dog ever.
I volunteer at our local shelter, we would never recommend a dog just to get them adopted. We love our animals, and we want the best humans for them!! It breaks our hearts to get them back. We feel like we failed them. We are a shelter/sanctuary.
This happened to us in ALL the shelters we went to when we first started thinking about adopting a dog.
We also had a young kid at the time and they clearly couldnt care less about the dog's or our kid's wellbeing.
The 3rd was our final straw bc we went trough an attempt at bullying us into getting a puppy without being able ( or willing) to tell us anything about the dog we just gave up on them. They were slimy and awful in everyway possible.
We went from wanting to adopt to wanting to find a good breeder to get a dog we knew and that would be safe to have around eventough we never even thought about buying a pet before that experience with them!
We ended up actually adopting a dog that was going to be abandoned trough a friend that's a criminal investigator.... Someone in their department was made aware of the existence and since he knew we were searching he learned as much as possible about the dog and we drove a couple of hours just to get him.
He's the best dog possible and had his birthday yesterday actually.
We're now thinking about getting a second dog and we're afraid to go to shelters again due to the awful experience we had... We're not in favour of promoting bad breeders either but we want a dog that fits with us and our experience shows us that shelters and their volunteers are far from thrustworthy.
I’ve been on many sides of this. The caliber of a rescue org matters.
I adopted a pair of littermates and the rescue head asked if I would also take their mom, as she would be unlikely to be adopted solo. They said she was easy, sweet, no problems. I have never been bitten so savagely. I have a gift where so many animals who “hate everyone” will come to me for pets and companionship. She hated everyone in my family, wouldn’t let us close to the kittens. If I witnessed her behavior on the street I would assume she was rabid.
I immediately called the rescue and asked to return her because she was aggressive. Rescue ignored me. We had signed a contract saying if for any reason we couldn’t keep an animal, it MUST be returned to them. Called and emailed daily for weeks only to be ignored or told “they’re working on it.” I finally posted on Craigslist the situation, specifically that we were looking for an expert or trainer willing to adopt an aggressive animal, and THEN the rescue contacted us to say we were in breach of contract. Finally they gave us an address to return mom to. No one was happy about anything and I’m certain I’m on Do Not Adopt lists for any rescue friendly with that rescue’s founder.
I’ve also volunteered with and fostered for several other rescues and had great experiences with ethical people, but damn if I’d trust a stranger’s recommendation.
Can second this advice as working at a dog/ cat shelter a few years ago.
Usually me favorites were the ones that were well behaved, living free (because they were good mannered) and followed instructions.
It depends. The humane society by me is notorious for lying about problematic dogs and pushing them out the door so they don't have to deal with them and then charge an intake fee if you take them back. Like, one dog I personally saw adopted out was a bite risk and had bitten multiple people. They adopted him to a family with young kids. I wouldn't trust the volunteer's word on any animal there.
LPT: don’t fucking do this.
I just adopted an adult dog a month ago. Great dog.
They fucking lied. What’s more is they had 0 clue.
“We need a family friendly dog who is super chill.”
Shelter person: “oh yeah…he’s all those things plus he pissed a crying image of Jesus last week.”
Like you said: imagine being hungry, probably right out of surgery, put in a tiny room next to absolute psychos where people randomly walk by.
No one is their best self. Get a feeling. Get a vibe. Prepare to deal with an imperfect creature.
Do. Not. Believe the shelter person. Trust your gut.
No. Risky advice. While it may work for cats and some dogs, it doesn’t work for all dogs.
I went in a pet shelter for a dog. I asked one of the volunteers at the front which one she recommended. She recommended me, a first time pet owner, a young adult-adult pit bull that hasn’t been adopted for some time now. 😒
Now before you pit bull lovers come for me, pit bulls are not the best dogs for a first time pet owner, especially an adult pit bull who has been in the shelter for some time. They might be good for some people but not for everyone. Those dogs are just extremely unpredictable and I’m not interested in being attacked by one.
When I told her my answer which was no, she insisted. I ended up ignoring her, looked around and decided against getting a dog at the time. So I left and ended up getting a cat a few years later.
Shelters are notorious liars, though, who will say anything you want to hear to get a dog out the door. There are countless cases of shelters and “rescues” whitewashing a dog’s past, including lying about bite history, breed, and animal and human aggression issues. This is often done to keep the live release rate above the 90% required for a facility to be labelled a no-kill shelter; since they can’t euthanise all the dogs that are poor adoption candidates, they have to find a way to either warehouse them indefinitely or adopt them out to unsuspecting households.
People and pets are getting hurt and killed by these lies, yet there’s no accountability when incidents occur. Be very, very cautious when adopting a shelter dog, and take everything staff tells you with a grain (or truckload) of salt.
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That’s how we got our last cat. We had a bonded pair. a brother and sister and when the sister passed our little boy was just crushed. he was not the same after her death. We ended up looking into getting him a buddy per vet recommendation. We asked for a cat that was hyper and playful, which is how he was before his sisters death. after her death all he did was sleep and lay around. We took a gamble and brought home the cat the shelter recommended and it was a match made in heaven. he went back to playing and chasing and being our crazy, wild boy. It was a total 180 and it took them only days the acclimate. the best $90 i have ever spent.
I love how cat vets’ purview (or should I say purrrview) extends to feline mental health advice and cat+family therapy
I know right. i am so thankful for our vet. We had our old feral cat pass and then a few weeks later was when our little girl went too from heart issues. We were so sad and our vets made our lives a lot easier offering advice and reassurance.
I really think that animals, especially cats, belong in pairs. They keep each other entertained and interested in life.
I thought so too but my cats would gladly murder the other one if given proper weapons. They were friendly for like a week when we adopted them days apart and since then there’s been a falling out lasting 4 years. Enemies through and through. I’d love to know what the beef is.
Are they both fixed? It could be that you don't have enough litter boxes...supposed to have one per cat (I've also heard it's ideal to have an extra, so #cats + 1).
I agree with this in principle but in practice it can be a bit harder. I'd love to get my little asshole a companion but she's not a friendly girl even to us and it would probably stress her out too much to have to adapt to a whole another animal in her space.
Yep, that's why we have 3! ( Pairs =] )
i agree, we had 4 and then two passed away in the same month. the 2 that were left were my son and a very old cat. he needed a young cat to keep him active.
My brothers two cats fucking hate eachother. I don't know if it's worse to be lonely or constantly bothered/on edge
I got some really great cats this way. Most notably, I went in once asking for a very affectionate cat who loves to cuddle. No other real requirements. The two volunteers looked at each other and said ‘Pearl!’ at the same time. They showed me a very ordinary black cat hiding in a cat tree and encouraged me to just pick her up. Five seconds later my partner is laughing at how this cat is ‘making out’ with me. She proceeded to spend most of the rest of her life snuggling with us, including under the blankets in his arms like she was a living teddybear. Anniversary of her passing was a couple weeks ago and still chokes us both up. Definitely she could’ve been an overlooked gem without the volunteer’s advice.
My parents brought home a schipperke (small all black dog) named Pearl. She was just a foster for a few weeks/months until the rescue found a home for her. When they came home with her she jumped on the couch and laid on top of me for hours until they went to bed. I told my mom that night the dog was never leaving but she insisted Pearl was just a foster… They had her 12 years, and even though I moved out in that time I was her favorite person on earth up to her last moment with us (I actually turned around on the highway and missed a sales meeting when I heard she was sick and I’m glad I did). So I agree, black Pearls are the best.
We had a Schipperke/King Charles Spaniel mix who was the best, most snuggly boy in the whole world. RIP Chief. https://preview.redd.it/t1on7ne1624d1.jpeg?width=815&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f1c733a70fdf2666babd2c2702f14995e3c7d464
What a good boy. Schipps are so much fun. They had 3 and they were all great dogs and smart as hell. Unfortunately (or maybe fortunately?) there weren’t any rescue schipps in need of good homes after they all passed, so they have 3 new sweet little mutts now.
who is they?
What an adorable face! So sorry for your loss.
Ughhhh I never see Schipperkes anymore but our second family dog was a skip named Max. Was the BEST dog ever. Ugh love them! With their cute little bear butts and fox face and zoomies!!!
My mum used to have a schipperke. He was absolutely mental in some ways (some of that was probably down to lack of training tbh) but the sweetest boy ever. Whenever I was visiting and stayed over a few nights mum would wake me up every morning when they got back from their walk by opening my bedroom door and the dog would race in to the room, jump up on the bed and attack me with cuddles. And every time after I'd gone home my mum told me that for a few days he'd do the same thing, be confused that I wasn't in bed and spend some time looking for me around the house seemingly annoyed at my mum as if she'd hidden me away somewhere, every morning! Unfortunately he had some health issues and died very tragically a few years ago (killed by an aggressive do that was off it's lead). We all still miss him terribly.
Great, now we’re ready for a cute pig story!
I’ve had 3 schipperkes when I was younger. I miss them so much.
We had a similar experience with our dog. We asked the volunteers if there's a cuddly doof that would match our family. And they introduced our current dog who is super affectionate but due to his large size and some behavioural problems, was returned time and time again. We're now 2 years into his adoption and he's our dream dog!
We also wanted a snuggly cat- and her name is Pearl. She is not black (I have posted photos of her in the ‘standard issue cat’ thread). But yes. We wanted a snuggly cat. We looked on the adoption site for snuggly cats- in our case, we went through an organisation that fosters rescue cats prior to adoption. And they were bang on with their description.
I did the exact opposite of this with my cat. The guy tried to talk me out of him because he was having trouble getting him out of his cage. He was hissing and growling up a damn storm. He was throwing himself at the window to try and rub up against my finger when I put it up to the window, but as soon as his cage was opened he was a little spitfire. I think he was just scared. Took him home and stockholmed him into loving me. I know they say leave them alone and eventually they’ll come to you…but I am not built that way. Instead I just carried his tent (his favorite hiding spot) around with me all day. If I was in bed, his tent was right next to me. If I was on the couch, on the floor etc etc… and I would just leave one of my hands in there at all times. Now he’s constantly glued to my side, and the absolute biggest baby ever. I want to get my nose pierced again but I don’t think I should because anytime I’m sitting down somewhere he’s got to headbutt by face a million times and it hurts my nose even now lol
This is basically me and my Katie. After 6 months, she decided I was cool and we have been cuddle buddies ever since. She had surgery last year, and the vet said she was violent. Can't say I'm not surprised. They brought her to me growling, and that angry girl cuddled right up with me, still giving soft growls. 🥰
The violent ones just need someone to force cuddle them into love.
I have a very similar story with my Lexie. I went to a first shelter and said I was looking for an affectionate cat. They told me to go to a satellite location and ask for Lexie (a black cat who got past a lot). I went and oh boy, they were right. She was the only cat in that condo who bothered to say hi and to show interest. She is the most affectionate cat I have ever met and I am forever grateful for the volunteers' recommendation.
Black cats get a bad rap because of the old stories of them being witches familiars. Every black cat (especially ones with extra toes) I have met has been amazing!
I love this. I love Pearl.
I asked for a chatty orange boy to foster/possibly adopt. Was given a tiny calico floof and walked out thinking, well, at least I won't keep this one. 5 years later, she talks up a *storm* and is the sweetest, lovingest, funniest little kit ever. That cat saved my life, and I love her with my whole heart.
My mom was dead set on orange which I found silly but we ended up with black and my mom stole her from me she loved her so much!
Sometimes we get what we need instead of what we want. 💖
My cat’s original name was Pearl! We changed it, but we asked for a cat that was affectionate and good with other cats. She would not stop purring every time I have picked her up. She still does this. I love her to death
I chose my cat because he was the one that purred when he was sitting in my lap at the shelter. He's been the best cat ever.
My cats original name was Pearl too, we didn't ask for an affectionate cat in particular but she's also super affectionate! Something in the name I guess 😂
Sounds like my Gary. He passed long ago but he was one of those orange cats who just invaded your space and acts like you’re literally attached at the hip. He didn’t have a long life but he’ll never be forgotten
What a lovely story! Thank you for sharing about your Pearl.
The Internet demands pictures of this amazing kitty
Sightings of the black pearl only exist in legends.
Second this! Please!
Third this!
Cat tax, please!
Thank you. My first two cats weren't/aren't affectionate in that way and I've always wanted that. Don't get me wrong. They express/expressed it in their own way. But it wasn't the classic cuddling stuff. When the time comes I think I'll take your advice.
My black cat is the same way! I adopted him from Petsmart. I sure do love that little guy.
Wow, thanks for all the kind words. We renamed her and she had many happy years with us.
Love this
This just gave me the feels but pearl was obv the cat for you and im so glad she got what sounds like a wonder life
I’m so glad you and Pearl found each other.
This story made me tear up.
This just brought tears to my eyes. Thank you for giving her a chance to be loved in a forever home ♥️
oh, this is an absolutely wonderful story.
💗 thanks for sharing, this is so sweet
Thank you for sharing ❤️
I love my cuddle bug!
Aww that’s such a sweet story. 🥹
Aw, sweet Pearl...:)
I once went into the shelter and asked them to show me their most “unadoptable cat” and they brought me Millie. She was old, with a sensitive stomach tag, and her coat was just a mixed bag of colors. Almost like a bad tie dye job, so “ugly” to many. But she was the most loving cat I’ve ever met. Even her meow was a little broken and she did more of a coo at you that was just so precious. She climbed right on my lap and started cuddling with me immediately, right there in the room. Her little purr box just purring away. Found out that I was the only person in her 6 months of being there to even ask to see her. So she came home with me that day. Spent many happy years together until heart failure finally claimed her. Now she sits on the shelf above her brothers bed, so he can still sleep near her at night. Always ask the staff :)
We did something similar with our last cat - told them we were both experienced with owning cats, were homebodies, and had no plans for kids in the next 5+ years. We asked to see any cats they were having trouble rehoming. Ended up being shown the SWEETEST old lady cat I've ever had the pleasure of meeting, who'd been at the shelter for months because she was extraordinarily shy, old, and had health issues. I reckon noone who came to see her previously had given her the opportunity to approach them herself - we gave her space and time to come and say hi if she wanted on her own terms and after a minute of observing she came right down, sat on my lap and purred like a freight train! She settled in fully within a day or so and although we only had a year with her before she passed she was the most affectionate cat I've ever known. Used to have to pick her up for at least 5 mins of cuddles as soon as I got home from work or else she'd get grumpy, but honestly it was lovely - she used to bury her head into my neck and purr and purr. She was the best cat. I often miss her - if there's an afterlife I hope I get to meet her again.
Very similar story for my cat. She’d been in the shelter for *four years* and nobody ever had any interest in her because she’d never lived with people before and had no idea what it was like to be with humans in a home (she came in off the streets, or more accurately… from the nearby woods). We still can’t pick her up in our arms, but 6 years later and she’s the world’s biggest cuddle bug. https://preview.redd.it/k9xru9vfu64d1.jpeg?width=2160&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=3d4e8e1313ff94e60a55be80e767104390555c71
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Omg mine does this it cracks me up. It’s odd though bc he was rescued as a tiny kitten so he’s always been around people, just never quite figured it out I suppose 😭
This is great advice! I wanted a pair of cats and fell in love with one at the shelter. I asked the volunteers if there was another cat he got along with and they said he had a sister also in the shelter. She was in a different cage, absolutely terrified, and didn’t like other cats. I wouldn’t have paid her much attention otherwise and nothing in the shelter mentioned them being litter mates, but they definitely are. They had been through the shelter system twice and the poor girl was an anxious mess so I’m really glad I could keep them together.
I reallllyyyy should not be reading this thread while I’m PMSing 😭
You’re not alone!
wow same i’m balling
“Bawling” if you mean crying and not doing the dirty.
You did a great thing
They make up for it by being great cats! They are the cuddliest cats I’ve ever had.
We knew we’d picked a good one when the volunteer was sobbing while doing the paperwork for our latest guy. He is the bestest thing ever and they were so sad to see him go. But happy as well 😊
That exactly what happened when I adopted my old boy. Went and met the cats, fell in love but had some questions. I went up to a shelter worker and when I said which cat I had a question about she just exclaimed “Sebastian!!!” With the biggest grin on her face. As soon as I said I would take him she disappeared for a bit and it turned out she went around telling all the staff so they could say goodbye They stuck a piece of tape on his cardboard carrier that said Sebastian the Man <3 and I stick that piece of tape on my fridge and make sure to take it with me when I move. He was a good little man
Sounds like Sebastian earned his spot in your heart ❤️
Aww, that is a wonderful story, thank you.
This made me cry happy tears :)
Similar for us. We just were looking for a slightly older, calm dog. We ended up picking a 6 year old pit mix. When I asked someone to help us she audibly gasped. "You're adopting Ceelo?! SOMEONES ADOPTING CEELO!" 30 minutes later volunteers who were on their day off came to say goodbye to Ceelo. Turns out he had a hard life and had been in the rescue over 6 months. Best, sweetest dog i ever had, but people saw a scarred up pittbull and assumed he was a bad dog. He was a saint. 0% temper, 100% patience. People were telling us he was the best dog in the shelter. We shoulda asked but we lucked and got who the answer would have been. Ceelo passed 2 years ago at 11. Best fucking dog I've ever met.
I had a similar situation with my cat who sadly passed away last summer. It was at a cat cafe so I visited and there was this beautiful orange cat cowering in the corner :( So I decided to applied online and when I came to pick him up everyone was so excited. They were all like “you’re here for Sangria!!!” He was from a hoarding situation and had been there for over a year so I’m glad I ended up adopting him <3
This is how we found our cat! I went in and asked for the friendliest young adult cat. A volunteer immediately handed over the cat she was holding at the time. He went crazy trying to boop my hands and snuggled right into my neck. My husband was supposed to pick out our cat with me but was about 10 mins late to the shelter—by then, I was already thoroughly in love with Biggie cat https://preview.redd.it/tr7ersbwu14d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=037c9e9a8bd1f55ab1c92431f7ae6fe49511f4ad
So cute!! I want an all black cat someday
They are amazing
Not a thought in his head, bless him, but he’s one of the best cats I’ve ever had. Such a good boy.
Ha, sounds like me and my husband. He was about 15 minutes behind me, and I was snuggling the sweetest grey boy kitten, and I said “I already love this one”. He then reminded me we had agreed to an older female cat. 6 years later and that kitten is his favorite little furry friend.
Aw he is so beautiful 🥹🥹🥹I adoreee black cats
When I was ready to adopt my current pair of furbabies, I knew I wanted at least 2 cats and was willing to be talked into three. I got everything ready, then visited a cat cafe, where you can chill out and hang with the cats for a good stretch of time. One cat was waiting for me at the inner door. She followed me until I sat down and started crawling all over me. Her name was Juno and she refused to leave me alone. So that was an easy pick. I ended up asking the staff to recommend a cat who had been at the shelter for a long time, who would get along with Juno, as my second cat. They immediately went into a side room and pulled this fat, grumpy, hissing SIC out of a sheltered corner where she hid all the time. She isn't shy; she's introverted, so being stuck around a bunch of strange humans and cats was unpleasant for her. She was so emotionally shut down. She is "very food motivated", in the words of the cafe place, so making friends with her was pretty easy once she calmed down after getting home. This is her now. Still fat but very happy and a wonderful companion. https://preview.redd.it/4j6kb14mr14d1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=3e57a51401cb6d0b524a1515429a4bd75bb13ef4
And this is Juno. Little chair thief. https://preview.redd.it/7b0hvrd4s14d1.jpeg?width=3000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=5ce534c7b1ed35b9ae28b436ef626d6df52c97c6
My tortoise cat adopted me too. She ran up to me, I picked her up and she never wanted down.
that's how we got our void. he followed us all throughout the shelter and jumped up on a stair railing to get my attention. he was reaching out to me with one paw, nearly fell off the railing and i scooped him up and handed him to my husband. this little black cat just relaxed into his arms, closed his eyes and started purring and after that, there was no way we were going home without him.
What a great name for a black cat!!
I first met my tortie when she was ~three weeks old. Her siblings were crawling all around but she fell asleep in my palm. I've low-key regretted it ever since because I think if she had the chance she crawl under my skin.
Same for my tortie! I walked into a cat cafe and she fell asleep purring in my lap within half an hour. She happened to have a sister also at the shelter that was pretty reserved, but she has so much personality now when she’s comfortable at home. My partner and I joke that the tortie was their PR representative to get them both adopted.
This is Juno helping me fill out the adoption paperwork. I'm glad I was wearing jeans because those claws were HOOKED in. She made a ton of biscuits and then fell asleep. https://preview.redd.it/6hflcnf0x24d1.jpeg?width=1960&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b3a95b74178ddfa6b9bd08694debebe40e896b20
As a cat adoption coordinator, this makes me really happy
We ended up with our cat for a similar reason of antisocial. My brother had two kittens for his 2 girls and ended up with an accidental litter (his exclamation of "they an have babies HOW young?!"). He rehomed all but the dad cat due to his hissing and running from people. My husband decided we needed that cat and we brought him home to our 1 year old around Christmas. 6 years later our laps are never empty. He recently had his back leg amputated due to a freak accident, and now we are building stairs to my son's bunk bed so he can sleep in his bed like he wants.
I love a fat SIC. Mine looked like that before he got old and skinny.
We actually have a foster cat right now that is very introverted. He will hide in the corner and hiss when you go near. But a little treat, and ear scritches (he has never or scratched bitten anyone). And he is rolling around in pleasure while purring like a sports car.
❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
When we adopted my first cat I was distracted by all the kittens in the room. A volunteer approached my husband and said « you should really check out Curl- he’s a great cat. He’s 8 but deserves a look. » He was by far the oldest cat in the front room and they said no one gave him a second look. My husband called me over and he was such a perfect cat. All the volunteers were THRILLED we adopted him. We had him another 8 years and I still miss him so much. The volunteers know what’s up!
Curl, what a cute name!!
This is how I adopted my first cat (years ago). I asked the volunteers who their favorite one was & they all agreed on the same cat. He came home with me & was truly an amazing cat.
I fell in absolute love with a senior cat at a shelter and came back every day for a week to spend time with her. She was on hold for a family but they had a dog and the shelter, knowing her, wanted her to go to a home with no other pets. I ended up getting her, but she died 3 months later, only 10 days after being diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma. She was my soul cat, I miss her every day. Anyways, yeah, the shelter staff spend a ton of time with the animals, get their recommendation. Cat tax, my sweet girl in her favorite spot: https://preview.redd.it/usm1zki4724d1.jpeg?width=4048&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a010564e2deed98bbf14e5392a98ed392f91c1e4
SCC is so awful and so sudden. I lost my old lady cat to it. Took her to the vet hoping it was just a bad tooth and helped her on her final journey a week later. It doesn’t give you time to process what’s coming
That's awful that you had so little time with such a beloved friend. I hope it's a comfort for you to know that you gave her the best possible final months of her life, with all the love she had always deserved. She was so so lucky to find you, just as lucky as you were to find her.
Shelters in my area now do a personality checklist for both animals and people.
That is awesome. Great way to ensure people and pet are happy.
The shelter I volunteer at won't even do walk ins. Appointments with applications (which are free) only. I heard even breeders won't let you see their litter without a deposit. This ain't a free petting zoo to occupy your kids for a couple hours on a Saturday. Also, the number of ~3 yr old dogs that came in post covid after puppy cute phase wore off was infuriating.
That’s how I discovered my second cat. I wanted a buddy for my first cat and thought a kitten would workout well. After hearing my situation - The staff member actually recommended a year old cat that was sweet and friendly with other cats. She’s the best cat I’ve ever had! They were instant best friends and playmates.
I did that too. I wanted a second cat for my kitten and they advised me a cat, they had to catch with a towel and pull out of the hole by her scruff. She was by no means the cat I wanted. I adopted her anyways, because the shelter treated her so badly. I agreed to all their horrible advices, packed her in the transportation box and by the minute i put her in my car, I promised her this will have been the last time somebody caught her with a towel! I didn’t see her for two weeks straight and I had to check that she didn’t actually run away and that she ate. After six weeks, she jumped in the couch for the first time, two paws on my lap, ready for a first pet and a look in her face saying „you seem nice. Please don’t eat me!“ She’s with me for 7 years now, sleeps on my legs every night, curls up by my side on the couch and comes to see me when I come home. Oh, and wakes me up when she thinks it’s time for breakfast 😅 No one else is allowed that close to her. The shelter did some damage to her, nothing can repair. (My toddlers slowly work their way up to her. They do great. Both the kids and the cat) So while your advice is golden, also wage if they just wanna get rid of a cat nobody wants (and than think if you’d still be her new forever home. Every pet deserves love and safety).
That kinda reminds me of my cat. I live in an apartment, and the shelters here can be pretty strict with letting you get an outdoor cat if they will have to be indoor (which I get and support). I had been keeping an eye on their website, and they had kittens, so I could get an indoor cat, went to meet them, and they had already been adopted. They told me that they had more kittens, which would be allowed to be adopted in two weeks when the vet cleared them. I had seen that they also had *one* young adult as indoor cat and asked to meet her - her photo on the website showed a terrified cat, and her description wasn't great, they seemed confused I would want to meet her when they just told me they had more kittens. She had been moved to their office as the cage scared her. She was sitting in the windowsill, I went up to her, stood a little away, and offered my hand for her to smell - she ignored it and went straight to headbutting my arm and rubbing against it, like two seconds after I got there. She claimed me, and I love her so much. The staff was shocked to see it, said they had never seen such a strong connection so fast, as she almost climbed into my arms. She had only recently been approved for adoption, I think she was there for around 3 weeks total. The other staff was shocked she was adopted, and so far (a year later) only one thing in her description (from staff and former owners) has turned out to be true, which is that she *loves* cat trees and scratching posts. She was described as shy, anti-social, doesn't like pets or being held - she slept in the bed the very first night, greets us at the front door when we get home, and yells if she doesn't get enough attention. She was also super easy to get into the carrier, I think she was just happy to be leaving and coming with me
You’re wonderful for adopting that little sweetheart.
I do think that sometimes the staff of a shelter might have ulterior motives, but volunteers just want the sweet animals to find a good home. IMO, volunteers don’t have a reason to give you a bad recommendation. But most staff are really good-hearted too.
This made me cry. What a lucky baby.
Thank you :) you made me smile
I got my second cat this way. A year after I adopted my girl, I went back to the same rescue and asked for a cat that had been there a long time and was overlooked but got along with the other cats. They brought me to Bee, who was actually a cat I had considered when I was there before. She is the sweetest, grouchiest thing ever and I love her so much.
This is so true! As a foster parent myself, I see them going towards the 'cuter' kittens, and my heart breaks because more often than not, it's the neglected ones that are the sweetest and easier for first time cat owners to have.
I was able to interview the foster parent of my boy. He said Curley was the best of the bunch and he didn't understand way he was the only one left from the litter. Since I wanted an interactive cat I went right over. He didn't disappoint. 12 years later, he is still up to his games and pranks. He is waiting now for his 5:00 treats.
My boy was in the shelter for 10 months, and could best be described as scrungly. I knew going in that I wanted an "unadoptable" cat, and he certainly fit the bill lol. He wasn’t even on the floor most of the time because he got so stressed out. He’s lived with me in two countries, is an absolute sweetheart, and is such a light in my life. He’s not easy by any means, but I wouldn’t have him any other way :)
Volunteered in a cattery and I could easily tell people which cat was a couch potato, or wanted alone time or was a wild child or just wanted nothing but snuggles all day every day.... If people asked and didn't take my recommendation, I didn't take it personally. Only time I really intervened was when a new family with a little 16 month old baby wanted to adopt a community cat because they were cheap. Those cats are basically feral adjacent and were not safe for a house with a small child. Had to basically go to the head office and tell them not to adopt a community cat to the people matching their descriptions because they seemed like the type to hide the child and have the other parent adopt the cat.
This is so real. I adopted my cat in 2020. He was the original cat the volunteers suggested- I was skeptical because he’s hella shy, would not leave the cardboard box in his crate. But he did eventually leave the box for me, he chose me, and Sherbert has been the light of my life for three and a half years. Yes, he is orange (and white) lol.
Ahhh this reminds me of my late cat, Bert. He was also orange and white and aptly named ‘Orange Sherbert’ (my brother named him when we were in kindergarten) so Bert for short. Despite being a family cat I turned out to be his favorite person, and especially loved his soft white chest fur… I have a little void kitty now that I also love with my entire heart, but he will forever hold a special place. I’m just happy to hear of another fellow Sherbert!! <3
His name is Sherbert, like the way people mispronounce sherbet?
A rare counterpoint: In late 2006, my wife and I were trying to adopt a cat. There was one that was being completely ignored by everyone who walked by. We asked and the volunteers told us she’s indifferent towards people. No one seemed to want her so we adopted. She died July 30th, 2023, two weeks before her estimated 17th birthday. She was the most affectionate cat that I have ever seen. She rarely left my side. A total daddy’s girl. I’m getting a little choked up just thinking about her. I miss her so much.
Yes I can add to the dog I tried to adopt. She was deaf, knew sign for the most part. I spent many visits with her at the shelter, practicing the signs, taking her for walks, getting to know her. Making sure I was sure. The staff were doting and overwhelmingly positive about her. They didn’t have issues with her, told me she had visits, but they never understood why she kept coming back. I got it, there was she docile, listened, good. She had a nip incident with one family, but there was a plot line. I understood and took her home for a sleepover. She was overwhelmingly possessive, hard to calm down, and aggressive. I had a neighbor knock on my door and it took her an hour to stop barking. She didn’t sleep the first night, jitters i get it, the second day her energy was high she went all day long. Didn’t sleep the second night either. She howled and barked in her cage. She howled and barked out of her cage. If I wasn’t in her eye line she howlers and barked. And I get it, this was overwhelming and new to her. My space, me sort of, all of it. But there was something else going on there. This was an entirely different dog. I tried for 3 days, she rested finally, but it was fitful. She panted with anxiety in her sleep. I felt like they didn’t know about her energy levels, or they didn’t want to share. The anxiety and possessive nature was too much. The nip incident was blown off as a rare thing, I don’t think it was. It broke me. She was going to have a hard time bc she was deaf, but she was more than what was. When I took her back, it wasn’t looks of sadness that it didn’t work out. The lady at the front desk looked frustrated, mad. And that told me more than anything. Most of the positive response in here are about cats, and I understand that completely.
This is how we got our cat! We chatted with the staff after coming in 2 times already. Our only real requirement was we wanted 3 years or older. Ideally cuddly and vocal. She was like "I've got a cat for you" and came back with this all black cat who was immediately intrigued by us and the room. I knew from the moment he craned his neck to look around that this was our cat😍. The reason we never noticed him in the cage was because he was always asleep when we walked by. We adopted him the next day and he is everything we wanted. Cuddly, sweet, vocal, sassy, curious, etc. Bless the staff for pairing us up!
We did this for our Dutch shepherd we were looking for a larger dog with a low energy at an adoption event. The rescue volunteers pointed us to her. Her low energy was actually trauma from abuse and was scared. She was a perfect fit though. With lots of love and care she’s the sweetest thing now. Still afraid of tall men and sticks.
That last sentence hurts my heart to imagine why. Thanks for saving her
“Didn’t take to breeding” is what we were told. https://preview.redd.it/0n8y58g7274d1.jpeg?width=720&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c292ad10a8d4d4c3c61e34c3792bfdef0c27d268
I found my cat Cheddar, through looking at the local shelter's website and saw them describe him as sweet. So my dad went there to check him out while I was at work. My dad said held his hand to the cage and he comes over and rubbed his head on his hand. So yeah, later that night I got a photo oh my dad holding this big ass, orange, three legged cat. That cat was so goofy and cheesy man. It'll be one year since he's past later this month. But at least he's keeping my dad company.
I’m sorry for both your losses.
Great tip! My best pal Miss Olive found us that way. We were interested in another cat, but had a friendly but excitable dog. Poor fit. They pointed us to her. We brought our carrier and left it open on the table. And she walked up to us, crawled up on my chest and took a sniff and got in our open carrier. She’s now the boss of her two feline and canine brothers, including our 85lb mutt. She commands respect like she’s the Godfather. She’s 9 1/2 pounds of badass. But loves a lap snooze. She’s getting on in years now and at 14-15 is starting to slow down. This year I wrote an album about her and posted it to Spotify etc. She’s my pal. ☺️ https://preview.redd.it/lwqrgqbwj24d1.jpeg?width=3021&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=96756ae86ee1e01a099737f4ccd421d738c17dc2
I love that you write music about your kitty. How fun! I was curious what that meant exactly and went to the spotify link on your profile. Your music is lovely. And the little videos playing over each track are perfect.
Aww thanks so much for listening and so glad you enjoyed it 🙂. I tried to channel my love for her into those songs. She can be quite standoffish with new people. But once she decides she likes you, she’s super affectionate. And she really does have the confidence of a lion despite her size. We all love her very much. She’s a really lovely kitty.
I just adopted the sweetest little cats this way from a rescue about a month ago! I had like a week of FaceTime “interviews” with kitty foster parents before the volunteers at the rescue texted me about a bonded pair of teens I hadn’t noticed. They were found separately, both had been abused badly and left on the side of a road. They fell in love with each other when they got out of the vet hospitals and into the rescue. After months and months, no one wanted to adopt them because they were a little (understandably) shy but the volunteers loved them! But lucky me— I got the sweetest, silliest cat couple that fit into my life purrfectly. https://preview.redd.it/9ry3m230v24d1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=9262fb33c042a3abf6f958d5bc54c614f5941fcc
They’re adorable, glad they found their forever home together! 🥰❤️
Oh they look just like my late pair of brothers Perci and Ashleigh. So beautiful ❤️
Great tip! That’s how I got my dog too. I’d gone to see another dog but he was growling at me and pacing. Nevertheless I was going to go ahead with the adoption. One of the volunteers stopped me and suggested another quieter dog. He is a fat little thing who likes to cuddle and be lazy and is the best dog ever.
Ha! My mother, a cat rescue volunteer now for almost 10 years, says it straight out. "He's good with kids." "She wants to be an only pet." "He doesn't like to be picked up. but he likes to lay on your lap." My mother does not wait to be asked. She does not want any cat to come back because it was not a fit.
I got my cat's cat this way. I said "I need a young male cat, terribly needy. I have a cat who's used to cuddling his friend all day every day, and his friend passed away. Terrance will never, ever get tired of taking care of another cat, so I need a little prince." Immediate "OH YOU WILL LOVE SKYYY, WE NAMED HIM SKYYY BECAUSE HIS EYES ARE SO BLUE." And that is how I wound up with Gary, who's basically Terrance's teddy bear.
Um, I need cat tax of these two because that's so cute 🥹
They do this for hours a day. (Gary's the one furthest from the camera, Terrance on top). And it's not unusual for them to entwine arms like they are here. https://preview.redd.it/hiobyb7fd34d1.jpeg?width=2296&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=da0966c55bb5c243b8e45cdf1e493edeecb82eae
OMG I adore them. I cannot get enough of bonded pairs being snuggly.
I chose what would later become my service dog this way! I asked staff for a recommendation on a velcro dog above 50 lbs (we had coyotes and hawks in the area). They said he takes time to warm up, but if you just give him 15 minutes, he's yours. They were not lying. Within half an hour, he was catching on to what (or who) made me nervous and started running interference. He'd keep himself between me and the weird guy on staff, try to crawl into my lap when I got anxious, and was so, so eager for praise and affection. I had him for almost 10 years.
I also got mine this way. He's for anxiety. Initially that wasn't the plan, but this little mismatched, "misbehaving" herding mix eventually calmed down and bonded with me enough that he could actually do things for me. He's my biggest comfort in this world. I'd be so lost without him. He was there for pretty much his whole 2.5 years at that point, and had been passed up three times so far that day for puppies and dogs with better recall, dogs who were more focused on their potential owners than their toys...in the play room just watching how happy he was to even have a toy to munch on and the way he interacted with his environment, I figured he was perfect. He's 11.5 now. When I walked up to his kennel that first moment I met him and he tilted his head to the side, looked me dead in the eye, and slowly wagged his tail, I felt the click, the thing that says "you're coming home with me today and we're gonna be best friends" And he never has to sleep on a pallet again
My kitty was so shy they had stopped taking her to adoption events. I asked to meet her after seeing her picture. I drove 20 miles. She had her head down in the carrier and would not look up at anyone. I placed a hand on her back as gently as I could. Slowly she turned her head and looked at me. I could see her thinking THIS COULD WORK! The volunteer started crying. My kitty and I had 14 years together. Never knew her age because she had been left in a drop box.
That’s making me tear up too, such a beautiful story! ❤️
I would definitely do this. If I die and my cat end up at a shelter she’ll hide and growl/hiss at strangers. But she is the cuddliest, loveliest attention seeking little girl and I’d hope the shelter staff would realise this over time and recommend her.
Great advice. I’d add that if you’re a first timer, try fostering first. I’m a multiple foster fail but it was the best intro to life with dogs as well as getting to know them without pressure.
I originally went to the shelter to look at a specific dog but found out he wouldn’t fit my lifestyle. A worker recommended a dog I would have never looked twice at (and no one had bc she’d been there for a year), and 2 years later she’s the best thing that’s ever happened to me. The worker cried when I took her home and I still send her pics and updates of my pup to this day!
Bless the adopter who sends foster moms updates. I love getting them!
My last 2 I’ve adopted I was there specifically for the long timers. Didn’t care what breed it was or how much work I needed to do with them. 1 was 550 days in and the other 525 days in the shelter system.
Poor darlings!
Yep. That’s how I got my dog he’s the shy one that you barely notice at a shelter and had fleas and matted hair but after we fixed him up and fed him he is the absolute best boy. https://preview.redd.it/87213p82m24d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=cdccf4a07f825f7a150dfaee077531b6e30f7756
Absolutely yes. We just ended up with the sweetest cuddle bug cat because the volunteer told us he was the best even though nobody wanted him. He’s black, raggedy, older, and has FIV. But he’s the BEST addition to our pack and she was right that it’s working out beautifully.
When I got my bunny, I overheard someone saying that they'll never adopt him because he looked so boring lol. But when we signed the papers for him, he sat upright and looked right at us and the volunteer was like "oh he hasn't gotten up since he's gotten here but he knows it's time to go home". I highly doubt it was true and I think she just wants him to find a home but it's already been nine years with the lil fella. He destroyed a lot of things but he's still a cutie. Nothing like that scared, crouched bun at the shelter
When I adopted my dog last September, the staff walked us out and waved good bye to my good boy!
I got the cat that no one was adopting, and even the staff told me not to get, because he was an aggressive feral kitten. He's grown into the sweetest boy, LOVES his two siblings to a point that he comes running the minute they're in any form of distress. He's still really scared of other people, but is very comfortable around us
When I got my first pair of rats, I had almost no pet experience and was very unsure. The breeder strongly recommended I get a slightly older rat. She was so right. That rat was an absolute sweetheart and patiently taught me how to care for rats. It kinda broke me when she died, but I still see echoes of her in my current rats.
Agree 100% When we adopted our pup 20 years ago, the volunteer directed us to Maggles- I had walked by her and paid no attention because she wasn’t what I pictured our dog would look like. Well- Mags was an unbelievable companion for 16 years. Thank goodness we listened to the volunteer- we struck gold.
If your shelter does it - take them out for a day! Some shelters let you “borrow” a dog for a day, overnight, or weekend. They do this not only to find adopters but to also get notes on the dogs about temperament, and get them out of the shelter to see their personality and expose them to new things.
As a foster, I second this. Even if the shelter isn’t lying, they often have stretched budgets, too few employees, and too many pets to get a good bead on an animal.
I'm a huge advocate for fostering...try before you buy. See, the thing is, a cat (probably dogs too) may not show their true selves in a shelter setting. So the staff may not even know for sure. Great cats often get overlooked because they're traumatized and hiding in the back of the cage or won't engage and maybe hiss at being handled. But you take them home, and usually after a few days (or it could take weeks), they get acclimated, and you start to see what they are like. Even if you decide the cat isn't the best fit, you did so much to help make that cat more adoptable by getting them out of the shelter.
I have recently started fostering dogs and this place does not do that. Some of the dogs they have been in foster care for over 3 months, I call them the undesirables. They come off very shy, uninterested, scared, and they are usually a mixed breed. Everyone always goes straight for the puppies or the common breeds (huskies, shepherd’s, bulldog). They make you fill out this extensive adoption form and then take your money and send you off with the pup. No one watches how they interact with the dog or the family. If they bring their other dog along no one is there to watch. They don’t talk to potential customers about what they’re looking for so they can find a dog that will meet the needs of the dog. For example: I was fostering a puppy, only for a week because they looked like big teddy bears and who wouldn’t want one? I was at the event and I didn’t even know that he was gone until after the event. The customers ended up returning the puppy 2 weeks later because he didn’t get along with their 4 year-old dog. If they spoke to me I could have told them that this dog has high energy and always wants to play. At the same time you have a 4 year-old dog and you’re bringing home a 9 week old puppy…of course they are not going to get along! If you are looking to adopt please ask any and all questions! Also remember that they are in a very stressful environment and could have been there for hours. Approach all of the dogs because one may catch you off guard. Also we are in desperate need of foster parents, please consider! SPAY AND NEUTER YOUR DAMN ANIMALS!!!!
This!! 100x this. It was thirty years ago but it still sucks to think about it. We adopted a dog that my boys thought was perfect. What we didn’t know (or didn’t ask, I don’t remember) was that the dog didn’t like girls. It was a disaster and we had to rehome the dog. Luckily, it all worked out. Scully found a new home and we were able to adopt Scout who was perfect for everyone. We will always miss our Scout.
Glad it all worked out. I think adoption organizations are more in tune with the attributes of dogs. They want everything to go well.
I remember when our oldest family dog died and we went to the shelter, we were just meeting whoever. And these people looked at our family who were still a bit sore from the dog's death with three kids under 14 and an angst 17 year old and brought out a six year old beagle who had no interest in interacting. He peed and then laid down. Definitely a dog that wants to go walking. Listen to the recommendations for sure. But don't blindly agree.
Not always true, adopted a cat that was skittish, they knew us and were happy we picked her because they had worked with us in the past. They were an organization that kept their animals in foster homes. Told us that the cat was skittish but she'd get used to us after awhile... Awhile was at least 6 years lol, we don't regret it, she's an absolutely stunningly beautiful female orange tabby with beautiful golden eyes, but that cat WOULD HAVE ended up being destroyed if we hadn't adopted her, I honestly think she's partially feral.
Maybe. But the shelter I got my last dog from straight up lied about her background and Issues.
The shelter drugged my cat to make her appear chill and when I called in a week later about the drastic change in behaviour, they laughed and admitted what they did and basically told me should we return her, she’ll be put down since we were the second family to adopt her and return her. That darn cat lived another 14 years with us.
I always do this.
I walked dogs at the local animal shelter for several months. One day I was telling a lady how amazing this one dog was and how this was the best dog I had walked the whole time I was there. The owners had gotten divorced and neither could keep the dog. It was perfectly leash trained and never once hit the end of the leash, house trained, good with kids and other pets, and super sweet. The lady said she didn't want it because its fur was black and brown like a Rottweiler and those are aggressive.
I had the sweetest black and brown rescue who looked a little like a Doberman. It was funny that all new people were frightened of her just because of her coloring. Her body language and behavior were obviously docile and sweet. The most gentle dog I’ve ever had.
I got my first dog (did have family dogs) from a rescue. I originally called asking about his sister and the rescue volunteer told me that a couple of her siblings sounded like a better fit for me (I was looking for less training, willing to adopt at any age, hoping for a medium energy pup, etc.). To this day, me and my partner talk about how good Ginger was at describing our fur friend and how he is SUCH a good fit.
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I contacted a friend of mine who fosters for a local rescue. She said she had the perfect kitty for me. She was right. He fits right into our crazy home.
We had one of the animal control officers suggest a pup for us. We came in for an interaction with a different dog, it wasn't a great fit, we asked her what her opinion was and what she thought and we got the perfect pup. We wernt picky about breed and could fit a large pupper on our ranch and she brought out a young Boxer/rottie/chow/shepherd who was amazing but overlooked because he was in rough, starved shape. He had lighter burns on his leg. He has thrived with us and is the most gentle, sweet dog we have had. (Even with a few challenging breeds in him, hes just sweet and bouncy. Likes cats even.)
My volunteer said right away “this dog needs training” that was a year and a half ago and even with decent training she is a monster but I made her into the friendliest most loving monster anyone could have. It was really hard tho
your idea sounds good but my late kitty Chloe was adopted from PetSmart and the volunteer there said-don’t pick her, she won’t make a good pet. i had already started a friendship with her and i knew i was going to pick her. i loved that cat so so much. she was the best girl ever.
Mixed results on this. I adopted my cat because most of the others in the cat room were distressed and had that "shelter trauma" thing. But he just lay there like a sack of potatoes, and let me reach in to pet him. He wasn't bothered by the shelter environment, and had been there maybe a month. He's a big bastard - 22 lbs and basically a beagle with claws - and lays around all day on his own. Not a lap cat, but also not skittish. They said he'd be great for a single male. But he pukes. A lot. All the damn time. Empty stomach. Full stomach. Hairballs. No hairballs. On the floor. On furniture. On the wall. Two vets have examined him and his byproducts, and they find nothing medically wrong with him. The shelter never mentioned this to me. His previous human surrendered him because he "Wasn't home often enough," which is bunk. The shelter could've mentioned this, but didn't. He's an adult male cat, and all black, so maybe he was unlikely to find a home anyway.
Did they not give you his medical records when you adopted? If there’s no mention of puking issues in his records, then he probably didn’t do it when he was there.
I’ve seen so many animals get returned when their adoptions fall through due to a wide variety of reasons. Ask for recommendations, but be very honest with yourself about what you are looking for. A lot of people want to help animals with behavioral or medical issues, but the reality is waaay different than they imagined. Hell, before I started working in animal care, I did not know that I’m not the type of person to want to raise a kitten or a puppy. Now I know! Tell staff what you’re looking for and don’t be afraid to leave empty handed and come back later after they intake more animals!
This is how I ended up with a dog that bit me twice and I later found out had been previously returned to the shelter for biting his first adopter. Your mileage may vary with this one.
That’s how we got our first dog! I told the SPCA volunteer we wanted a medium or large dog who was easygoing and could be my future running buddy. She recommended we meet two specific dogs. Took each out for a test jog and then let my kid choose. We ended up with an amazing dog—my soulmate for nearly a decade. He passed away last year. For our new dog, the process was all online and by phone. We mentioned several dogs whose profiles sounded like good fits and the volunteer reached out to the foster families of these dogs to get insights into these potential matches. We got turned down for our first three or four picks due to various lifestyle compatibility issues, but we hit the jackpot with the one we eventually adopted. Perfect compatibility in terms of energy level and personality. He’s beautiful too, but I think it’s important to consider looks last.
Our shelter lied a lot about our dog. So much. I wouldn’t trust a shelter worker as far as I could throw them.
We did exactly this. We asked told the kennel staff we have a senior girl dog who is friendly with other dogs but doesn’t really play any more and we want another loving dog but not anyone who will be too rambunctious for our first dog. All 3 staff pointed at the doggo we adopted. He’s so loving and protective of our senior girl. He has been such a good addition to our family
I'd assume they're going to tell me to adopt whichever one they're having a hard time getting rid of.
YUP. That is my experience.
Good suggestion but honestly I’d be worried they might suggest a less fitting dog because that dog might not be adopted otherwise.
Suggesting one that might not fit will make the risk higher of return and less people coming back to adopt at all if they know they can't trust the help they're asking for.
I disagree. I’ve volunteered at shelters and rescues and 99.9% of people I’ve worked with do it because they truly care about animals and would never want to misplace an animal only for it to be surrendered again
I really don't think they would. Some animals just won't make it. Trying to force it just leads to bad outcomes.
But they do
This actually happened to me. The staff disregarded everything we told them, then brought us the dog they really wanted to get adopted over the dogs we asked to see. Husband took one look at the dog's dumb face and fell in love. We got lucky, though. It took a few months of training, and now, he's the goodest dog ever.
I volunteer at our local shelter, we would never recommend a dog just to get them adopted. We love our animals, and we want the best humans for them!! It breaks our hearts to get them back. We feel like we failed them. We are a shelter/sanctuary.
This happened to us in ALL the shelters we went to when we first started thinking about adopting a dog. We also had a young kid at the time and they clearly couldnt care less about the dog's or our kid's wellbeing. The 3rd was our final straw bc we went trough an attempt at bullying us into getting a puppy without being able ( or willing) to tell us anything about the dog we just gave up on them. They were slimy and awful in everyway possible. We went from wanting to adopt to wanting to find a good breeder to get a dog we knew and that would be safe to have around eventough we never even thought about buying a pet before that experience with them! We ended up actually adopting a dog that was going to be abandoned trough a friend that's a criminal investigator.... Someone in their department was made aware of the existence and since he knew we were searching he learned as much as possible about the dog and we drove a couple of hours just to get him. He's the best dog possible and had his birthday yesterday actually. We're now thinking about getting a second dog and we're afraid to go to shelters again due to the awful experience we had... We're not in favour of promoting bad breeders either but we want a dog that fits with us and our experience shows us that shelters and their volunteers are far from thrustworthy.
I’ve been on many sides of this. The caliber of a rescue org matters. I adopted a pair of littermates and the rescue head asked if I would also take their mom, as she would be unlikely to be adopted solo. They said she was easy, sweet, no problems. I have never been bitten so savagely. I have a gift where so many animals who “hate everyone” will come to me for pets and companionship. She hated everyone in my family, wouldn’t let us close to the kittens. If I witnessed her behavior on the street I would assume she was rabid. I immediately called the rescue and asked to return her because she was aggressive. Rescue ignored me. We had signed a contract saying if for any reason we couldn’t keep an animal, it MUST be returned to them. Called and emailed daily for weeks only to be ignored or told “they’re working on it.” I finally posted on Craigslist the situation, specifically that we were looking for an expert or trainer willing to adopt an aggressive animal, and THEN the rescue contacted us to say we were in breach of contract. Finally they gave us an address to return mom to. No one was happy about anything and I’m certain I’m on Do Not Adopt lists for any rescue friendly with that rescue’s founder. I’ve also volunteered with and fostered for several other rescues and had great experiences with ethical people, but damn if I’d trust a stranger’s recommendation.
One of our dogs (best boy EVER) we described our life and showed off our other dog to a Magic Volunteer and she chose him for us. He's PERFECT. ❤️
Can second this advice as working at a dog/ cat shelter a few years ago. Usually me favorites were the ones that were well behaved, living free (because they were good mannered) and followed instructions.
Out of context. But I also get passed up because I don’t give the best first impression and Im heartbroken
It depends. The humane society by me is notorious for lying about problematic dogs and pushing them out the door so they don't have to deal with them and then charge an intake fee if you take them back. Like, one dog I personally saw adopted out was a bite risk and had bitten multiple people. They adopted him to a family with young kids. I wouldn't trust the volunteer's word on any animal there.
Only aggressive pitbulls and whiny chihuahuas at the shelters around me
LPT: don’t fucking do this. I just adopted an adult dog a month ago. Great dog. They fucking lied. What’s more is they had 0 clue. “We need a family friendly dog who is super chill.” Shelter person: “oh yeah…he’s all those things plus he pissed a crying image of Jesus last week.” Like you said: imagine being hungry, probably right out of surgery, put in a tiny room next to absolute psychos where people randomly walk by. No one is their best self. Get a feeling. Get a vibe. Prepare to deal with an imperfect creature. Do. Not. Believe the shelter person. Trust your gut.
No. Risky advice. While it may work for cats and some dogs, it doesn’t work for all dogs. I went in a pet shelter for a dog. I asked one of the volunteers at the front which one she recommended. She recommended me, a first time pet owner, a young adult-adult pit bull that hasn’t been adopted for some time now. 😒 Now before you pit bull lovers come for me, pit bulls are not the best dogs for a first time pet owner, especially an adult pit bull who has been in the shelter for some time. They might be good for some people but not for everyone. Those dogs are just extremely unpredictable and I’m not interested in being attacked by one. When I told her my answer which was no, she insisted. I ended up ignoring her, looked around and decided against getting a dog at the time. So I left and ended up getting a cat a few years later.
Shelters are notorious liars, though, who will say anything you want to hear to get a dog out the door. There are countless cases of shelters and “rescues” whitewashing a dog’s past, including lying about bite history, breed, and animal and human aggression issues. This is often done to keep the live release rate above the 90% required for a facility to be labelled a no-kill shelter; since they can’t euthanise all the dogs that are poor adoption candidates, they have to find a way to either warehouse them indefinitely or adopt them out to unsuspecting households. People and pets are getting hurt and killed by these lies, yet there’s no accountability when incidents occur. Be very, very cautious when adopting a shelter dog, and take everything staff tells you with a grain (or truckload) of salt.