Hi, my name is Toes. I’m five years old, and I’m a beautiful short-furred black and white tuxedo cat. You might remember me from my earlier article, “Finding Fur-ever Homes: The Case For Shelter Cats", and this article I was featured in, Choosing Adoption: How You Can Make A Difference. I was in a shelter for over 200 days, but I’ve been adopted now. I’ve been in my home since mid-June, and I love it here!

Humane Society of Delaware County), it was clear that I needed to come home. I am the king of my new home, and I plan to stay that way!

Before I was adopted, I was shy, withdrawn, moody, and temperamental. Because I didn’t have anything to call my own, I was constantly defensive. However, I’m really grateful to the people that took me in and loved me even when I wasn’t the perfect cat. You can watch my transformation video here:

Truth is, most of us aren’t perfect cats, but we are lovable cats. We’re in shelters, and that’s never our fault. However, being in shelters makes us stressed, depressed, and defensive. So if you come looking for a pet, keep that in mind as you meet each of us. HSDC volunteers say that they frequently see a personality change once cats get home—we become less defensive and more affectionate, playful, and relaxed. This means that when we’re in a shelter, you need to be patient with us. We won’t always jump into your lap or rub up against your legs and purr when you come to see us. In fact, when you adopt a shelter cat, you should be aware that some of us have been through traumatic things—like the death of an owner—in the past. We are still full of love for you, but it might take us a little longer to show it. For example, I didn’t warm up to my new mom and dad for about a month, and sometimes I still get a little nervous that they might send me back, even though they’ve promised me that they won’t ever do that. As my mom says: “This is Toes’ house now!”

Some experiences were frightening for me. For example, the vet was incredibly stressful! When I saw the carrier, I ran and hid so that I wouldn’t have to go back to the shelter. It took three tries to finally get me there, but once I arrived, I realized that it wasn’t as bad as I feared. Plus, I got to go right back home afterwards! That helped me understand that I was there to stay.