Ready for My Close Up - Joey & Gracie

I haven’t even signed in when I catch sight of the day’s first cute kitty. Several people in the front lobby are gathered around a very cool cat, a long hair black and white on a leash who’s calmly strolling along the counter. He sniffs around before jumping to the ground and moving amiably within the confines of his leash.

Later I learn that he’s being tested as an animal assisted therapy cat. (This is where animals, usually dogs, are brought to visit people who are confined and would enjoy the company of a friendly pet: http://www.sfspca.org/programs-services/animal-assisted-therapy/) From what I saw, he’s a fine candidate, unfazed by any of the sights, sounds or smells of the shelter.

I head off to socialize the more cat-like cats. Have a couple brief conversations with people, but not a lot of adopter action. One woman wants to meet Mirka, who as usual is pawing her window for attention. She shows charmingly, but the woman confesses she has three cats and home and really can’t take a fourth. Another volunteer tells me Mirka had similar visits over the weekend – people intrigued but unwilling to commit.

I check out a bonded pair of two year olds who transferred here from Island Cat Rescue, Joey and Gracie. Joey’s the more outgoing one, a pretty long haired gray tabby. Little gray and white Gracie stays mostly hidden in her climbing structure, although she purrs enthusiastically when I reach in to pet her.

As I’m hanging out with them, one hand available for each cat, a staffer brings a delegation of some sort into the corridor. She’s showing off the condos and describing all the ways they make cats’ stays comfortable and free from unneeded stress, along with the myriad processes for preventing the spread of infection.

It’s an attentive group – they lean in close, nodding, and a couple of them snap pictures as then move down the hall. I’m dangling a toy for Joey, and he obliges the photographers by rising up on his haunches and batting it playfully. Gracie stays hidden, nervous from the voices outside.

Another feature of Maddie’s is keeping bonded pairs together, even though it can be harder to place them. These two are a good example. Sure, Joey’s all out there being the superstar, but they were raised together. It would be sad to split them up now, and sadder still if the shy one was left behind. Some cats just need more time to get out into the limelight.