To see a larger view of each cat, click on the thumbnails.

Reggie (formerly known as Rags) new family writes: After my mother adopted a former “Cat of the Month,” Rags, I wrote in and promised an update and photos. Rags (now renamed “Reggie”) is doing just great. He literally had no adjustment period to her home—he was “at home” as soon as we arrived. He is very happy and healthy and loves spending time on a screened porch (which he has all to himself) and on a special sleeping spot (on “his” quilt) on my mother’s bed. He plays, naps, and hangs out with Mom and is very affectionate and well adjusted. Thanks again to the volunteers and staff at Cat Welfare for pairing up my mother and Rags/Reggie. Craig
Hi, About a year and a half ago I went to the Cat Welfare web site to look for adoption information and clicked on the Special Adoptions link. On that site I found a kitty who was almost a year old. The description said that she was very sweet and loved to be petted once she got to know you and the reason she hadn't been adopted yet was because, due to an eye infection when she was dropped off, had an eye removed. A picture was included with the description but it was hard to tell exactly what her face looked liked. We stopped by Cat Welfare to meet this cat (Claire) - not knowing how scary her face might look. We were very surprised at how pretty she was! You could tell that she wanted to be petted but she wasn't as aggressive as some of the other cats so it was a bit of trick to shoo the other cats away so we could pet her. We fell in love with her instantly. Having grown up at Cat Welfare, the switch to a home (with kids) was pretty unnerving to Claire. She spent the first few days hiding in the basement. It was probably a full week before she ventured up the steps, through the kitchen and into the living room. She also developed a pretty bad cold and we had to try several types of medicine before we found the stuff that would cure her. Giving her medicine and taking her to the vet was not something that helped her transition to our house! But Claire, being the smart cat she is, realized what couches were for and decided to move into the living room and abandon the dark basement. Next, she discovered what beds were for and started to take turns sleeping with the kids. The best thing she discovered is that if she's extra cute, the kids will give her kitty treats! I urge folks to look at the special adoptions cats and see if the cat has something you can deal with. While the beginning of Claire's adoption was a bit hard for us, it was well worth it. She is a perfect part of our family. Jude
Shadie (formerly Honey Pot) resides with Kris Weber & 13-year-old Jezebell who also came from CWA. "Shadie rolls over so you can pat his belly, and if you get close enough he will slurp you on the nose. I call that a kiss and he blesses me so much."
Poohbear (now known as Samantha)'s new family writes: hello-- We adopted poohbear as a special adoptions kitty about a couple of weeks ago so we wanted to let everyone know how she is doing. First off, we changed her name to samantha, we usually call her sammi or sam. Then we discovered she had a bad case of kitty gingivitis and had to have her teeth pulled, thats the bad news, the good news is she doesn't seem to mind and is getting healthier every day. She now has a good appetite and is exploring different types of food. She is a really good little girl and the more her personality comes out the more we love her. We are so glad the nice people at cat welfare were able to take care of her till we found her or we would have never had the joy of becoming her friends. She likes to sit in her chair and watch the birdies outside just like she did on the sunporch thou she has discovered that watching TV with mom and dad is alot of fun also. Thanks alot Ewell and Sandy Smith
Hi. My name is Katie Read. My boyfriend, Chad and I adopted the cat, Timmy from the recovery room in February. I know Timmy was loved by many there at Cat Welfare, so we wanted to keep you updated on his adaptation into our family. We had our eye on Timmy for a couple of months prior to bringing him home. We knew instantly that he would be the perfect cat/friend for us. After getting him home, he proved that to be true. He instantly made himself at home and showed both Chad and I lots of affection. He is completely spoiled, which Chad and I agree, he deserves. I'm sure he has had a tough life, as all the cats at your shelter have, and we are just happy to be a part of his life. He has many places in our apartment that he likes, especially looking out the window. He also is much more playful than I had originally expected. He has an abundance of toys that he likes and other things that he simply decides are going to be his toys...ha ha! He also enjoys talking a lot. We have conversations every morning when he gets up. His health is also getting better. He has gained some weight and his coat has gotten a lot fuller in the last month or so. He still has a bit of his cold, but it is definitely improving from when we first got him. Hopefully, eventually we can get him completely well. Anyway, Chad and I wanted to thank all of you who cared for Timmy. He is definitely something special. Thank you!!
Bailey's (#23555) new family writes: Hi - I just wanted to send a note on Bailey's behalf and let you know how glad we are to have adopted him. He's an absolute angel - completely opposite of when we saw him at the shelter. From the moment we brought him home he was affectionate and constantly jumping on our laps to get more attention. He's a totally different cat. He sleeps with us at night and doesn't make a sound. So perhaps the previous family didn't understand what he wanted and that when he cried at night was only because he wanted to be with everyone else. Granted, he is a talker but that only adds to his personality. Thanks for taking such good care of him. He's a great cat! I've attached a few pictures for your enjoyment as well as a small note from Bailey. Bailey here. I was at Cat Welfare for about a year and a half. I tended to get into everything and was constantly being placed in my cage for a "time out". My new owners came to visit me on several occasions before they were ready to adopt me. I admit that I was a tad mean at the shelter - constantly hissing at everyone and jumping on my fellow cats. I didn't like the noise and the other cats were always on my last nerve. Thanks goodness my new parents were able to see thru my misery and took me home. I was instantly hooked - there is tons of room for me to run and when I get tired, I can always retreat to the sun porch. I have full rein of the house and I love all the attention I get. My parents work out of their home so I spend most of my afternoons snuggling on one of their laps thoroughly enjoying myself. I think this family is going to work out just fine. Thanks for taking care of me during my stay at the shelter.
Yolanda writes: I wanted to send you some more pictures of Ernie (formerly known as Sawdust; I adopted him in March 2003). Ernie's doing very well. He's still very playful, silly, and vocal. We took these photos when we visited my parents. My parents and sister both have cats, and Ernie made a couple of new kitty friends during the visit. It was fun to see them chase each other around the house. It probably reminded him of his time at Cat Welfare!
Mary Hibbs writes: "I adopted Nicky from Cat Welfare 2-1/2 years ago. He passed away in September but I wanted to share some pictures of him. He was always purring and had so much love to give. All Nicky asked for in return was a full tummy and a lap to lie on. Cat Welfare is one of the few shelters that gives an elderly cat like Nicky a second chance. Thanks for taking care of him until I could adopt him."
Henry (#15678) Henry's new family sends us this update: Hi, it's Henry! I've finally written my little story. It's hard to type without a thumb. It sure was nice seeing you a few weeks ago. I'm so happy you remembered me and took the time to rub my ear and stump. Keep up the great work of saving kitties like me. Now here goes nothing, my writing debut...... Hi! My name is Henry a.k.a. Hen a.k.a. Handsome Henry a.k.a. Sir Limps-A-Lot. As you can see I am an overly attractive cat that just happens to have one ear and a stump. I also have very squinty eyes, a limp and a tail full of kinks. I guess some of these reasons must be why it took me 8 years at Cat Welfare to get someone to notice me and give me a forever home. In May of 2002 my new mom walked through the front doors, called my name and I came limping over. I was originally brought into Cat Welfare after someone found me in a dumpster with frostbite. Maybe that explains my dashing looks. When someone sees me they think I'm a tough alley cat, but I'm actually a nice middle age kitten that loves to sleep in my family's lap. My family has other cats so I had to prove that I was top cat by shoving my head against their mouths until they gave me a bath. Boy, I really showed them! One of those cats is another cat that came from Cat Welfare. Her name is Tigris, although I hear her called Jaba the Hut and "Wide Load." I have no idea why. She use to be very scared, but now she'll plop down in your lap without any notice at all. On the other hand, I like to stand on your chest and stare down at you until you "rub my stump" of an ear. Ahhhh I like that! My family has to watch out though, I love to play! Well, ummm actually I like to watch my human brother knock the ball around inside my toy ring. That's exercise enough for me. Next time you're in Cat Welfare think of me and give the cats that have disabilities or that have been there a long time a big hug and check out the handsome cat inside the Cat Welfare brochure. He sure is great looking, oh wait that's me! Well, I'm off. It's time to get a bath. Oh Tigris where are you...?
Quincy (#22943) Quincy's new family writes: "Quincy #22943 about 10 years old was adopted by my family (The Rosati Yoos Family). He was a special adoption cat because he evidently snipped occasionally at kids. I remember the day I came in. Everyone was surprised I had specifically asked to see him after seeing him on your site. He was the biggest boy in the room sitting atop a TV and when I picked him up, he hugged me and would not let go. That was surprise number two because everyone there said they had not seen him do that. "Quincy has a wonderful home and despite growing up in an office environment previously and then on to Cat Welfare, he much enjoys his alone time. It only took him about two days in transition to make our home, his home too. He is happy to be amongst our family hustle with two little ones. He has been wonderful with them and has maintained great tolerance when our two year old pokes at him! I don't think he ever got to see outside much and now he loves our screened in porch. And needless to say, he has trimmed his plumpy figure down by running up and down our stairs! "Every night he retires promptly at 10pm to the end of our bed and doesn't move the whole night. He is up right with the first sound of the alarm for his breakfast service. He is quite a prince. We feel like he has always been a part of our home and so does he. "There is something to be said for adopting an older cat. My 5 year old asked me why I always adopt the old ones and I tell him because they desperately need a nice place to be too. They are so grateful and loving and we are happy that he will have many happy years until his final retirement."
Maggie's new family sends us this update: Maggie is making great progress. She has come out from under the bed and is starting to hang out with the rest of the Girls. When Kate (my 60-pound shepherd/hound mix) gets too close, Maggie hisses at her and sends her running! It's a hoot to watch little Maggie scare big Kate. Isis (60-pound retriever mix) just ignores the cats, even when they curl up with her. Maggie hasn't gotten that brave, yet! Over the last couple of weeks, Maggie's been walking along the back of the couch and butting me in the head. Just this week, she began moving down the arm of the couch and into my lap. She just loves to be petted. She also is a bit of a food hound. This morning, she tried to eat my bagel at the same time I was eating it!!! I gave Maggie a bath this afternoon. She did really well although she was scared. Her favorite part of the bath was getting dried off while cuddling with me on the couch. She also let me trim her nails. She looks absolutely beautiful. While we were on the couch, Gracie (my tabby) came up and bopped Maggie on the head with her paw - Maggie just looked at her and went back to purring contentedly. Gracie must have felt she made her point and walked away. Usually Maggie puts the "evil eye" on Gracie and Georgie (my calico) and they run away like they've been zapped. I guess her newness is wearing off and Gracie's not afraid of her anymore. Don't you just love to watch cats interact? Wonder what's really going on in those little heads - probably better we don't know. Maggie still runs for the basement or under the bed when she feels nervous, but little by little she's coming out of her shell. Last night she got brave enough to slip in and out of Gracie's and Georgie's crates to see if there were any crumbs left in their food bowls! (I feed all the cats in their crates with the doors off. Gracie's and Georgie's crates are in the family room. Maggie's is still in the guest bedroom. Hers will move out to the family room after the New Year.) The crates discourage Kate and Isis (the dogs) from going after the cat food. Everyone gets fed once a day at the same time and the cats have all learned to eat when the food goes down. In fact as soon as I get home, there's a cat chorus wanting to know when dinner will be ready!!! Everyone is going to the vet next week for their annual checkups. I'm also having the cats microchipped (the dogs already are). None of them are allowed out of the house unless they are in their crates or on a lease. However, I want to be on the safe side should one of them accidentally escape. I am certainly glad that Maggie has joined the family and I think she is too. We wish you a very happy holiday! Lynn, Kate, Isis, Gracie, Georgie & Maggie
JULIA A.K.A. SYLVIE (#26544)	AJ (#26755)	JONATHAN (#24865)
Jonathan (#24865) Jonathan now lives with Steve Priest. "I just wanted to let everyone know that Jonathan is doing so well. He seemed to have a cold in his chest, and the runny eye was probably part of that also. Regardless, the vet got him fixed up and he looks great! Me and him are the best buddies, and he doesn't get too far away from me when I am home. I can honestly say that he is the most affectionate cat I have ever had! Thanks for everyone being patient with me while I looked at ALL the cats for several weekends, until I knew that Jonathan was going to be my new buddy, and I was able to bring him home. I included some pics so everyone can see how good he looks now."
MARY KATE AND ASHLEY(#24796 and #24797)
STEVIE (#25537)	HOPE (#26075)	BABYGIRL (CANDEE) (#25283)
BUTTERS (#25210)	PATTI(#24456)	STEPHAN (#25425)
Pearl (#25693) This is an update on Pearl, who I adopted in April 2005. Pearl is now known as "Abby", but as it turns out, it doesn't really matter so much as Abby is totally deaf. On the bright side, nothing scares her, not thunder, vacuums, fireworks, or the doorbell! I try to use hand gestures as much as possible with her (she of course knows the one for "food"!). I tap on the floor or wall when I'm coming up behind her so she knows and doesn't get scared. She always turns and greets me with a big silent meow. She is SOOO affectionate. She greets everyone who comes into the house, and hasn't met a leg or knee she didn't love to rub up against. And if you get down on the floor to her level, she'll curl up next to you. She purrs all the time. I found out why she sticks her tongue out all the time - she has no front teeth to keep it in! She loves to eat wet food and still manages with dry food too. She might actually have gained a little weight. All her bloodwork came back normal, which is great for a cat as old as she is. She had bad arthritis at first, but after a couple weeks on glucosamine, I've seen quite a difference. She moves around more, I've seen her run, and she even was able to jump up on my chair to lie on me! She loves the fact we're in a ranch - she doesn't have to worry about any steps. Abby loves the sun porch too. She may be deaf, but she still sees very well and loves to watch the birds in the feeder outside the window as she's soaking up some rays. Abby gets along with the only other cat, Bernie, who is a very well-behaved senior guy. Bernie is not a cat-snuggler and neither is Abby, so it works out perfectly. Abby occassionally will howl at the top of her lungs for seemingly no reason whatsoever, but each time Bernie hears it, he goes running over to check on her and will lick her forehead. I'd like to think this is one senior kitty who has it made, although I feel lucky too to have her. She has given me so much joy. I'm not sure how much time she has left, but I treasure every day with her. Thanks Cat Welfare!
Lucas(#25570) Lucas' new family writes: "I just thought I would send a little update on Lucas. He has just bloomed since bringing him home. He may have been reluctant to leave the shelter but he seems to like it here just fine now that he's getting familiar with the place. My other kitty (Banshee) has at least stopped hissing and growling at poor Lucas but he has handled her very well too. When she hissed he just looked at her and went around her. I was so thrilled with his reaction to her. He's twice her size and she wasn't being very nice at all. I believe they will be good together as soon as she gets used to him though. She's starting to be a little curious so it's coming along ok I believe. He didn't go into hiding at all. I confined him to a single room the first night so he wouldn't be too overwhelmed and let him out the next morning and he just looked around and was a little nervous I think but made himself fairly comfortable right away. His cold has cleared up as well and for the time being though he seems to be quite healthy. Lucas is being a very lovely kitty with me as well. He comes to me regularly for affection and I just don't believe I could have brought home a better kitty. Thank you!" Update: Sadly, Lucas passed away in October 2007. Below is a final update from Lucas & his mom Linda. My Mom came and got me on April Fool’s day in 2006 because she wanted another kitty to keep Banshee, the little girl kitty she already had, company. My Mom looked around at all the kitties at the shelter and decided she wanted me. I wasn’t real keen on getting into the carrier but Mom just wouldn’t give up and kept trying till she finally cornered me. While I was at the shelter I wasn’t real crazy about people handling me (at least that’s what they told my Mom), and when I came home it took me a while to get used to being loved on. Mom wouldn’t give up though she would pet my head (that as close as I would get) and every now and then she would grab me up and hold me until I relaxed and eventually I started to like it when she did and then one day I just decided to get in her lap and see what that was like and I just stayed there as much as I could from then on. I really liked being in my Mom’s lap, it was warm and she would rub my head and pet me and talk to me, it was great. She even got a thing that she called a harness and took me outside to walk in the yard with her, WOW, that was so cool. After I proved to her that I was a good boy she just let me walk with her and I always stayed right with her like she told me to. I am sooo glad I got to have a real home. I started losing weight though and Mom took me to the vet and they did some blood test and the vet said I had this thing called FIP and that they couldn’t do anything to make it go away. My Mom was so upset, she cried and cried cause she loved me so much. You see I was really losing a lot of weight, I would eat and eat and then it all just came back out, one way or another, without sticking to my ribs. I was only 5 and a half pounds at the end. Mom took me back home and didn’t want to take me to go to the Rainbow Bridge but I was just getting sicker and wasn’t feeling good at all. She told me about the Rainbow Bridge and how I would feel better and I would be warm and be able to run and play and I wouldn’t be hungry all the time any more. She finally decided that to make me feel better that she was going to have to take me to the vet so she could send me to the Bridge where I can wait for my Mom to come and join me some day. I know I’m going to miss her and she’s going to miss me but she said it’s only for a while and she’ll be there with me again. Lucas was one of the warmest, loving, sweet kitty’s I have ever had the pleasure to belong to. I have had a very difficult time sitting down to write this letter, I truly loved that little cat. FIP was something that I knew nothing about previous to this and I was just horrified that there was nothing that could be done. Even though I only had him for a year and a half it was a time just full of love. I am so very glad I was able to give him a forever home even though it was for far too short a time. On October 20, 2007 he went to the Rainbow Bridge to wait for me. I Miss him very much.
MISS TESSIE (#15023)	LULU aka OLIVIA (#27408)	TIFFANY (#25394)
DENNIS (#25133)	POOHBEAR (#22059)	JAWS (#26253)
LEGS A.K.A. BRETT (#23702)	MOMMA CAT (#24798)	MIA (#25260)
CRAZYEYE (HOMER THE ROAMER) (#25872)	STARR (#25069)	SIMBA (#19422)
DENNIS (#25133)	KAI(#24865)	CURVES (#25895)
JUNE BUG(#25365)	NELLIE(#24135)	JOSIE (#23253)
CALLIE(#23981)	BAILEY (#23555)	HOSS (#24521)
HONEY POT (#15009)	TIMMY (#22837)	LUKE (#23304)	blank
GRETCHEN (number not available)	ESMERELDA (#23280)	TRIXIE (#22657)
RAYMOND (number not available)	SISSY (#22747)	SHADOW (#23804)
BEA (#16457)	SIMON (#22510)	RUTHIE (#23351)
TILLY (#23106)	LIZA DOOLITTLE (#21489)	LEO (#23127)
JADE (#22618)	BERNIE (#23545)	COSMO (#23314)
MAGGIE(#20403)	BOBBY (#23164)	WILLY (#23182)
JASMINE (#23081)	BOBCAT (#23101)	JOE (number not available)
ABBY (#21940)	SAWDUST	MISS GRAY (#20661)
MORRIS (# not available)	BOBBLEHEAD (#22783)	TIGGERTWO (#23264)
PRINCESS TORTIE (#22845)	TIMMY (#22837)	SYDNEY (#21810)
MOLLY (#22994)	DIXIE (#22785)	CLIVE (# not available)
Dixie, now known as Sophie, has sent us this update: Hi Guys! You might remember me as Dixie (#22785), I am the tiger striped mitten kitten who had a bit of a cold while I was there with you. My new mom and dad and I decided that I would like the name Sophia a lot better, so that's what I'm called now - Mom and dad already had another kitty named Dixie and two kitties named Dixie would get confusing. I agreed with that and really like my new name, I even come when I'm called by it. I've been home with my new mom and dad, along with their two sons and 3 other furry kids now for about 5 days, and I must tell you, I love this place! There's lots of mirrors here that I like to look in to see myself, and lots of room, too! My cold seems to be getting better, just like you guys thought it would, it seems I'm allergic to kitty litter with perfumes in it. My mom buys stuff that doesn't have perfume in it and that seems to help quite a bit. I hardly sneeze at all now, and my nose is not running as much. I'm still going to the vet though, just to be sure. My mom tells me that I have pretty big paws to fill, since I guess one of her other furry kids died before I came along. Her name was Molly and she was a mitten kitten, too. But that's ok, I seem to be doing a good job because I like Mom's lap the best, especially at night when I sleep with her, and even though she cries a little bit sometimes when she pets my paws, I just rub my cheek against hers and that seems to make her feel better. It makes me feel better too, because I purr really loudly when I do that to her and she calls me her pretty girl. There's lots of love in this house, I'm glad I got to go home with my new mom and dad. I like to crawl on his shoulders and he likes that a lot, he even gives me rides sometimes and boy, is that fun! I have 3 other furry kids to play with, two of them seem to like me a lot, the other one I'm not too sure about, but just give me time, I'm sure we'll be best of friends (although my other two furry kid siblings tell me that that calico doesn't like anyone else anyway).My furry kid brother, Ebon, is a big black tom cat who is neutered. He's really nice and we like to play together a lot! He's also been here the longest. He says my mom rescued him from a dumpster a long time ago when he was just a kitten. My bigger furry kid sister is a tuxedo kitty, she's the one named Dixie, she doesn't play much, but she likes to flop and roll on her back a lot. She came here just about a month and a half ago when her previous owner couldn't keep her any more. So I'm not the only new one it seems and that makes me feel better. Banshee is the calico that doesn't like anyone, Ebon told me that our mom rescued her when she was a kitten, too. My mom wanted me to tell you to thank you for taking such good care of me while I stayed with you guys. I knew she was the right one because I wound myself around her legs when she came in the building and I think we are going to be very happy together. I don't know when I'll be able to update you again, because I don't really get a lot of access to the computer, but I'll try to write again and send you some pictures of me doing silly stuff so you can laugh when you remember me. I'm going to miss you guys! Purrs and nudges, Sophia (Dixie)
Montana (formerly Prowler) (# 19118) Mark and Marlene Meyers sent us these photos of Montana (formerly Prowler) and Sparky (formerly Mikey), as well as Benny (formerly Huckleberry) and Bo and Angel (also CWA cats): Montana, Sparky and Benny (all CWA almumni) Sparky relaxing in the sun Bo, a housemate of Sparky and Montana. Bo, a housemate of Sparky and Montana. Sparky Angel Montana and Sparky share sweet dreams Here's a great picture of Mickey Mantle (click the thumbnail for a larger version):
Georgia's new family sends us this letter from her, including two photos of her in her happy new home. Dear friends at Cat Welfare, Now that I've been at my new home a week, I wanted to let you know how I am. When they brought me home, I hung back and watched all the excited faces talking in soft voices to me. After an hour or so, I realized that this must be what I've been hearing about for more than five years at Cat Welfare: a home for me! I came out for kitty massages and realized this was going to be fun. My new family says I am the perfect cat for them. They love tortoise-shell cats and have another "tortie" they adopted from Cat Welfare a year ago. Plus, they rave about how beautiful I am and how they can't believe their good fortune at adopting such a great cat. ::blush:: They love my crinkly ear, light chin, and tan paws. Everyone laughs at my very active tail, which they say is like a dog's tail, always dancing around bonking things. And they laugh at all the places I turn up, like the plant ledges above their kitchen and den. They say my sweet nature reminds them of a white cat they loved dearly and said goodbye to in December 1996. She too had been at Cat Welfare for a long time-four years-before coming here. She knew how to claim a free lap in seconds just as I do, and also tried to bathe the baby's head (different baby, of course) as I do. I think they're pretty perfect for me, too. They have six other cats, but the house is pretty big and no one seems to be in my way. I know that my mom and dad hang out on the couch a lot nursing and cuddling the new baby, so I make that my home base. I don't mind lying against them, being petted and scratched and talked to, until a lap frees up. I have another routine besides hanging out on the couch. For a few hours each morning I like to act sneaky, peeking around corners and dashing from place to place. They call me G-Spy when I do that. They've given me other nicknames too: Peachy, GA, and Georgie Girl. Well, it's dark now and the kids are already in bed, so I need to work on my next project: getting a place on my mom and dad's bed. With three people and four or five cats who are very possessive of their spots, it's hard to squeeze in. Give me a week and I will have it covered! I hope you are all doing well. I miss you a lot, and I bet you miss me dashing through doors and doing silly things. Thank you all for giving me a home before my family found me. You all were so kind and took such good care of me for five years-most of my life! Head bumps and leg rubs from your friend, Georgia Update: November 2006 We adopted Georgia, longtime Cat Welfare kitty, about four years ago. She has been such a dear and wonderful addition to our family-always the first to the food bowl for refills, the first to claim a lap (especially if the "sitter" was wearing jeans), and probably the most impossible cat we have ever tried to groom or give medicine. Unfortunately, she is not doing very well right now. She was diagnosed with vaccine-related fibrosarcoma a few months ago and has a large and fast-growing tumor. Because of the location of the tumor, our vet said (and we agreed) that having it removed was not a good idea. It has grown quite a bit and she is losing weight and seems to be in some pain, although we have finally found a way to get the pain medicine into her without upsetting her or us (putting it on her paw, so she licks off most of it). We are trying to find the right time to let her go; she still seems to have some quality of life and still pursues some of her old routines, but the end is near. I wanted to let you know that Georgia died Friday night. We found it terribly hard to make the final decision. She was such a trouper that in many ways she tried to go about her usual routines, despite what must have been excruciating pain. The tumor had grown quite huge, and she was so upset by it that she kept scratching at it with her back claws, cutting it open. By the end it was a gaping wound despite our efforts to care for and cover it (she immediately removed all covers). So on top off the pain of the tumor pressing down, she had the wound to contend with. We are still just crushed, and I'm agonizing over the decision, which at the same time felt too soon and too late. We will miss her terribly for a very long time.
What a happy smile on Georgia's face, and such a difference from when she was waiting for her new family at the shelter! Below is a picture of Georgia at the shelter.
Leonard (#21691) Here's a note from Sue Frost, Leonard's new owner: Just a note to let you know that Leonard has adapted quickly to his new home and is doing very well. I look forwarding to spending time with him each day. As a special adoption cat, he is just a big (really big) love who is just wonderful. He is still called Leonard and enjoys running through the house when called for. He has also discovered the joys of a big comfy mattress and joins me there. His favorite toy is batting and attacking a fake mouse on a long string. He is developing a bit of a fitness regime with stair climbing and bed leaps along with his vet approved less active diet. --- Sue Frost
BUBBA (# not available)	VINCENT (#21821)	WINSTON (#23540)
CLAIRE (#24187)	ELLIOT (#24189)	POPPY (#23888)
RAYMOND	BILLIE (#25844)
EBBY
LEO (#22093) (Leo is on the left, Gemini on the right)	PETEY	LARRY
WEASEL (#25272)	OLLIE (#24006)	BONNIE
CLAY (#21944)	AMY (#21082)	WILD CHILD (a.k.a. WILD THING) (number not available)
BILLY BOB (#20455)	NICKY (#19986)	ANDY (#21670)
LUCY ( # 20363)	MISS. BEA (#19529)	ARCHIE (# 21609)
LARRY (#21734)	ZOE	PORKCHOP
TORTIE (18259)	ALEX(#19295)	CARMELITA (#21092)
GABBY (# 19367)	DUKE(#20724)	DAISY & VIOLET (#21095 & 21096)
WILLIE(#20926)	CODY/EDDIE (#20448)	MOOSE(#16273)
WILLIE(#19900)	JOHNNIE (#20499)	DANIEL (# 19505)
MURRAY ( # 19366)	MR. RILEY (number not available)	BERNIE (# not available)
MIKE (# 19368)	DOMINO(# not available)	LITTLE JOHNNIE (#20476)
CHEYENNE (#19007)	CHRISTINA (#15088)	GRETCHEN (#18963)
JEFF AND MUTT (#19370 and #19371)	VICTORIA (#18729)	JOE(# not available)
WELL ENOUGH (#16715)	BETH (#13 154) & WILBUR (#10954)	ROCKY (#19055)
EMILY (#19193)	MISS UNDERSTOOD (#18933)	BERNADETTE (#18346)
SOPHIA	RAMBO AND GUCCI (#17871 AND #17870)	CHARLIE (#15680)
DOC(#19574)	CHAMP (#21886)	BLITZ
LIZA (#21478)	PRINCESS (#22449)	MARVIN (#21193)
MOLLY (#21614)	JEWEL (#21789)	PUMPKIN A.K.A. SHORTIE (#19519)
GEORGIA (#HH)	MARCUS (#22014)	NELLY (#21836)
SNOW MONKEY (#20158)	LUCY (#21462)	WILLIE (#19693)

Miss Daisy (formerly Miss Calico)(#20653) Miss Daisy (formerly Miss Calico) is now in a wonderful new home. Here's the latest from Daisy: Hello! It's Daisy signing in again. My goodness! It's been awhile since I corresponded. Let's just say that my human has been dealing with a family medical emergency, everything is now back on track, and it's time for me to once again check in with all of my friends at Cat Welfare. My crazy human has adopted another collie rescue. This one is a young female and she is sooooo energetic, soooooo anxious to please, and soooooo annoying (just kidding!!). Seriously, Bridget is a wonderful addition to our cat and pup herd. She and Bernie love to play together. It makes me tired just watching those two run and jump. Of course, I watch them from inside -- perched at the window in the air-conditioned comfort of my forever home. I'm not crazy -- I'm not going to run and jump and act generally like I don't have a brain in my head in this hot, hot weather. Bridget has started obedience classes and is trying to learn to stay. Because she's a "velcro" dog, the stay command is very difficult for her. Bridget wants to be with my human at all times so when my human takes a step away from Bridget, she sticks to my human like a tick. I keep telling Bridget to play hard to get, act aloof, scoff at treats, and so on, but she's having NONE of that. Dogs ... I'll never understand them. Oh, my.... My human got her latest issue of your newsletter and she started crying. I was so confused because she usually enjoys reading about all of the happenings at Cat Welfare. When I went to check on her (I gently tap her cheek when she's upset), she told me that Bosworth had been called to duty at the Rainbow Bridge. Then, I understood why she was crying. Bosworth did such good work at Cat Welfare. He helped me when I showed up, pregnant and scared and scruffy. I can't think there'll be a better worker at the Rainbow Bridge than Bosworth. As he showed me the ropes at Cat Welfare, I'm sure he'll be there for me when I'm called to the Rainbow Bridge. Bless him always. Well, THANKS to all of my friends at Cat Welfare for all you do for cats and kittens. Until next time, Miss Daisy signing off!!

Emily (#20676) Brian Zupko and Shawnna McLaughlin wrote in to give us an update on how Emily (now named Abby) is doing: "I just wanted to take a second and email you some pictures of Emily. Her name is Abby now and we adopted her at your shelter several months ago. She was one of your special adoptions because she was missing her tail and was recovering from a burn on her back. I have to tell you that she is the most wonderful cat. Very playful and very chatty. She has fit right in at our home with three other cats and two dogs and we love her. One of the other cats in the pictures is a Cat Welfare cat too. The big, grey and white one. I hope you enjoy the pictures. We can never thank you enough." Click on the thumbnails to see larger versions!

Roman (# 20608) The Stanek Family sends us this update about Roman: Roman (Shadow) remains very much at the center of all the activity in our house! Our most prized possession! At the moment that I am writing, Shadow is in bed with my younger son, where he will remain until my son falls asleep. Then, he will be taken to bed with my older son, where he will most likely stay for the remainder of the night! Each and every night, when we say our prayers, one of the boys thanks God for Shadow. He has been the most wonderful addition to our family, and we couldn't love him more! This cat loves people so much that he is happy just to have you notice him. I cannot imagine that that there are many cats more doted on than this one. I will do my best to get a photo to you in the near future, so that you can include it on your newsletter. Thanks for remembering us! The Stanek family

Annie (#18679) and Fred (#18680) Annie & Fred (now Schmoozer) were adopted by Nancy White. Fred was renamed Schmoozer since he is such a sweetie and so lovable. Annie still remains on the shy side. They've added so much to my home and have been accepted by Coaltrain. One of Annie & Schmoozer's favorite pastimes is lying in front of the patio door watching the hummingbirds. Below are some photos of Annie and Schmoozer in their happy home.

Jake (# 19837) and Jasper (now named Magoo)(# 19838) Greg Pierce drove 14 hours from Michigan to adopt our October featured Special Adoptions cats Jake & Jasper. Greg wrote "Jasper has been renamed Magoo. He's kind of near sighted and his depth perception is really bad, but he gets around pretty well. Jake can see well. He chases bugs that I have a hard time seeing. They both like it here and are having a good time. Tripod (my three legged cat) growled at them for awhile, but they ignored her and they're getting along fine now. Tell anyone that might have second thoughts about adopting a disabled cat not to have second thoughts. They're no more trouble to take care of than ordinary cats. I drove 760 miles and fourteen hours to adopt the cats. It was worth it." Here are some photos of Jake and Magoo in their new home (click the thumbnails for larger versions): AN UPDATE ON JAKE AND MAGOO - MAY 11, 2000 Greg Pierce writes: Just wanted to let you know how the cats are doing. Spring fever has struck, they're going nuts. I built them a 10 x 40' fenced in yard with a top on it. Magoo is the best fence climber I've ever run into. There's a cat door so they can get into the yard from the house without human intervention. They think the yard is fine when I can't be out with them but they still want to try go out the front door whenever they can. Their catching lots of grasshoppers. Tell everyone hi and thanks for what they do there for God's critters. AN UPDATE ON JAKE AND MAGOO - MAY 1, 2001 "It's been a year sense we wrote you last and just wanted to let you know we are all right. Greg has been remolding the house and moving things around so we have been bumping our noses. We have two new members in our family, Taz is a male cat his people got evicted and they could not find a home that would let them have all their cats so they sent him to live with us. He was thrown down on a sidewalk when he was a kitten so he's blind and has some brain damage. He runs around in a circle a lot and that's why they call him Taz. He brought a female human home too she's real nice and gives us treats so we gave him our approval. We heard that their getting married but we don't know when. "HEY, BOSWORTH, we hear your getting a porch. We hope you like it as much as we like ours. We've had ours for a year now and it great. Tell them to put lots of shelves and things to play on in it. Greg put a catnip plant in ours he put a wire cage around it so we couldn't eat it down to the roots, we get carried away. Greg's ma lives by a field full of catnip and we get at least a shopping bag full every year. It's not up yet but when it comes up we'll send you some. "Tell everyone we don't just believe in miracles, we know it for a fact, we've seen them. If you weren't there we wouldn't have the life we have now. We see them in all the people that volunteer their time, love and money for God's special critters, thank you for helping to prop up our faith in humans.