PETA’s been saying it for, oh, only 46 years: Anyone who thinks cats don’t belong indoors has their head in the clouds. Cats who are forced to exist outdoors face a sky-high list of foreseeable dangers: fleas, ticks, and intestinal parasites; cars, other animals, cruel humans, poison, and painful disease; and the inevitable litters that would mean future generations of suffering. It’s why when a feline friend comes through PETA’s shelter, its adoption coordinator reaches for the stars—the stars being an indoor-only home.
One well-intentioned Hampton Roads resident who was feeding a number of hungry free-roaming mouths quickly became overwhelmed by the cost of food and other necessary care. She also landed on her neighbors’ naughty list for trying to help individuals who had come to depend on her, and she was deeply concerned by the “lost eye[ball]s, troubling birth[s] and bleeding, and extreme heat.”
It was clear as day—something needed to change. For one “colony” member named Sky, this situation seemingly meant a storm was brewing. But the fetching feline was about to learn that every cloud has a silver lining.
Is the sky black and white? For this adoptable cat, things are far from blue!
The kind resident brought some of the cats indoors to keep them safe while she searched for help. After the local municipal shelter refused to take in free-roaming cats, leaving them to suffer terribly on the streets, she turned to PETA for help. When PETA welcomed the short-haired gal into our care, shelter staff confirmed something sadly common for “colony cats”: someone had trapped, spayed, and returned her outdoors, abandoning her to fend for herself. Although she was spared inevitable litters, sterilization did nothing to protect her from the many dangers of life on the streets. Thankfully, Sky’s struggle for survival was about to end.
Alleys are for trash bins, not cats. And with her newly unclouded sunny disposition, Sky knows what’s up: Outdoor cat life is rubbish!
Prior to her time in foster care with a PETA staff member, Sky proved to be quite the shy Sheila. That’s why the new caretakers in her life gave her ample time to herself—to decompress, to adjust, and to recognize that she was safe and loved. With a little time, a lot of patience, and all the respect and autonomy possible, Sky’s affectionate personality began to shine through. The first time she leaned in and purred while being petted was as magical as seeing a double rainbow!
Because a move to a permanent home would be another major adjustment for this shy but sweet babe, Sky’s adopter—like her foster guardian—will need to be very cat-savvy.
You best believe PETA will be reaching for the stars during this adoption search!
While Sky is now a chin-scratch enthusiast and a litterbox queen (not to mention obsessed with the tiny human who also occupies her foster home), and she has come notably far since her initial days of hiding under a sheet at PETA’s shelter, adoption applicants should be prepared for a potential behavioral backslide when she comes to her new, true home. That is to say, Sky would not be an ideal companion for a first-time cat guardian. To ensure clear skies ahead, this deserving, demure dame will also need at least one confident feline friend to share her new home with.
Help Adoptable Cat Sky Break Through the Clouds
Sky is roughly 2 years old. She’s spayed, microchipped, and vaccinated, and she’s ready for the forecast to call for nothing but clear skies ahead.
No chasing rainbows here—come rain or come shine, PETA won’t settle for anything less than the perfect home for this adoptable cat!
While an airplane pun would be heavenly here, Sky’s PETA chauffeur plans to keep her four legs and their own two firmly planted on the ground, which means all adoption inquiries are welcome, so long as they’re from East Coast homes. If you’re keen to make Sky’s stars align, e-mail Adopt@peta.org or click below:
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