Name: Starlight
Age: 3 years
Breed: DSH
Sex: Female
We are scheduling appointments for adopters to come in and meet our available cats. You do not need to choose a specific cat and we are not placing cats on hold for specific adopters. Starlight needs to be the only cat in the home. She does not enjoy having a feline roommate.
You might have noticed that we have been posting quite a few black cats recently. And sometimes in rescue it goes like that. For no reason you’ll get a bunch of orange cats or a bunch of calico cats. They will come from different places with no connection to each other. Just one of the weird coincidences that people in rescue tend to notice.
But with black cats, it’s a little different.
Because the reality is that black cats (and dogs) get saved a little less often and take a little longer to get adopted. Is it superstition? Is it that black cats are more common? Well, that is probably part of the story. But it is also that black cats don’t get noticed.
The dark color that helps them survive outside, hiding them from predators, can also hide them from people who might help. A white cat standing in the shadows under the shrubbery is going to be seen in a way that a black cat might not. And it can be harder for people to notice them at the shelter too. People might catch a glimpse of a buff cat sitting in the back of their condo or in a cat cubby, and ask to meet them. That same person might walk right by the black cat. And taking photos of a black cat in less than good light can be hard too, and potential adopters often scroll by a poor photo.
But we know that these cats are gorgeous, ebony house panthers. Their fur shines in a way that you will almost never see with a cat of a different color. And when they catch the light, their eyes shine too. We think they shine with hope.
And that brings us to Starlight (pictured here today). Three-year-old Starlight came to Protectors of Animals from a local animal control. When she arrived, her eyes did not shine with hope.
We aren’t going to say she had given up because that wouldn’t be accurate. She was too mad to give up. She had her grievances against the human race (and while we don’t know exactly what they are we believe that they were probably quite justified)- and she had a bone to pick with other cats too. Starlight didn’t want us to notice her. Everything about her body language said stay away.
We didn’t follow directions. We gave her time and space, but we also did our best to let her know we noticed her. We noticed what she liked. We noticed what she didn’t. We saw that she was an independent, strong spirit, but that she still wanted connection.
Starlight has been with us for almost 3 months now. She’s gotten healthy. But more importantly, she has gotten hopeful. She likes to hang out on her favorite cat trees. She likes a treat. She has started to play. She will plop herself down in the middle of the room, not hiding in the corners. Starlight now comes up to the volunteers she knows and will rub against them asking for pets… asking for that connection.
Starlight still hates other cats. And she still can be unpredictable if something startles her. But Starlight has started to believe that there are people worth trusting. We tell her every day that she’s a good girl…that we see her… and that she is beautiful. She has started to believe us.
To find out more or to make an appointment to meet the available cats, please start by filling out the application on our website. Our placement team will be in touch by email to answer your questions, tell you about the adoption process, and make you an appointment. If you are not looking to adopt right now, or if Starlight is not a good fit for your home, please consider spreading the word about her so that everyone can see her.
Adoptions are now done by appointment only. Email [email protected] for more info and an appointment. Adopters must have an approved application before scheduling an appointment.