September 2023 Adoptions
Written by Julia Persch

Pumpkin (now Finn)
Pumpkin is a 2-year-old friendly and adventurous boy. He had been adopted by two sisters who already owned two older cats. But since Pumpkin didn’t like other kitties and had a taste for the outdoors, he frequently escaped his home to get into fights with other unneutered males on the streets. His owners decided to surrender him to the Shelter so that he could find a safer indoor place where he could be the only cat.
At the Shelter he charmed everybody with his antics, he followed his caretakers around like a puppy, and liked to climb up on the office desk to goof around. Occasionally he would give love bites; he had to learn to curb his enthusiasm.
Pumpkin is a 2-year-old friendly and adventurous boy. He had been adopted by two sisters who already owned two older cats. But since Pumpkin didn’t like other kitties and had a taste for the outdoors, he frequently escaped his home to get into fights with other unneutered males on the streets. His owners decided to surrender him to the Shelter so that he could find a safer indoor place where he could be the only cat.
At the Shelter he charmed everybody with his antics, he followed his caretakers around like a puppy, and liked to climb up on the office desk to goof around. Occasionally he would give love bites; he had to learn to curb his enthusiasm.

On their way to their summer camp, a couple stepped into the Shelter during Saturday adoption hours. They fell in love with Pumpkin and adopted this sweet kitty on September 1st.
They promptly sent an update following their ride home, saying he was doing fabulously.
Pumpkin, now called Finn, was very affectionate and investigating EVERYTHING in the house. His new dad lay down on the couch for a nap, and Finn jumped on his chest and napped with him right away. Their human daughter was visiting from Boston and said she loved Finn already, more than she thought could be possible so quickly.
They promptly sent an update following their ride home, saying he was doing fabulously.
Pumpkin, now called Finn, was very affectionate and investigating EVERYTHING in the house. His new dad lay down on the couch for a nap, and Finn jumped on his chest and napped with him right away. Their human daughter was visiting from Boston and said she loved Finn already, more than she thought could be possible so quickly.

On September 24th adoption counselor Nancy reported:
Finn is doing great. He is more and more playful and loves to sneak up and grab his mom’s ankles in a surprise attack. This does not hurt at all but was startling at the beginning. It seems that Finn is getting more and more comfortable at home. He has lots of toys around, but his favorites are tin foil balls and a piece of rope.
He eats well and there are no issues with the litter box. During the day, he is quite affectionate and very playful, especially so in the morning. At times, Finn still gives love bites, like at the Shelter, but not too hard. There has been no "door dashing" behavior, but they are on full alert to be sure he does not get outside.
Overall, his family said that he is doing wonderfully, they are thrilled to have him as a member of their clan, and he has found his forever home.
Finn is doing great. He is more and more playful and loves to sneak up and grab his mom’s ankles in a surprise attack. This does not hurt at all but was startling at the beginning. It seems that Finn is getting more and more comfortable at home. He has lots of toys around, but his favorites are tin foil balls and a piece of rope.
He eats well and there are no issues with the litter box. During the day, he is quite affectionate and very playful, especially so in the morning. At times, Finn still gives love bites, like at the Shelter, but not too hard. There has been no "door dashing" behavior, but they are on full alert to be sure he does not get outside.
Overall, his family said that he is doing wonderfully, they are thrilled to have him as a member of their clan, and he has found his forever home.

Khan
Khan is a two-year-old fun-loving fluff ball. He is a gorgeous Maine Coon mix with a bouncy, goofy lifestyle. He loves to play, be petted, and roll around on the floor in bliss.
As a very young kitten he was given as a gift to a woman who had been looking for an older gentle cat as a companion. She felt she couldn’t refuse the gift, so she did her best to raise the little rascal. He soon got out of hand, climbing up the curtains and causing general havoc in the home, as kittens are wont to do.
It became clear that Khan had too much energy for his owner and needed more active human playmates who could keep up with his liveliness. Therefore, with a heavy heart, she surrendered him to the Shelter.
Because Khan had grown up as an only kitten, he didn't know how to behave around other cats. At the Shelter he wasn’t popular with his feline neighbors because he tried to engage by hunting them and wrestling in a playful way. But, being a big boy, he was scary and annoying, so they didn’t want anything to do with him. He had some stomach issues, typical for Maine Coon cats, and would altogether require a cat-savvy home.
Khan is a two-year-old fun-loving fluff ball. He is a gorgeous Maine Coon mix with a bouncy, goofy lifestyle. He loves to play, be petted, and roll around on the floor in bliss.
As a very young kitten he was given as a gift to a woman who had been looking for an older gentle cat as a companion. She felt she couldn’t refuse the gift, so she did her best to raise the little rascal. He soon got out of hand, climbing up the curtains and causing general havoc in the home, as kittens are wont to do.
It became clear that Khan had too much energy for his owner and needed more active human playmates who could keep up with his liveliness. Therefore, with a heavy heart, she surrendered him to the Shelter.
Because Khan had grown up as an only kitten, he didn't know how to behave around other cats. At the Shelter he wasn’t popular with his feline neighbors because he tried to engage by hunting them and wrestling in a playful way. But, being a big boy, he was scary and annoying, so they didn’t want anything to do with him. He had some stomach issues, typical for Maine Coon cats, and would altogether require a cat-savvy home.
At the end of August, Khan caught the eye of Martha, a lover of Maine Coon cats. Several years of traveling and moving around had prevented her from having a cat in her life. But she and her partner Brooks were finally settled and able to invite a cat to their new house. They took Khan home on September 4th.

On September 6th Martha wrote:
Khan is settling in well and though still a little skittish, he’s showing lots of affection!! Taking his medicine well, no signs of vomiting at all! He’s eating well, drinking water often from the sink, but occasionally from his gravity fed water dish. Sleeps on me or at least on my bed near the AC. Such a joy!! 🥹 We are sooo happy to be sharing our home and lives with him!! Thank you all for your wonderful care of him until we came into the picture!!!
Gratefully,
Martha and Brooks
Khan is settling in well and though still a little skittish, he’s showing lots of affection!! Taking his medicine well, no signs of vomiting at all! He’s eating well, drinking water often from the sink, but occasionally from his gravity fed water dish. Sleeps on me or at least on my bed near the AC. Such a joy!! 🥹 We are sooo happy to be sharing our home and lives with him!! Thank you all for your wonderful care of him until we came into the picture!!!
Gratefully,
Martha and Brooks

Leo and Miss Betty
Back in July, two KAS volunteers picked up a surrendered pair of chubby cats from an unfinished basement. The senior couple who owned them were unable to take care of them anymore. The cat siblings had lived downstairs throughout their 6-year-long lives to keep the basement free of mice. Although they were treated kindly, they had never been upstairs or truly part of the family.
Leo and Miss Betty moved into their own spacious room at the Shelter with a large bay window looking out into the woods. They loved their new experience of lounging in the sunshine on the windowsill and watching the birds in the world outside.
Surprisingly, they turned out to be very affectionate lap cats, always purring and lovey. They were like cuddly teddy bears. In fact, they looked a little bit too much like teddy bears, being quite overweight. Miss Betty was a sweetie and a little shy but so grateful for pets and love. Leo was outgoing, adventurous and the first one on a lap for cuddles.
On September 4th these wonderful kitties found a new home in Winchester MA. On September 10th their new mom wrote:
“Leo and Betty are settling in great!! Very lovable. They both are my breakfast buddies. They are playing more with each other, playful fighting. They were on our bed yesterday morning sleeping so they are feeling very comfortable.
They always want to go into the basement which is finished so I did let them down on Saturday and Betty didn’t want to come up - lol. Whenever we go downstairs, she races to the door to go down, as well. Leo will go downstairs, too, but come up and stay at the top of the stairs watching. They are funny. They love to be around us. They are really great cats!! We lucked out again 😊.”
Andy
When temperatures are dropping in Fall, many cat lovers start calling the Shelter about stray cats that have been hanging around in their area all summer, hoping to find them a warm spot for wintertime.
Young Andy had been left behind at an apartment building by former inhabitants who had moved away. He had spent the whole summer on the streets, living on food offerings from neighbors until a friendly person surrendered him to the Shelter in the beginning of September.
He had all the signs of an abandoned cat: No microchip to connect him with an owner, hungry, flee-ridden, unneutered, with scratch marks from street fights, which put him at risk for serious diseases if he didn’t get indoors very soon. He got thoroughly vetted, vaccinated, and fixed in the Shelter clinic.
Andy proved to be a sweet and laid-back boy. He got along fine with other neutered cats and wouldn’t have any trouble to find a safe and caring forever home.
Three weeks later he was adopted by a retired couple in a neighboring town. They had recently lost one of their cats and were looking for a new fur baby who would get along with their kitty Chestnut. And since Chestnut was a real mama’s boy, they hoped that Andy would make fast friends with his new dad, who was longing for a lap cat.
On September 28th his new mom wrote:
“Andy is a dream cat. He is so interactive and loving. He has been working hard training my husband to do everything just the way he likes it. The two of them are really bonding. My husband does most of Andy’s care as I wanted to stay in the background so they would bond.
Our cat Chestnut is a little anxious about Andy being upstairs. I’ve been giving him extra attention to reassure him. I think it will be better once he gets to know Andy and see that he won’t be a threat. I’m pretty sure Andy won’t be aggressive toward Chestnut.
Thank you so much for bringing Andy into our lives!”
When temperatures are dropping in Fall, many cat lovers start calling the Shelter about stray cats that have been hanging around in their area all summer, hoping to find them a warm spot for wintertime.
Young Andy had been left behind at an apartment building by former inhabitants who had moved away. He had spent the whole summer on the streets, living on food offerings from neighbors until a friendly person surrendered him to the Shelter in the beginning of September.
He had all the signs of an abandoned cat: No microchip to connect him with an owner, hungry, flee-ridden, unneutered, with scratch marks from street fights, which put him at risk for serious diseases if he didn’t get indoors very soon. He got thoroughly vetted, vaccinated, and fixed in the Shelter clinic.
Andy proved to be a sweet and laid-back boy. He got along fine with other neutered cats and wouldn’t have any trouble to find a safe and caring forever home.
Three weeks later he was adopted by a retired couple in a neighboring town. They had recently lost one of their cats and were looking for a new fur baby who would get along with their kitty Chestnut. And since Chestnut was a real mama’s boy, they hoped that Andy would make fast friends with his new dad, who was longing for a lap cat.
On September 28th his new mom wrote:
“Andy is a dream cat. He is so interactive and loving. He has been working hard training my husband to do everything just the way he likes it. The two of them are really bonding. My husband does most of Andy’s care as I wanted to stay in the background so they would bond.
Our cat Chestnut is a little anxious about Andy being upstairs. I’ve been giving him extra attention to reassure him. I think it will be better once he gets to know Andy and see that he won’t be a threat. I’m pretty sure Andy won’t be aggressive toward Chestnut.
Thank you so much for bringing Andy into our lives!”

Willow
In October 2022 Danville Animal Hospital contacted KAS about a cat that a good Samaritan had brought into the clinic. This cat was found in a pillowcase on the side of the road.
She was very plump, black-and-white, middle-aged with extra thumbs and having painfully ingrown toenails. She was friendly until the vets worked on her painful paws, then she exploded in fury. Old scars gave evidence of a life of walking on inflamed toes with stabbing pain at each step, made worse by extra pounds of belly fat.
Willow moved into her own room at the Shelter. She started a year-long gentle weight-loss diet and had regular nail clippings to keep her paws pain-free. Over time she calmed down at the sight of her vets, knowing that they wouldn’t hurt her. Her step became lighter, and her cat smile brighter, month after month.
In October 2022 Danville Animal Hospital contacted KAS about a cat that a good Samaritan had brought into the clinic. This cat was found in a pillowcase on the side of the road.
She was very plump, black-and-white, middle-aged with extra thumbs and having painfully ingrown toenails. She was friendly until the vets worked on her painful paws, then she exploded in fury. Old scars gave evidence of a life of walking on inflamed toes with stabbing pain at each step, made worse by extra pounds of belly fat.
Willow moved into her own room at the Shelter. She started a year-long gentle weight-loss diet and had regular nail clippings to keep her paws pain-free. Over time she calmed down at the sight of her vets, knowing that they wouldn’t hurt her. Her step became lighter, and her cat smile brighter, month after month.

Willow had her favorite lap people who would visit and spend time with her. She was so lovely, and nobody quite understood why she didn’t draw attention from adopters. But looking at her closely, she didn’t seem to trust strangers during visiting hours. Having come from a place where she was neglected and finally thrown out on the streets in a pillowcase, she needed time to open to the idea of moving from the safety of the Shelter into a new home.
A year later her caretakers suddenly noticed that Willow had developed a handsome slim waist and that she seemed more confident. Within a week, Michelle from Danville contacted KAS about her and came for a private visit to find out if they would suit each other. It was obvious from the start that Willow liked Michelle. She wouldn’t stop batting eyelashes at her new friend and having a huge cat smile all over her furry face. Willow had made her decision. She was ready for a new life.
A year later her caretakers suddenly noticed that Willow had developed a handsome slim waist and that she seemed more confident. Within a week, Michelle from Danville contacted KAS about her and came for a private visit to find out if they would suit each other. It was obvious from the start that Willow liked Michelle. She wouldn’t stop batting eyelashes at her new friend and having a huge cat smile all over her furry face. Willow had made her decision. She was ready for a new life.
On September 26th Willow moved in with Michelle and her husband Todd. She was sent home with her own little blue cat tree with the cozy cubby that she had loved at the Shelter.

After her first night Michelle wrote:
“Willow is fitting in so well! We sat with her on the floor, and she purred and rubbed up against us. Then Todd sat in the chair, and she jumped up and curled up in his lap and went to sleep.
I checked on her a couple of times during the night and she was sleeping. She has eaten and used the litter box. I’ve attached some pictures for you…”
And two weeks later:
“This morning Willow was chasing her tail. Which was so funny. She likes to sit on our laps and purr and kneed. We are so glad she is ours!”
“Willow is fitting in so well! We sat with her on the floor, and she purred and rubbed up against us. Then Todd sat in the chair, and she jumped up and curled up in his lap and went to sleep.
I checked on her a couple of times during the night and she was sleeping. She has eaten and used the litter box. I’ve attached some pictures for you…”
And two weeks later:
“This morning Willow was chasing her tail. Which was so funny. She likes to sit on our laps and purr and kneed. We are so glad she is ours!”