Cat Haven

Our Cat Haven Cat Room offers a cage-free living environment for cats awaiting adoption. In place of  cages, cats have rugs, pillows, climbing poles and kitty condos on which to lounge away the day. Ojai artist Iris Williams has painted a mural on the wall to brighten things up and the cats  have access to an outside play area as well.

As construction continues here at the Humane Society the cats will be receiving even more area to roam in an additional indoor/outdoor catery that is set to open in August of 2012. Keep checking back for more updates!

We encourage everyone to come by and visit Cat Haven. Both you and the cats will be glad you did.

 Cat Haven Through a Cat’s Eyes

I am not a bad cat; in fact, I thought I was the model pet. My days at home were spent laying  in the window guarding our home and watching out for any birds that might happen to fly by. I always used the litter box and never scratched the furniture. I always made sure to play nicely and never bite or scratch. And when my owners got home, I was always the first to greet them and give them rubs, purrs and lots of cuddles.

I don’t know what I did to deserve it, but the other day I was laying on the couch when my owners came in with the most serious of faces. They picked me up and promptly put me in my carrier. I cried out loudly thinking I was on my way to the vet for my yearly shots, but instead we drove a bit further to a place I had never been before.

The place was full of new smells. It smelled a lot like my vet’s office, but that was not where we were. There was a bird in the lobby asking for a cracker and many new people’s faces. I could hear dogs in the distance and grimaced at the idea of being anywhere near them. All the people in the lobby were smiling, everyone except my owners.

They set my carrier on the counter and started to talk about me. They said what a good cat I was and how much they loved me. My mom started to cry. They continued to talk about how they wish things were different but they said where they were going they were not allowed to have cats. Sounded like a boring place to me but I was glad I was one of the kids, not just some “old cat.” At least that was what I thought.

My owners signed some papers and walked out. I cried out loudly trying to let them know that they had forgotten me but they did not seem to hear me. I cried out again and this time they looked back at me, then back at the people and told them to make sure I went to a good home.

I couldn’t believe it. They had left me here. I crouched in the bottom of my carrier crying loudly. This time, the smiling people came over and opened my carrier. They took me out and held me, petted me and told me everything was going to be all right.

For the first couple of days I slept in a two-story cage in a room full of other cats. At first, I was terrified. I had never seen so many cats before and I really just wanted to go home. The smiling people came in and gave me fresh food and water everyday and some new people in blue shirts came in, held me, and petted me.

I stayed curled up in a ball in the cage and looked out at the other cats thinking that they all must be very bad to end up abandoned like me. But soon, the other cats would come and we would sniff noses through the cage. They were very friendly and always used their litter boxes too. I watched them play together and with other people and they too were very gentle. This must not be a place where just bad cats go.

My third night at the shelter, the smiling people were getting ready to go home but before they did they opened my cage and I got to go out and actually be with the other cats. I carefully introduced myself to the other cats and soon we were playing together. The other cats weren’t so bad at all. In fact, aside from a few quick arguments we were becoming good friends.

I have quickly learned that this place is’t too scary at all. In fact, I get to climb on cat trees and play in crinkly tunnels. Those nice people with blue shirts come in, play with me, and brush me and I even get to lie outside in the sun.

It is my tenth day here at this place and just a few minutes ago, these really nice people came in to see me. It was the second time they have visited and I really like them. The smaller person seems young and playful. She lies on the floor, tosses toys around for me for a long time, then holds me tight, and kisses me. At first, I was not so sure about the kisses, but I think it means she really loves me. I laid in the taller woman’s lap and purred while she petted me. She looked down at me and told me she loved me and asked if I wanted to go home with her and her family. I really do want to! I want to go to a home where I can snuggle with my people and feel loved again.

I would love to tell you more but I have to go for now! I see one of those smiling people coming this way with a carrier, a collar, and my new family! I get to go home today! Thank you HSVC for helping me find my forever home!