Maggie arrived at Cat Care Society in April 2025 frightened and on edge.
Her previous family surrendered her after struggling with her behavior, including a history of biting. She hissed and swatted when people came close, and our team needed to sedate her to complete her intake exam.
We honestly weren’t sure she could be a candidate for adoption, but at Cat Care Society, we view all cats as worthy. Every cat deserves kindness, respect, and a real chance at success. Many shelters can’t give a cat like Maggie the time and specialized support she needs before adoption. At Cat Care Society, that support is what sets us apart.
Our medical and behavior teams worked together on a plan. Maggie started on daily anti-anxiety medication and a prescription urinary diet. Because she did best with space and quiet, we knew our free-roam shelter wasn’t the best environment for her, and reached out to our foster families for support.
Maggie showed her spicy side during those first few days in foster care – flicking her tail, meowing without sound, angrily loafing, and swatting with no apparent reason. She needed time to adjust to her new surroundings. But once she felt safe, a different cat emerged. She snuggled on the couch, followed foster mom, Michelle, from room to room, and joined her every morning while she got ready for the day.
Foster care also gave our team something we can’t get in the shelter: a dedicated caregiver watching Maggie every day, in every kind of situation. Michelle sent us weekly updates, and each one taught us something new.
Maggie adored Michelle but lost patience quickly with her husband, even though he was the one who fed her. New sounds and spaces unsettled her. Medication time was a challenge at first because latex gloves frightened her. So Michelle got creative and applied Maggie’s medication with a bit of tape on her fingertip. Along the way, she discovered that Maggie was surprisingly easy to hold. Michelle also learned that Maggie got along with the other cats in the home and would do almost anything for a Churu treat.
Every observation became a data point, helping us fine-tune Maggie’s care and picture the home where she could thrive.
Slowly, Maggie made progress. Michelle’s husband started by petting her with a metal backscratcher, and within weeks she was seeking out his attention on her own. She learned to calm herself when she felt agitated. “I think she will probably remain a little spicy,” Michelle told us, “but a sweet cat that knows what she wants.”
In July 2026, after more than a year in foster care, Maggie met Pauline. Pauline had endured a year of loss. She said goodbye to two elderly cats and then to her dog, who had been the best friend of her remaining cat. Pauline hoped an older cat might bring some company back into their home.
Before Maggie went home, our behavior team shared everything we had learned. “I’m glad you told me she would be hissy and swatty,” Pauline shared, “so I was ready for that.” One month later, Pauline shared that Maggie now curls up with her on the couch and sleeps in her bed. Every morning, she meows until someone raises the blinds so she can take her place on the window.
This is the impact of your support. A foster family who gave a frightened cat the time to show who she really was. And a home that was full of loss, where a cat now waits on the windowsill.
Cats like Maggie can’t be rushed. Their progress takes months of medication, behavior support, foster care, and careful matchmaking. That work is only possible because of donors like you.
Will you make a gift today to help the next cat like Maggie find their way home?
With gratitude,
EC Michaels, Executive Director
