Author: Shadow Cats

In Memory of Cooper         2/14/2020 – 11/7/2021

Cooper was found as a stray in the San Marcos, TX, area, and when he was found to be positive for leukemia, his caretakers Alex and Libby were devastated. Having initially planned to add him to their family, his positive status precluded that from happening so they did the next best thing – they made sure he received top-notch veterinary care and full vetting and then reached out to Shadow Cats to see if we had space. We did!

What a gorgeous boy Cooper was! He had a wonderful personality and was so laid back. He was confident with all the other kitties, and although he was a little shy at first that did not last very long. He was one of the gang in Cookies in no time at all.

He had such a playfulness about him, often seen charging about with all the others, running from side to side enjoying the chasing games that are a daily occurrence in Cookies. He was buddies with so many! He loved to be cuddled, was one of the first on to a lap when we sat down, loved to be held like a baby and we would sing to him and dance with him. He was a good hugger, too! He was so sweet and would just gaze up at us with his beautiful big eyes and purr so loud. This wonderful boy was loved by all of us. Those that met him loved him.

A few weeks ago Cooper had some health issues related to leukemia. The virus was making itself known. He recovered and we were able to love him for a little while longer. But today our precious Coop was suffering, and always our final gift, we gave him a gentle and peaceful passing.

Cradled in loving arms, surrounded by those that cared for him, he crossed the Rainbow Bridge ever so gently as he heard sweet singing and sweet whispers in his ears.

Precious angel Cooper, rest easy. We will miss you, dear boy. You were loved so much. We have had the honor to love and care for Cooper – we were the lucky ones. You will always be in our hearts

Thank you to his loving caretakers Alex and Libby for all that you did. Thanks to his sponsors and our incredible staff and volunteers who have showered Coop with love every day.

Cooper had 3 Sponsors

Alex and Libby Neill

Amy Juried

Sigi Blaisdell

In Memory of Sterling         6/11/2009 – 10/20/2021

Sterling was trapped as a feral kitten and grew up in a home, but never did well with people. He’d been acting out more and more, and so in early 2011, he moved to the sanctuary in the hope that he could become a little better adjusted to life with people. This fluffy boy was determined to show us how much he disliked being around us – he wanted nothing to do with us. One thing we are at Shadow Cats is patient, we have lots of patience! We have seen this over and over again, and we always hope that with time and an abundance of love and care, they will come to enjoy attention and affection from us humans.

Not Sterling! He wanted to prove us wrong; he was never going to come around! 😊 He had that look in his eye that dared us to come too close! At the old sanctuary, Sterling had lots of hiding places and was not seen very much during the day, except when it was feeding time. He was always first to be out for food, and would you believe the occasional rub against our legs. We pretended we really didn’t feel it, hoping that not making a fuss of the attention he was giving us would make him feel more comfortable. It did! We began to see him out and about, strolling around and even hanging out around people. We were even allowed a couple of pets before that paw came up to give us a quick swipe, and we all became nimble at avoiding that.

Whatever Sterling decided to do, we told him when he first came to us, we would always take care of him, and we would do our best to help him live the best life he deserves, on his terms. We loved this feisty boy so much. Sterling was such a presence, the most handsome kitty, a beautiful long-haired coat, and a long floofy tail.

Age mellowed Sterling, and our patience, love, and care paid off. When we moved to the new sanctuary there was a noticeable change, and our feisty boy started to become calmer. The peaceful environment suited him. Oh, he could still give a good swipe when he wanted, but the incredible joy we felt when we witnessed Sterling in one of our vet techs laps brought tears. The previous years of hoping this would happen just melted into that moment.

Over the past couple of months, Sterling has suffered from medical issues, and the past couple of days a very fast downward turn. With the best possible care we could give, we could not change the sad outcome today. Sterling crossed the Rainbow Bridge peacefully and ever so gently, surrounded by much love, gentle hands caressing him, sweet whispers in his ears. We told him he was loved by many and we were honored to have had the privilege of loving and caring for him. He will be forever in our hearts.

Rest easy, handsome Sterling. You were loved so much and we will miss you greatly.

Our thanks to his sponsors, all at Sam Bass Veterinary Wellness, and our amazing staff who cared for Sterling all the years he spent with us.

Sterling had 3 Sponsors

“We’re sponsoring Annie and Sterling as our Christmas gifts to each other. Yo and I and our ten children (cats – Smokey, Midnight, Kiki, Thursday, Zoe and Rocky) – (dogs – Lil’ Bit, Mendy, Lady Bug and Toby) wish all our extended family at Shadow Cats a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!”
-Gary and Yolanda McAninch

“I have always had a weakness for fluffy Tuxedo kitties, especially those who wear their hearts on their noses.”
-Pat DeWald

Paul and Dawn Lawson

In Memory of Nala         7/1/2014 – 9/10/2021

Found eating out of a trashcan in Arlington, Tx, Nala was rescued by a good Samaritan. Unfortunately, she could not keep her so she reached out to a local rescue in Arlington who took in Nala but on testing found her to be positive for feline leukemia. Thanks to rescue networking, they, in turn, reached out to Shadow Cats and we made room in Cookie’s Place for this little gray and white beauty.

Sweet Nala was a little overwhelmed at first. She was a shy little one, but she quickly settled into the swing of things, becoming one of the gang in Cookie’s Place. We often say that a cat was one of the sweetest but Nala truly was. She was the sweetest! Nala was a love,  so happy when she was in your lap, so happy to be with you. She remained a little shy throughout her life with us. She was a quiet one. She loved the company of all the other kitties, but she did not enjoy the rambunctious play that the young ’uns would partake in! The best way to describe Nala was the young lady at a dance – she was the one who would be watching all the dancing action from the sidelines with that raised eyebrow look! But she did watch every day for volunteers to arrive so she could find that lap to sit in. She would give the best nuzzles and purr so deep and loud.

We learn every day new things about feline leukemia, but we do know that health issues can manifest quickly. Nala has been dealing with health issues related to leukemia over the past few weeks, and we are so very sad that Nala had to leave us today. She had breathing difficulties and a gentle and peaceful passing surrounded by love and light is what we can give as our final gift. We will miss our beautiful gray and white girl shy girl. Throughout your life at Shadow Cats, you had daily room service, medical care, lots of buddies, a wonderful place to live, outdoor space to watch rabbits and squirrels and birds, and a host of other wildlife, and love, so much love every day. Sweet Nala was 7 years old. From a start of eating out of a trash can, you lived your best life and we all celebrate that.

Rest easy, Nala. Fly high and free. You were loved deeply and will be missed.

Thanks to all who loved Nala near and far – to our staff, our volunteers, and the love and support from all her sponsors.

Nala had 5 Sponsors

Rain Nox

Deirdre Blankenship

Gaye Sodoma

LeAnn Chamberlin

Jason Rubero

In Memory of Spirit         1/1/2021 – 9/9/2021

Spirit was a feline leukemia kitty. He came to us straight from the streets and needed time to decompress and to know he was safe and that all the other kitties that were wanting to meet him just wanted to tell him that they would love to be his friend. They were all impatient to be friends with Spirit. We told them all to wait and he will want your friendship in time.

He was named Spirit from his rescuer who said she had a hymn going round in her head “There’s a sweet sweet Spirit in this place”

A beautiful boy, Spirit had such a softness about him, but we knew that it would be a long time before we humans would ever be his friends. He did not want to be a kitty that was held and cuddled – he just wanted to observe us from afar and we were ok that. We told him ”Be who you want to be, we love you no matter what.“

Spirit had only been with us a short time and in that time, he experienced some health issues. We do not let any cat suffer and today we had to make the always heartbreaking decision to let Spirit pass gently and be free of any pain.

In the time Spirit was with us, he did make some kitty friends, deciding that it was ok to cuddle with them. Plus, he was safe from the streets, he never had to think about being hungry, and in fact, he loved to eat! He slept on soft beds, he played when he thought we were not watching, and even ventured on to the catios. Although we could not be as close as we wanted to be with him, he was loved by all at the sanctuary.

We would have dearly loved more time with you, Spirit, to get to know you better, but we know in your last few weeks you wanted for nothing.

Today, as Spirit gently passed, we gave him something he had never experienced before – we cuddled him and held him close, kissed him, and told him he was the best kitty ever. A few tears fell.

Rest easy, Spirit. You were loved deeply by us all. We were so grateful you were with us and not suffering on the streets. You had the love and care you deserved.

Our thanks to our wonderful staff for their dedication, the care he received at Sam Bass Veterinary Wellness, and his sponsors. Very special thanks to his rescuer, Margaret.

Spirit had 3 Sponsors

Margaret Hollembeak

Brittney Boutte

Stephanie Fannin

In Memory of Fresca         4/18/2020 – 8/26/2021

Fresca found herself in a high density shelter in the Arlington, TX, area but she had quite a few friends on her side that worked hard to help her find safety. She was so sweet despite her injuries.

Likely attacked by a predator before her intake at the shelter, she suffered from a fractured pelvis and deep abdominal wounds. And she was FeLV+! Fortunately, there was room at Shadow Cats and we welcomed this pretty girl here with open arms in April of 2020. After extensive veterinary care for her abdominal wounds, it was decided that six weeks of cage rest would be the best route to go for Fresca and then on to Cookie’s Place. Throughout all that she had to endure, Fresca remained sweet-natured and loving. She was a happy little girl.

As Fresca grew stronger she learned to play gently. She was not one of the cats in Cookies that are always zooming around. She was very content to watch all the antics going on. She was a quiet girl although she loved to be with the other kitties, often cuddling with all the gang, She especially loved her time on the catio – she so enjoyed being out on a warm day, basking in the sunbeams, always one of the last to come inside in the evening!

Over the weeks Fresca has been battling some health issues, and today an inoperable mass was found. The always heart-wrenching decision was made to let her pass gently and peacefully.

We have nicknames for all our cats sometimes more than one, Frescie was one of the many loving names for our sweet girl. In all the pictures of our sweet Frescie, she truly looks as if she is smiling. We like to think she was saying thank you for giving me a chance. We believe she deserved a chance to live and every day of her life that she was at Shadow Cats was filled with love. She was cared for by our skilled and compassionate staff, who made her feel special all the time, our volunteers showered her with love and she had the best veterinary care.

In the 16 months she was with us, did she live her best life? She did, filled with love and caring beyond measure. We knew today she could no longer climb an uphill battle with her health. We held her close and she left us gently, knowing she was truly loved as she gained her wings. Sweet Fresca, we will remember you always, your cute little face and gentle ways. We lost another one of the sweet ones today. We are grateful we knew you and that you graced our world.

Rest easy, precious Fresca, our sweet and loving girl. Thank you to all who loved Fresca – our staff, volunteers, Sam Bass Veterinary Wellness, and her sponsors.

Fresca had 5 Sponsors

Shelby Rexrode

Anne Llana-Koob and Chris Koob

Amy Juried

Tara Wein

Jamie Young

In Memory of Punkin         9/2/2015 – 8/11/2021

Punkin!

That phrase “he is such a lover boy” was written for our boy Punkin. Such a lover boy! He just wanted to be held. He always asked to be picked up, putting his paws out, and was the happiest just being cuddled and sitting on our shoulders. In return, he gave us the best nuzzles and kisses on our faces. And the purr! It was so loud, we are sure that the whole of the sanctuary shook as Punkin purred when he was on our shoulders.

Feeding stray cats without spaying and neutering results in kittens. When those kittens are positive for the feline leukemia virus there are not many options. This is what happened to this little orange and white kitty – he ended up at Austin Animal Center with few options. It was a lucky day for Little Punkin because we were contacted and we had room for him at the sanctuary.

Punkin arrived at the sanctuary looking sad. A little bitty thing, he was underweight for his age, lethargic, and with a high fever. The first year of life is especially tenuous for kittens born with FeLV. They are especially vulnerable to any infection that comes along and what would be a minor illness for a normal kitten can become life threatening very quickly.

With the expert care and a whole lot of love from our veterinarians and our techs, Punkin got over those initial problems. And little did we know then what a character he would be. Punkin was just a normal kitten doing all the normal kitten things – he was inquisitive, energetic, always running and playing, getting into the normal trouble kittens do! He was a favorite right from the start, loved by all who met him, and although he appeared to have that tough guy exterior he was the biggest softie. When we walked into the room we just had to call his name and he would be there waiting for the cuddles and a shoulder to sit on so he could give us those nuzzles and kisses. Almost 6 years old, he has lived his life to the fullest, the life he deserved, from a little scrawny kitten that almost didn’t have a chance to the most handsome, most loved boy!

Punkin was quite the lover boy with the ladies too. He was a bit of a flirt and spent a lot of time cuddling with the girls, many girls😊, although he did have a long time special girl, Amy. She gave him a kiss and cuddle farewell this afternoon, the sweetest thing ever to see.

Punkin’s health has declined over the past weeks, the related issues of feline leukemia. With sad eyes, Punkin looked at us and said it was his time, he had fought hard to stay, but he had to leave. Every single day that he has been with us Punkin has been surrounded by those that love him very much and today was no different. Punkin crossed the Rainbow Bridge cradled in the arms of those that loved and cared for him every day, sweet whispers in his ears telling him just how special he was.

Many tears were shed today. We will miss you so much, sweet boy, our ‘lover boy’. We will miss the kisses, the nuzzles, the purrs, we will just miss you being here, and the wonderful memories you left us will live in our hearts forever. We smile through the tears as we remember all your antics. You will never be forgotten. Cookies Place will never quite be the same knowing you are not there, our precious boy.

Rest easy, Punkers. Soar on your wings. You were one special ’lover boy’ cat…

Our thanks to our amazing staff, his sponsors, our volunteers, Sam Bass Wellness Veterinary, and all who loved and cared for Punkin, near and far.

Punkin had 4 Sponsors

LeAnn Chamberlin

Fred Peterson

Kay Lambert

Evelyn Miller

In Memory of Joey         2/8/2014 – 8/7/2021

Sometimes we wonder why the sweetest cats end up at a municipal kill shelter. That happened to Joey, and then to make matters worse, he tested positive for feline leukemia. Talk about down on his luck! Not many options for Joey. Then his luck changed – we had an opening and Joey was on his journey to Shadow Cats and the good life. At first, Joey was scared and spent a lot of time under the couch, not unusual for a kitty who suddenly has several roommates. But it didn’t last long. Joey knew he was safe and soon had playmates and buddies and a whole lot of humans who looked after him and loved him. He was often seen cuddling with one or more of the cats.

The sweetest, gentlest boy, Joey had a beautiful soul. He loved nothing more than being able to lay in a soft bed and be on his favorite place outside on the catio, soaking up sunbeams. He would spend hours outside, loving it. He also had some toys that he loved, and a crinkly ball was one of his faves!

Joey was a quiet boy, he did not seek out attention, but we sought him out because sitting with this gentle boy in your lap gave us a feeling of peace and tranquility. Joey had that effect on us, making us feel calm. He looked at us with his soulful eyes, and we felt he was listening intently to everything we said. It’s hard to put into words just how special he was. Everyone loved Joey. And boy he could sleep! He loved to nap, he was the master of relaxation. And anywhere! He made us smile with his snoring, he slept so soundly. He could be heard from one side of Cookies place to the other! And, Joey made the best biscuits! He was a joy and so ‘zen’, he seemed to keep a watchful eye on all the goings on in Cookies Place, an uncle figure, although not old in years, he had a wise old soul.

Oh, Joey, we are going to miss you so much…

We know that feline leukemia cats can have shorter lives but we make sure that all their days are filled with love and care. Joey has been struggling over the past few days with health issues related to his leukemia. We did everything we could, but we knew he was tired, and it was heartbreaking to say goodbye to Joey today. He was held close in the loving arms of his caregivers. Ever so gently Joey crossed the Rainbow Bridge hearing gentle whispers in his ears telling him he was so special to so many and loved beyond measure. Many tears flowed for our sweet boy.

Yes, Joey had the good luck to come to Shadow Cats but we are the lucky ones. You gave us so much. We had the privilege of knowing, loving, and caring for a beautiful, sweet, gentle kitty. We are so sad, but we celebrate your amazing 7 years with us. You lived your best life at Shadow Cats.

Our comfort – and we hope it is yours also – is knowing that his life here was one filled with joy and love and that he was a happy boy who loved life and loved all those around him.

Thank you to our staff and volunteers for the priceless love and care you gave to Joey each and every day

Rest easy, precious Joey. You were special. And while your star has dimmed, your memory will always remain strong with us. You left your mark on all of our hearts. You were so loved.

Special thanks to his sponsors for all their support and love, and all at Sam Bass Wellness who took such good care of Joey.

Joey had 4 Sponsors

Rebecca Rafael

Eve Layman

Lola Gonzalez

“Sending you much love, Joey, and praying that good health always finds you. God Bless.”
-Lesley & Humberto Quiroga

In Memory of Sidney         7/1/2020 – 7/31/2021

We help cats across the country and we also support cats in our own backyard. When we found out Sidney was turned in as a stray locally and found to be FeLV positive we immediately said yes to her coming to Shadow Cats.

Sidney was a tiny little thing and throughout her life here at the sanctuary she continued to be a petite kitty. She was so sweet and so friendly, very outgoing. We knew she would fit right in with the gang in Cookies Place. She did not meet a kitty she did not get along with and she certainly did not meet a human she did not love. She loved everyone who stepped into her world. She loved our laps and being held like a baby, loved sitting on our shoulders. Many of our kitties like us to dance with them and Sidney was one of them! Lots of volunteers could be seen swaying to the tunes in their heads with Sidney in their arms. 😊 Sidney loved to be on the catio – she could always be found stretched across a shelf laying in sunbeams watching the antics of the birds on the feeder outside or lined up in a group with the other kitties watching all the action! She certainly was a popular girl! And pretty, oh my goodness, Sidney grew into a stunning young lady !

Sidney has had many issues over her time with us. She has struggled with bouts of illness all related to her being FeLV positive. A few days ago Sidney had a very high fever and was taken to the hospital. Not good news for our sweet girl – a mass was found. We have had bonus days with our precious girl and we have cherished the time we had, but today Sidney had to leave. She fought so hard to stay, but her time here with us was at an end. Peacefully and ever so gently, Sidney crossed the Rainbow Bridge. She was held in the loving arms of her caregivers, and heard sweet singing as she left us.

Sidney, you were such a beauty, and we are going to miss you, sweet girl. We thought you would be with us longer, but the almost a year you were with us was a life well lived, your best life, full of love. Your life was meaningful and we will always remember you, our pretty petite little fluffy girl. A fleeting star who graced our presence. Rest easy, precious girl. Fly high on your angel wings.

Our thanks to our staff, volunteers, sponsors, doctors and staff at Sam Bass Wellness, and all who loved sweet Sidney, near and far.

Sidney had 2 Sponsors

LeAnn Chamberlin

Amy Ellis

In Memory of Tilly         3/18/2020 – 7/21/2021

Tilly was languishing in the Garland shelter in February 2021. Her history is unknown but she was rescued with the assistance of good Samaritans in the rescue world only to find she was feline leukemia positive. Since we especially love and make space as much as we possibly can for Felv+ cats, Tilly came to Shadow Cats. She was also heartworm positive and we treated her for that.

Tilly was the sweetest, happiest girl. Whatever her life was before, she did not let it color her. She had the most beautiful personality and would be so happy when she could just be with you. She loved pets and laps, would give the best head bumps and the best kisses, and would follow us around Cookies. She had lots of friends and would cuddle with many other kitties. Tilly was just so gentle. She had a great appetite, too, and was just so easy to please. She knew she was safe and would never have a care in the world again. She was around kind, caring people who would love her every day, and we did. She even starred in ‘Tilly Thursday’ on our Shadow Cats: Behind the Scenes Facebook page.

We looked forward to whatever time sweet Tilly would spend with us, but alas, it was not meant to be a long time. Tilly has struggled with different issues, all related to leukemia, and in the past few days became very ill. Our sweet girl had become frail and today she sat in the lap of Haley, one of our amazing techs, and looked up and said she could no longer fight. It was her time. Our sweet Tilly crossed the Rainbow Bridge cradled in the arms of Jana, our sanctuary manager. She heard sweet singing and knew as she left this world she was very special and loved deeply.

Rest easy, sweet girl Tilly. Gone too soon. We will miss your gentle ways.

Thanks to Jana, Haley, Alyssa, and Candice for taking such good care of our precious girl, to her sponsors Dana and Alex Guruprased who fell in love with Tilly when they visited the sanctuary, and to Nancy Stephenson who was instrumental in her rescue.

Tilly had 1 Sponsor

Dana and Alex Guruprasad

In Memory of Dennis the Menace         8/8/2020 – 7/6/2021

We never know how long any kitty is going to be with us, FeLV kitties especially. So quickly the health of any one of our precious kitties can change.

Dennis has only been with us for a short time. He arrived at the sanctuary in April and it was love at first sight – before he even came out of his carrier we were head over heels for this boy. Looking out of the carrier was this gorgeous flame point kitty with the most incredible blue eyes. He was a little scared and we were warned he might have a little bit of an attitude. His name was Dennis and we tagged a little onto his name and nicknamed him Dennis the Menace! Over the first couple of weeks, we got to know Dennis and his personality. Just like snowflakes, we are all different, unique, and beautiful with our own personalities. His personality told us that he was a quiet kitty, he was not going to be a rambunctious, zoom-about boy, he wanted to be quieter and contemplate things and observe life! He was so sweet! Not to say that he didn’t have his moments, he did. He was often caught playing with toys and then he would look at us with those blue eyes as if to say “you caught me”. At first, he was shy, but Dennis grew to love pets, loved to have his tummy rubbed, and would purr and purr, gazing at us with those beautiful eyes. It seemed as though he was looking into our souls.

Our sweet quiet boy was not destined to live a long life. He has been struggling – the effects of leukemia had struck – and today through many tears we said goodbye to Dennis. Even though his life was short, in the time he was with us at the sanctuary he was loved beyond measure. He played when he wanted to, napped on the toddler beds, was never hungry, always cared for, and he spent time outside on the catios enjoying watching all the comings and goings of the squirrels and rabbits. He spent his last hours sunning himself and being with his buddies. Dennis truly did live his best life, although it was shorter than we prayed for. Our dear sweet boy was almost a year old.

All of our precious kitties at Shadow Cats touch our hearts deeply and their passing is heartbreaking. Dennis will be missed by all of us. Thank you to all who loved him up close and from afar. You made his life so much better. We had the privilege of knowing, loving, and caring for you, sweet Dennis. You gained your wings far too early.

Dennis passed ever so gently, surrounded by those that loved him, cradled in the arms of his caregivers. Sweet boy, you never did have an attitude you were just you… Rest easy, our precious boy with beautiful blue eyes, fly high on your wings. Your memory lives on in our hearts.

Our thanks to our wonderful caring staff, his sponsors, and all our volunteers .

Dennis had 3 Sponsors

Glenn and Maria McKee

Angela Coleman

Caroline Frommhold