Life wasn’t easy for our Franklin. As a community cat, he faced constant threats from other cats, wildlife, and the harsh outdoors in Sulphur Springs, TX. One attack left him bloodied, injured, and missing teeth. Thankfully, a kind woman stepped in and got him the care he needed with the help of Hearts of Life Animal Rescue. But when Franklin tested positive for both feline leukemia and FIV, his options for a safe future vanished.
That’s when Shadow Cats stepped in! Franklin arrived at Shadow Cats in February of 2025, and despite his tough past, he is as sweet as can be. He rolls onto his back for belly rubs, adores affection, and charms everyone with his serious little face. We can’t wait to see him thrive! But with stomatitis and lingering old wounds, Franklin’s road to wellness may be a long one. In the meantime, we are thankful he’s found a home and is learning about the comfort of sanctuary life.”
Franklin has 1 Sponsor
Anne Tick
In December of 2024, we were informed of a very difficult situation – a sweet cat, with basic needs unable to be met. Because of this situation, he was facing euthanasia. We stepped in, unable to let this happen, and he quickly found a home with us at Shadow Cats.
This sleek little panther earned the name Thomas, but we call him Tommy for short. He is still quite shy, but if you’re willing to sit down and spend a minute with him, he’s an angel.
He loves to be petted, and if you’re giving him good chin scritches, he’ll lean into your hand and seek you out if you stop. When he meows, his tongue sticks out. So cute! And already, for a patient person, he adores his time reclining in laps.
He may be an older guy, but he’s just precious. He’s a bit hesitant to interact with potential kitty friends at the moment, but we are so excited to see how this handsome guy’s personality blossoms as he settles into his new home.
Thomas has 1 Sponsor
Neena Reeve
In November of 2024, we received a request for intake from a very kind person who was coordinating transport for a local community cat feeder. This person was feeding a very sweet black kitty in the streets of Houston. It seemed he spent a lot of time lounging in a cardboard box. Though they were very attached to this sweet boy, they did not have the funds available to get him medical attention for what appeared to be a concerning lump on the side of his face. It was a tearful departure, but they knew they needed to do what was best for him and seek out care.
Thankfully, we had the space to take this angel in. We immediately had him checked by our veterinarian, who tested the lump on the side of his face for concerning cells and found none. Due to scar tissue at the top of the lump, her best guess was muscle tearing due to a fight from his life on the street. We named him Theodore and absolutely fell head over heels for him immediately.
Theo is spending a little extra time acclimating due to his need to be neutered and work some of his testosterone out of his system, but he is already a lovebug. He comes out to greet you as soon as you open the door, and he even wags his tail excitedly! The first day he ever spent at Shadow Cats, there were three of us in his isolation room, and he took the time to do his rounds with each person, stopping in front of them expectantly and waiting for pets.
Theo is an absolute doll already, and we can’t wait to see what his life at Shadow Cats will look like.
Theodore has 1 Sponsor
Amanda Bowman
In November of 2024, we received a surprising call from Williamson County Animal Shelter. Apparently, a cat registered to us was found and ready to be claimed there. After exchanging a collective, “Huh!?” we raced down to see what was going on. We microchipped this sweet old girl back in 2006, and while she very well could have been a TNR at the time, it seems very likely that she was adopted at one point. This is because, somewhere along the way, this poor old lady was declawed!
With no registered owner aside from us, and with her clearly being emaciated and without any defenses in the harsh outside world, we knew what we had to do. When we say, “Once a Shadow Cat, always a Shadow Cat” we really mean that! So, we loaded Marble up that very same hour and took her home.
Marble is still a little shy, so she is getting used to calling this her home and getting used to the idea of roommates. But one thing is for certain, Marble LOVES people! She is such a snuggler and loves to be carried around in the cat sling. We are so excited to see this old lady really blossom in the comfort of a stable home, never having to worry about where she’ll find shelter or her next meal.
Marble has 2 Sponsors
Theresa Caillouet
Diane L Grabowski
On July 28th, 2024, some very seriously sweet kittens were born in Laredo, TX. With many strays in the area and little resources, they remained outside with their mother. Unfortunately, their mother was attacked by a loose dog and did not survive. The kind people feeding strays in the area quickly stepped in and rescued this sweet pair from the elements…and certain death.
The pair was bottle-fed until they were old enough to eat wet food on their own. Quickly growing and spunky, they captured their rescuer’s hearts. Jiji, the tiny black kitten, developed a penchant for climbing on shoulders. Joy, his sister, knew the comfort of a home when life on the streets was all she knew. Their future seemed bright, with adoption on the horizon.
The rescuers worked with a local rescue to get them adopted, but unfortunately, they tested positive for feline leukemia. The rescue could no longer take them in, and their rescuers didn’t have anywhere else to turn. So, they reached out to Shadow Cats in November of 2024. Our hearts absolutely melted, hearing their story, and we opened our doors to them.
Jiji and Joy are quickly coming out of their shells. Joy waltzes out with her tail up and a curious look in her eye when playtime is offered. She is a little more reserved, but once she trusts you, she can’t stop purring! But what’s absolutely adorable is that this normally shy girl feels so confident in the presence of her self-assured brother, it’s so sweet to see. These angels no longer have to worry about life on the street, and no matter how long or short their lifespan is with feline leukemia, we will do everything in our power to make sure it’s an incredible life.
Welcome home, Jiji and Joy. We are so excited to see you blossom and grow.
Joy has 2 Sponsors
Jewel Walker
Debra Patterson
On July 28th, 2024, some very seriously sweet kittens were born in Laredo, TX. With many strays in the area and little resources, they remained outside with their mother. Unfortunately, their mother was attacked by a loose dog and did not survive. The kind people feeding strays in the area quickly stepped in and rescued this sweet pair from the elements…and certain death.
The pair was bottle-fed until they were old enough to eat wet food on their own. Quickly growing and spunky, they captured their rescuer’s hearts. Jiji, the tiny black kitten, developed a penchant for climbing on shoulders. Joy, his sister, knew the comfort of a home when life on the streets was all she knew. Their future seemed bright, with adoption on the horizon.
The rescuers worked with a local rescue to get them adopted, but unfortunately, they tested positive for feline leukemia. The rescue could no longer take them in, and their rescuers didn’t have anywhere else to turn. So, they reached out to Shadow Cats in November of 2024. Our hearts absolutely melted, hearing their story, and we opened our doors to them.
Jiji and Joy are quickly coming out of their shells (if Jiji ever had one to climb out of in the first place). Jiji tends to play with his toys like a boxer. He is quite the ham and is hardly camera-shy. His self-assured nature inspires confidence in his normally shy sister; they’re just precious, especially together. These sweet kittens no longer have to worry about life on the street, and no matter how long or short their lifespan is with feline leukemia, we will do everything in our power to make sure it’s an incredible life.
Welcome home, Jiji and Joy. We are so excited to see you blossom and grow.
Jiji has 2 Sponsors
Laura Cano
Kailey Watson
In September of 2024, we received communication from New Hope Animal Rescue, a network of fosters that saves at-risk cats and dogs from being euthanized in shelters. They discussed concerns about a FeLV and FIV-positive kitty who was completely blind, thin, and in desperate need of a home. Despite being up for adoption and heavily marketed, even appearing in person in the hopes it would boost his adoption chances, all seemed to look right past this sweet angel. But as soon as we saw his puppy dog eyes, our hearts were captured. We had to give this cat a home because as is usually the case with our Shadow Cats, nobody else will.
So, late in that same month, our sweet Sir Alfred was transported on his own royal palanquin and dubbed Baronet of Cookie’s Annex. That’s his full government name, but you can just call him Alfie for short! He immediately stole everyone’s hearts (which happens every single time, admittedly, but can you blame us? These cats are great). Alfie’s personality has already shone through incredibly brightly despite his short time with us at Shadow Cats.
Alfie enjoys a good belly rub, and will even roll over on his back for it! He is extremely affectionate, and if you catch him in a sleepy lovey mood, pets will have him making biscuits in no time. Sometimes, he’ll even suckle a soft blanket. He’s just met his new roommates, and despite being somewhat new to kitty etiquette, he is acclimating beautifully. We are so excited to see more of his special little spirit as he grows more and more comfortable in the Annex!
Sir Alfred has 6 Sponsors
Sara and Jesse Cover
Pam Lind
Rebecca Raphael
Steve Okino
Angie Noelle
Nancy Henry
In April of 2024, a sweet black cat found a family of cat lovers. He stopped by their home every morning and evening for a wet food treat for three weeks. They were able to get this little sweetheart and bring him to the vet, where he was fixed, vaccinated, and tested for feline leukemia and FIV due to his status as a stray. Unfortunately, he wound up testing positive for feline leukemia, a story we are all too familiar with here at Shadow Cats.
Their hearts broke since they had planned to keep this little panther but they knew that Goji deserved the world and worked tirelessly to find a place for him to go. Thankfully, we had the space to take this sweet boy, and he joined us at Shadow Cats in May of 2024! We kept his name, gifted by the people who rescued him, and we have collectively and quickly fallen in love with this sweet boy.
Goji is the sweetest little lovebug you’ll ever meet. He loves attention, loves a good belly rub, and loves to play! It was hard for us to get pictures of him because he was so playful and affectionate during his photoshoot, but the photos came out great anyway. Just look at those eyes! He’ll melt your heart (we know he melted ours). We’re so excited to see this boy’s personality shine and so excited to have the chance to give him a belly rub, or two…or three!
Welcome home, Goji!
Goji has 3 Sponsors
Christopher Biggins
Patricia A. Galvin
Patricia Heltke
In March of 2024, a sweet little kitten was found hiding in the bushes outside of a home. The residents couldn’t resist her sweet face and took her in, set on getting her veterinary care and a forever home! When taking her to the vet, the usual surprise happened that ends up happening with a lot of Shadow Cats…Delilah tested positive for feline leukemia. Still, they tirelessly searched for a home for this precious girl, but none could accommodate her condition. That’s why they reached out to us!
So to Shadow Cats Delilah came, and what a lover she is. She chirps at you, and isn’t shy about crying out for attention if yours is focused elsewhere! And when you stop to love on her, this sweet girl will make endless biscuits and even roll over on her back for a tummy rub. She is absolutely darling and has the most beautiful green eyes. She hasn’t decided how she feels about other kitties yet, but we will give this sweet angel all the time she needs to acclimate successfully. Welcome home, Delilah!
Delilah has 4 Sponsors
Lana Stone
Terri Torko
Sallie Newell Delilah
Jeni Johnson
