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Dexter

Kittens. 2025 has certainly had a…prolific kitten season to say the least! Our inboxes have been flooded with asks regarding kittens, and the big question mark false-positive feline leukemia SNAP tests that happen more frequently in young cats. One kitty, trapped by an incredible trapper and fount of knowledge, came back with a positive feline leukemia SNAP test at the ripe age of 5-6 weeks old.

Our recommendation, as always, is to retest with the IDEXX Quantitative PCR. Unfortunately for this little sweetheart, he came back unanimously positive. More fortunately, we had the space to accommodate him!

So, to Shadow Cats, Dexter came! This little guy is only four months old, is deceptively tiny, but so full of spirit. He’s playful, he’s sweet, and endlessly amusing with his kitten antics. And he has already found a wonderful friend in our boy Ziggy! We know that the reality of feline leukemia means we often won’t have forever with the kittens especially those that develop it. But we will make sure Dexter, for the rest of his life, knows warmth, love, and the safety of a home and people who love him.

Dexter has 1 Sponsor

Shirley Johnson

Barney

We’re sure it never would’ve crossed your mind that such an adorable little guy could’ve been found outside of a Family Dollar. Friendly and talkative, this parking lot stray caught the attention of someone who fell in love with him because of his sweet temperament. When they took him in to be fixed, unfortunately, he tested positive for feline leukemia.

The veterinarian was recommending euthanasia based purely upon the diagnosis, a common misconception that the cats ultimately pay the price for. The people who found him immediately began searching for an alternative option, and having worked with us previously, reached out to Shadow Cats.

Barney came to us, and it feels like he’s always been here, somehow. And he hasn’t even finished his 10-day period in isolation yet! He greets you at the door, is always excited for a snack, and wants nothing more than to snuggle up with you. And because of a few lost teeth, he has the cutest little perma-snarl!

After a tough life on the streets, we’re sure this is the home sweet home Barney has always been looking for. Welcome home, darling boy! You may have been found outside a Family Dollar…but to us, you’re priceless.

Barney has 1 Sponsor

Pam Lind

Dorian

We’ve truly had a royal retinue come through our doors at Shadow Cats, but never a Prince! Prince Dorian hails from the great Kingdom of…San Antonio? Well, previously anyway. Now, Dorian is all snuggled up in the world’s finest cat beds ala Shadow Cats.

But Dorian had a life before he joined the likes of Cookie’s Kingdom. Dorian was, like so many, a street cat. He appeared on the right woman’s porch one evening, one who knows the inner workings of TNR! She easily trapped Dorian and had him fixed. He was so sweet and snuggly that she nearly kept him.

Unfortunately, as the story so often goes, Dorian came back positive for feline leukemia. Heartbroken, this good Samaritan immediately reached out to Shadow Cats. Thankfully, we had the space, and Dorian joined us as soon as she could secure a carriage fit for royalty to transport him. He settled for a Prius, being ever so humble.

Dorian was originally a bit shy, but with time, he is truly learning that there is nothing to fear. He must have gone hungry for some time, because he still isn’t secure in his food habits. We’re doing our best to show him, and enlisting the other kitties of Cookie’s Kingdom, that dinner does actually arrive at 3 PM every day…and breakfast, too!

Dorian will grow into his royal title, and surely, our hearts.

Dorian has 1 Sponsor

Pam Lind

Yzma

We know what you’re thinking. Why on earth is Shadow Cats opening the bio for this kitty with a random reference to the iconic classic, Emperor’s New Groove? Not iconic? No, just us? Well!

When this fluffy white Persian unexpectedly came into our lives this month after an urgent plea for help from AAS, we were reminded of the movie. The main antagonist, Yzma, turns into a beautiful, fluffy white cat at one point (accidentally). Though her namesake errs on the troublemaking side, we haven’t decided whether or not this girl is going to use her cuteness for good or mischief!

Yzma was found on the streets, severely malnourished, desperately matted, dirty, and with a mouth full of infection. She was in dire need of even more than the usual TLC, and on top of that, had a probable feline leukemia diagnosis revealed by a SNAP test. We were touched by her story immediately, and that same day our Director drove to pick her up.

Yzma had to have a very significant lion cut due to her severe matting. When we removed the fluffiness of her hair, we were shocked by just how tiny she was. We thought surely this girl was old and frail, but she’s rather young, at a proposed 4 years old, just weathered by the harshness of life. Still, Yzma couldn’t have been gentler. With some love, some time, patience, and care, Yzma has already shown us her sassy, playful side and continues to surprise us with her ridiculous cuteness on a daily basis.

Thankfully, we always test using the IDEXX #26355 FELV PCR. It is the most accurate test, and no one SNAP test can be relied upon. We do this because of stories like Yzma’s. She was assumed to be feline leukemia positive, but the SNAP and PCR results we did at Shadow Cats came back completely negative! Our goal is to get Yzma healthy and adopted out, but in the meantime, she will know love, finally, just past the doors of Shadow Cats. And, less favorably, the nebulization tank.

Yzma has 1 Sponsor

Christopher Diamond

Ziggy

Ziggy’s story started like so many others you have heard. He spent much of his time wandering outside and without companionship. That changed when he was drawn into the company of another cat, following him right into his home and into the care of a loving family! This normally shy kitty reclined comfortably and said, “I’m home.”

Unfortunately, he wound up testing positive for feline leukemia, making his dream sadly unattainable. They began looking for another solution for this sweet kitty who wanted nothing more than a friend, and reached out to Shadow Cats. Thankfully, we had the space, and to Shadow Cats, Ziggy came!

While he is still a little cautious, Ziggy has proven himself to be brave despite his timid nature. He has handled vet visits like a champ and accepts pets with a shy curiosity that’s blossoming more each day. We, as always, are dedicated to giving Ziggy the absolute best for the entirety of his life, and patiently waiting for him to shine on his terms. We love you already, Ziggy!

Ziggy has 1 Sponsor

“In memory of our beloved orange boy, Cimmaron.”
-Leslie & Ron Boerger

Stitch

In June of 2025, we received an email from a wildlife rehabber who found a kitty with a severe case of mange wasting away on the side of the road. She immediately rushed in to get him to safety and sought out veterinary care for him. Mange wasn’t the only diagnosis he received, though, as he wound up testing positive for both FIV and feline leukemia.

Thankfully, she was determined to find a place for this sweet cat to land despite the uphill battle ahead of her. She settled on the name Stitch, named after a familiar, mischievous little alien often mistaken for a dog! She spent many weeks treating his mange and getting him the much-needed TLC we’re unsure if he ever had over the course of his life. When she reached out to us, we were happy to assist.

So, in August of 2025, Stitch, now free of mange and freshly recovering from a dental, came home to Shadow Cats’ Sanctuary. We have been absolutely thrilled and delighted by him. Much like the quote from his namesake movie, “Is that a dog!?” we often wonder if Stitch may be so. He acts more shadow than cat, following you around the sanctuary, and even doing tricks! Stitch is lovable, sweet, and we’re so ready to spoil him for the rest of his life just as he deserves.”

Stitch has 2 Sponsors

“In honor of Frankie Griffin”
-Natalie Martinez

Pam Lind

Petunia

In June 2025, we received an email from a rescue with a heartfelt plea: would we take in a paralyzed kitty named Ms. Petunia?

She had come from a very sad situation and had already endured more than her fair share of hardship. The rescue wanted her to have a soft place to land. A place where she could live out her days in peace, surrounded by love and supported by the medical expertise that Shadow Cats provides to so many special needs kitties.

Despite everything she’s been through, Petunia has persevered. At some point, she suffered a traumatic injury, one that remains unknown to us, that resulted in a severed spine. It’s an injury most wouldn’t survive, but Petunia defied the odds. Her spine has since fused, and while one of her femoral heads was damaged, she has adapted with astonishing determination. She has some sensation in one leg, none in the other, and has developed a strong barrel chest from pulling herself around using only her front legs. And let us tell you, this condition doesn’t slow her down one bit! She is speedy! On top of this lengthy list of diagnoses, she also has megacolon. We are managing these conditions carefully and with patience, tenderness, and the individualized care she deserves.

She is a medical anomaly. A survivor. And above all else, a total lovebug. In just a short time, she’s shown us that all she wants is love and affection. During her first bath, she nestled into the arms of one of our techs, gazing up like she’d found her soulmate. It’s moments like these that remind us why we do what we do. We love all of our cats, but some of them, like Petunia, embody love itself.

We are so thankful to have her at Shadow Cats, and we can’t wait to watch her personality continue to unfold in the safety of her new home.

Petunia has 5 Sponsors

Michelle Arena

Sarah McCobb

Terri Eagen- Torrko

Steven and Joan Pain

Cheryl Townsend

Mr. Toes

Shadow Cats was lucky enough to welcome Mr. Toes to the ranks of feline leukemia-positive kitties we have at the sanctuary. He’s a big personality…with even bigger paws!

But Mr. Toes’ saviors didn’t feel so lucky when they had to find another solution for him. They rescued this sweet black kitty from the streets on May 31st, 2025 and immediately fell in love, planning to keep him. An understandable response, honestly, for such a charming cat…with 24 toes! 6 whole extra toes! Talk about four-wheel drive. They made plans to fix him and introduce him to their other cats, but never got the chance when he came back positive for both feline leukemia and FIV.

They knew they couldn’t keep sweet Mr. Toes due to the risk of infecting their other cats. They reached out to Shadow Cats, and we’re so thankful we had the space to accommodate him. He’s already completely captured our hearts.

He’s shown us already what an advantage being polydactyl is…by breaking into every container in isolation while we wait to transfer him to Cookie’s Place, where he’ll comfortably live out the rest of his life. He’s affectionate, chatty, and so incredibly food motivated that we know this retired street cat may deserveably thicken up a bit. We can’t wait to see it!

Mr. Toes has 1 Sponsor

Susan Lederle

Coraline

In June 2025, we received an email from a volunteer of the Footbridge Foundation, a San Antonio-based rescue with a focus on finding cats and dogs loving forever homes. Several months prior to them reaching out, they’d taken in a frightened, timid little kitten with a persistent ringworm infection.

One of their volunteers was dedicated to rehabilitating ringworm kitties and wound up taking this kitten into her own ringworm ward. With lots of time, love, and affection, she cleared up the kitten’s ringworm, and she began to sweetly unfurl in personality. When she was cleared of the ringworm, they were thrilled at the possibility of giving this tiny little kitten a chance at life.

Unfortunately, she tested positive for feline leukemia, but they weren’t ready to give up on her. The kind volunteer kept her in her home, desperately searching for a loving forever home for this kitten. She blossomed completely, showing a sweet, snuggly, and playful personality. She won hearts with the way she carried her favorite toys in her mouth, unaware of her condition, and otherwise healthy. She deserved an advocate, and they certainly did advocate for her.

They searched tirelessly for a forever home, but as the months went on with no interest, hope began to fade. That’s when they reached out to us, and we were happy to say yes.

Now safe at Shadow Cats, Coraline is beginning the next chapter of her journey. While she’s still shy at first, a few quiet minutes reveal her for what she truly is: a sweetheart through and through. We can’t wait to watch her flourish in Cookie’s Place, build friendships with other cats, and discover the joy of sanctuary life.

Welcome home, Coraline. You are so loved!

Coraline has 1 Sponsor

Footbridge Foundation

Pickle

Pickle first arrived at Shadow Cats in April of 2025 all the way from Dallas! She tested positive for feline leukemia after being TNR’d, as well as several other kitties her rescuer took in. She was precious, but so very shy. She wasn’t very interested in people, and introducing her to a new environment was proving to be difficult. Her rescuer, who cares for countless community cats, mentioned something crucial: Pickle wasn’t used to being alone. She was deeply bonded with another cat named Patty.

And just like that, we knew what we had to do.

One of our staff made the trip to Dallas to pick up Patty, and the moment she was reunited with Pickle, everything changed. Pickle began to eat, play, and show her quirky, silly self overnight (of course, we spectated nightly over the cameras). Something about Patty’s presence made Pickle feel safe, like she could conquer any situation as long as her best friend was at her side.

Pickle is the goofball of the duo, living up to her name with late-night zoomies and on-camera tail-chasing antics. Patty, on the other hand, takes her role very seriously: bodyguard, protector, and emotional support cat. She’s often found draped over Pickle like a security blanket, which usually results in Pickle letting out a comfortable little blep. So cute!

Though they’re both hesitant about people, they’ve found their groove here. By day, they snuggle up with their new quiet companion, Mystique, and by night, the sanctuary becomes their playground. We may not be able to pet them just yet, but we love them from a respectful distance. Everything, as always, is on their terms!

Patty and Pickle are home now. Safe, together, and exactly where they belong. Welcome home, girls!

Pickle has 1 Sponsor

Jeni Johnson