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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

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 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

Before she was Mystique, this feisty tabby was affectionately dubbed “Hissy.” She hung out by a dumpster beside a vacant lot, and whenever her caretakers arrived to feed her, this clever girl would come running. She’d chirp her greetings, leading them to her feeder, but get too close and you’d get a warning hiss.

Even so, her rescuer eventually was able to feed her by holding her food bowl for her, and that’s how she was able to pet her, starting with one hand and eventually even two. After taking her to the vet and discovering she was feline leukemia positive, her kind rescuer brought her inside, giving her a comfortable indoor life. She settled into their guest bedroom like she’d always belonged. Mystique took to the litter box immediately, explored every cozy cat bed available, and never once gave those tempting curtains a second shredded thought. She was a perfect houseguest, but it became clear that Mystique wanted something else: a friend.

So, in April of 2025, her rescuer reached out to Shadow Cats, knowing there were plenty of FELV-positive friends for Mystique to make while living a safe and comfortable life inside, her dumpster days far behind her. Mystique will take her time in trusting us, and we are ready to give her all the time she needs. But for now, she is enjoying snuggling up with our two other cautious kitties in Cookie’s East: Pickle and Patty! And by night…Mystique is content to curl up next to Vance. Welcome home, Mystique! We love you already.

Mystique has 2 Sponsors

Rebecca Raphael

Anne Llana-Koob

Meet Hamilton, affectionately known around here as Ham or Hammy.

Hamilton’s Shadow Cats journey began in early April 2025, when our Director received an urgent plea for help. A cat in Houston was struggling with multiple medical issues: chronic diarrhea, an ear infection, an upper respiratory infection, wounds of unknown origin, and severe irritation of the inguinal area. To put it plainly, he was in rough shape.

An elderly couple who had been feeding him reached out to The Cat Whisper Rescue for help in managing his condition. Sadly, further testing revealed that Hamilton was positive for both feline leukemia and FIV. With nowhere safe to go, Hamilton was confined to a cage in a shed outside the couple’s home, with a pending euthanasia appointment looming over him. When The Cat Whisper Rescue contacted us, we knew we couldn’t say no. And so, Hamilton made his way to Shadow Cats.

At first, Hamilton was unsure of his new digs. His protective instincts were strong, and he carried a bit of the wild with him. (We know. With his rugged looks, some of you might have wondered if we’d started accepting bobcats into our ranks!) But with time, patience, and love, Hamilton began to blossom.

Today, Hammy is a sweet little guy who enjoys pets (on his own terms, of course), loves to play, and even seems to appreciate cat TV like he was meant for the indoor life all along. He’s also a bit of a parkour enthusiast, always testing the limits of where he can go in Annex!

As for his name? Well, with his adorable corkscrew tail and mischievous personality, the ham puns practically wrote themselves. He’s our little honey-baked ham, and we couldn’t be more thrilled to have him here.

We can’t wait to see what mischief this sweet boy gets up to in his time at Shadow Cats. Welcome home, Hammy!

Hamilton has 2 Sponsors

Lucy Hamilton

Pam Lind

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 1 Sponsor

Jewel Walker

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