Poppy

Our Poppy came to us in May of 2023 from a small rescue group in Dallas, Texas. She was found during TNR efforts with a local cat colony, but how could Poppy be returned outside when she was so incredibly sweet? She loved people! They knew this girl deserved a forever home, but it just wasn’t meant to be…at least in the conventional sense, as she ended up testing positive for feline leukemia. They reached out to us, and we simply couldn’t turn down those big, beautiful eyes…and the cutest, tiniest hint of a blep she had at any given moment.

Poppy has lived an incredibly full life here at Shadow Cats. She started off in Cookie’s Place, but the rambunctiousness of the room isn’t for everyone. We thought the lowkey Annex would be a better fit, and lo and behold, Poppy was a changed woman when we let her in there for the first time. She was confidently inspecting her new digs, ensuring all plush cat beds and fluffy blankets were up to par for our special girl. She loved the place!

Over time, though she still remained fairly shy, our sweet girl created some incredible bonds. She adored the volunteers and staff, and wasn’t afraid to let you know with a well-timed meow if your attentions had strayed too far from where they should be: on her! She was a very chatty girl if you got her to warm up to you enough. She was one of the rare cats that truly loved getting belly rubs, and she’d often roll around on the floor when you gave them to her. She was absolutely heart-melting! It made it easier to forgive that she was a good eater in loving to eat off of everyone else’s dinner plates.

She even indulged in a little romance during her stay—she fancied Orca enough that she’d strut around in cute little poses around him, trying to get his attention. And when Poppy became sick in the end, Orca seemed to gravitate towards her, laying sweet soothing licks upon her head.

Poppy was a silly girl, and so very snuggly and sweet if you invested time into her—she gave it back to you tenfold, and maybe with a little extra (like a little dingleberry you didn’t ask for)! It broke all of our hearts when we got the diagnosis that she had GI Lymphoma, a very common cancer stemming from Feline Leukemia. We did everything we could to keep her comfortable until the day those sweet eyes looked up at us and told us she was ready to go.

She passed peacefully at the sanctuary, in the arms of those who cared for her day in and day out, tears falling around her at the sadness of knowing that there could never be another like Poppy. But there is also gratitude in having known her, in knowing that rather than living an uncertain life in the streets, she had the comfort of a peaceful life at Shadow Cats. She never wanted for love—it was always there.

Thank you to Vista Vet for the incredible medical care she received in her time at Shadow Cats, thank you to our staff and volunteers for loving her so wholly, and thank you to her sponsor Sue R. It never feels like enough time, but we can take comfort in knowing that Poppy had the absolute best while she was here. Now, she’s at peace, pain-free, and frolicking across the rainbow bridge with the Shadow Cats that came before her.