When we got Elvis at SAFE Haven, they recommended having him stay in a small area to let him acclimate to his new surroundings. So we put him in a small utility room and took chairs in to sit with him for a while. After less than 15 minutes he clearly was bored and wanted out so we opened the door. He immediately took a complete tour of his new home, room by room and returned to us a few minutes later and effectively said “this will do”.

He loves people. Our previous cat had just tolerated people. Elvis is a great cat!

I adopted Vikki September 27, 2012 from SAFE Haven. I wanted another kitty but I had to talk my husband into it. I brought it up and at first he said no. Then the next morning he said yes! We were both off work for a couple of days for a concert. We went to the shelter and all the kitties came up to the sides of their cages. I told him I couldn’t decide. I wanted all of them! So he walked around and one in particular caught his eye. There was a note on her cage that she was a “love muffin” and liked to get rides on shoulders! We went into a small room to get to know her better and she jumped right up on my hubby’s shoulder. She was so sweet and friendly and knew she was for us. Her first night in our house was a little stressful for her because our other kitties had to get used to her. We didn’t go to that concert that night. We weren’t going to leave her by herself on her first night. Fast forward seven years later she’s doing great! She is still a “love muffin” and still loves those shoulder rides with her daddy! She loves her siblings too! When she first came she had two older sisters and an older brother that was really cool. Unfortunately her older brother passed on but he was really sweet to her. Much older and looked out for her. Then in 2014 she got a younger sister. Sometimes the younger sibling likes to chase her and she doesn’t like to be chased. She and her sisters all get along well and I believe she is a happy girl! She is one of the sweetest kitties I’ve ever known!

We came to SAFE Haven a day after an event at Pet People where cats had been adopted at the store. The shelter was somewhat empty, because many of the cats were at the event. We walked up to a cage, and there were two kittens, wrapped around each other in sleep. We noticed a sign saying, “Bonded Pair” and asked the adoption counselor what that meant. She told us that it meant that we couldn’t adopt just one, we’d have to adopt both of them. Rather than moving on to the next cage, we realized at once that we wanted to take both of them home. I believe that our “Yessss!” let the counselor know that we really wanted two “babies.” The cats that we’d had before had been euthanized because of age-related health issues. They were 16 and 17, respectively.

Harry having his dinner

I believe that cats “tell” you their real name after you’ve had them for a week or so, so we changed their shelter names to “Harry” and “Mimi.”

Honestly, I don’t remember the date we adopted them, I just remembered that they were scared when we brought them home. They bolted into an upstairs guest room and got under the bed. We put out food and a small litter box, and just let them come out at their own pace. That was five years ago, but they still curl up and sleep together, and they still groom each other with a bit of wrestling thrown into the mix.

Mimi in her scratcher-bed

Harry and Mimi are the joy of our lives, as we have always had cats: throwaways, giveaways, strays, etc. Mini is a bit of a rascal and Harry is utterly well-behaved. We call them “Felis rascalus” and “Felis gallantus” when either or both displays their “true selves.” We could not love them any more than we do- never having had children (and thus no grandchildren) they are the light of our lives, and will live in heaven the rest of their lives. I can only upload one file (their pictures were taken separately) so here is Harry, enjoying a little dinner. Mimi had finished, and was on her scratcher, which doubles as a bed.

We had an adult male stray cat that showed up on our patio and chose us to live with as cats often do. We decided he’d like a companion and came to SAFE Haven looking for an adult female cat to befriend him in August of 2013. I was worried my bleeding heart couldn’t take seeing all the sweet kitties needing homes, but SAFE Haven (and our adoption counselor, Ray Dragon), were wonderful. We met lots of sweet cats, but felt drawn to a shy torti girl named Twinky. At that time she had been at SAFE Haven the longest of any kitty there – weeks that had rolled into months, if I remember correctly. Her history was mostly unknown. She at one time was a TNR kitty as her left ear is clipped and we were told she’d been found left in a carrier at your front door when staff arrived for work one morning. Her coloring was “unusual” so she’d been looked over again and again. I hate that she had to wait so long for her forever home, but she found it with our family. Twinky is a lap kitty first and foremost and her purr engine pretty much runs constantly. She loves to chase rubber balls and sleep in whatever ray of sun she can find (if that sunshine is on a pile of papers or in her princess cat castle, even better)! I was diagnosed with a benign brain tumor about a month after she joined our family and she didn’t leave my side during the months of recovery time I spent on the couch. We are so thankful for the blessing of our sweet Twinky and appreciate all the forever homes that SAFE Haven enables each year!

I adopted Carley Penney (on the left) in December 2001 after losing one of my three cats eight month earlier. I was looking for an orange female kitten to join my two remaining 5 year old orange boy cats. I was referred by a Durham rescue organization to SAFE Haven for Cats in Raleigh. I was surprised and thrilled that SAFE Haven followed no-kill principles and was run by volunteers. Once inside the small building, I was impressed by the shelters’ cleanliness and organization and the knowledge and friendliness of the volunteers who assisted me. A month after my first visit there, I started to volunteer and am totally committed to this well run organization.

I found a four month old light tan/orange female kitten who I thought would be a good fit for my older two boys. Carley adapted quickly to her new home and increased the activity level of my two boys who had seemed sad after my other cat’s passing. Carley certainly wanted to play all the time and aggravated the boys until they ‘gave in’ to her demands.

About six months later in 2002, I adopted Meadowlark, my 3-5 year old beautiful mostly black Torte female kitty and second rescue. She completed my family. Meadowlark was more timid with my other cats, but was comfortable spending most of her time during year one in my front bedroom/bath and with me. After a longer adjustment to the family dynamics, she would come out of her room and immediately hop onto my lap where ever I had landed. She ended up being my serious LAP CAT and Muse.

I am so grateful to have found SAFE Haven and my first two rescues. Both Carley and Meadowlark passed at around 17 years of age after filling my heart and life with a lot of love and happiness.

Meadowlark in 2014

Carley Penny in 2018