Best decision of 2018 was adopting these two brothers. I hope they love each other like this forever. We can’t imagine being without these two. They have even brought out playfulness in their two big sisters and helped them slim down a bit. We laugh all the time at their antics. They give us so much and ask for so little …

My family is one of those that found SAFE Haven for Cats back in 1994 (in the garage days) and adopted one of those cats found in the church.

We found out about the organization when they were at a local pet store for an adoption event. My brother and father saw Grace and knew she was the perfect cat for us. They came right home so my mom and I could go back to meet her too and make arrangements to adopt her.

We had lost a cat due to an infectious disease and it was not recommended for Grace to brought to our home until her shots gave her protection. Pam and Doug let us come over on the weekend to visit with her while we anxiously waited to bring her home.

Grace was not used to people and I had to work hard with her to socialize her to her new home and to her family. Once she realized how much she was loved, she was devoted to me and followed me around everywhere. She hated for me to leave on any trips and would sit on the luggage trying to keep me from leaving.

We thought a sister would be good for her and adopted a kitten named Samantha the following year. Samantha was just a little thing and we called her itty bitty. Grace wanted to make sure that Samantha knew who was in charge of the home but gradually they became close and Grace would even use her sister as a pillow.

Grace and Samantha both died from cancer (2004 and 2013) but their memories bring my family joy. We continue to adopt from SAFE Haven. Connie, Barbie and Whitney joined my family in the years to follow. My parents also continue to adopt from SAFE Haven and have Bella and Kelly in their home.

We have been happy to support SAFE Haven over the years with food donations and fundraising for the group. We hope the next 25 years are just as successful for the charity.

I have attached a photo of Grace and Samantha shortly after we adopted Samantha in 1995. Grace is the gray cat and Samantha is the white cat.

Adopted her end of June 2018, 7 months old. 

We kept her name 💙💚💛💜

At the time we adopted our two cats I was serving as a volunteer. Our two previous cats had recently died and I had begun caring for an older, long hair female cat at SAFE Haven. I thought she would be a good pet for us and convinced my husband to come see her. He was not as “taken” with her as I was so we began walking around looking at other cats. When he stopped to pet a couple of kittens in one of the upper cages, a little paw suddenly came out from the lower cage and grabbed his pant leg. When we stooped down, there was this cute little black and white boy named “Captain America” reaching out to “pick” us! He was, in fact, the same little fellow pictured on the SAFE Haven Newsletter that month! Also with him was his sister “Wonder Woman.” She was so white and soft with a pretty patch of black on her face and between her ears. We were both “taken” but decided we were not quite ready to adopt.

The next week while volunteering, Gina Jennings asked if we were still interested in the two cats as a lady was considering adopting “Wonder Woman.” I immediately called my husband and told him we needed to make a decision on adopting, because I did not want these two siblings to be separated. It was on that day, October 14, 2011 that we brought our two cats home to stay! “Captain America” and “Wonder Woman” spent their first night in their new home sharing the same sleeping pad! They are now named “Brody” and “Abby.” They are sweet, gentle cats who love to sit in our laps, sleep on our bed and spend time on the screen porch watching the birds and squirrels. Our family and friends say they are our spoiled “babies” but we think that is just fine! They are a wonderful part of our lives and we love them dearly. Our son and his wife ended up adopting two kittens as well, so we are indeed a SAFE Haven family! We are grateful for the presence of SAFE Haven in our community. We continue to financially support the mission of providing a no-kill shelter and encourage you to do the same!

This is the story of Diesel, the cat whose purr rivaled the roar of a diesel engine! The SAFE Haven staff named him for his unparalleled purr, and we’re told that he remained a legend for many years after his adoption. We know that everyone who met him never forgot him, and he was even invited back to participate in a promotional video for SAFE Haven. Speaking of that video, when we played it at home, Diesel went crazy when he recognized his own meow. He looked everywhere by the TV, trying to find his doppelganger!

Diesel was the most outgoing, loving cat imaginable. He wanted to be held all the time and was addicted to face bonks and nose boops. And that voice! Besides a deafening purr, Diesel boasted a 100 decibel meow—probably the inheritance of a Siamese progenitor. Diesel had the build, facial shape, and large ears of that distinctive breed.

In his youth, he was notably athletic, leaping on top of cat trees and refrigerators with ease. However, his fearless jumping eventually got him into trouble. He tumbled from a tall bookcase and seriously injured his back. His case was so unusual, that he became the subject of a journal article written by the veterinarian who treated him at the NC State College of Veterinary Medicine. According to his vet, the kind of back injury that Diesel presented was previously only seen in dogs. Diesel was always breaking the mold!

Our years with Diesel flew by, and when he became seriously ill, it was simply heartbreaking. He underwent a lengthy period of treatment, and every one of his caregivers fell in love with him. One student at the Vet School who worked on his case e-mailed us on a daily basis to check on Diesel’s progress. Once you met Diesel, he entered your heart and never left.

We still miss him every day, but are grateful beyond words to have been his forever family. Thank you to SAFE Haven for saving his life and making it possible for us to adopt him.