One Year and Counting: Stories of 13 Remarkable Cats in Rochester Searching for Families

There are lots and lots of animals looking for their perfect forever homes in Rochester, Minnesota and the surrounding area. Some animals have longer stays than shelter staff would like, but they never give up on them.

As a Paws and Claws volunteer, I also don't give up on the animals who have longer stays. Even though I can't be there a ton helping to care for the animals, I still absolutely love to see when a long-term resident finally gets adopted.

Right now, there are 13 cats that have been looking for their forever homes for over a year at Paws and Claws. 13 cats that deserve a loving family and warm bed for the holidays. Let me introduce you to them!

Blush

Blush is 4 years old and has been at Paws and Claws since March 30th, 2022, so she has been there for almost two years. She's described as wary and that "it took more than two weeks before [she] let [her] foster mom touch [her]." She loves string toys and even though she can be hissy she wants attention too. She'll just take a while to adjust to her new home and needs a family who knows that, but it'll be well worth it.

Carson

We've talked about Carson before. Carson is 6 years old and has been at Paws and Claws since July 6th, 2021. He's a very sweet boy but the thing that his new family has to be very aware of is that he has pica. That means he eats things he's not supposed to. He's had several surgeries to remove obstructions so his family will have to keep his living space clear of any blankets, soft toys, curtains, things like that. I've always said that Carson would be perfectly content in his own designated cat room in someone's home. He just needs a space that's safe for him. Plus I can guarantee, while he loves the employees and volunteers at Paws and Claws, I'm sure he'd much rather be in a room that's his own with his forever family.

Fuzzy Wuzzy

Fuzzy Wuzzy is 2 years old and has been at Paws and Claws since March 31st, 2022. He's a little shy and will likely need time to adjust. They say that when he first arrived at the shelter "[he] wasn't too sure about being handled, and hid most of the time." Now he's ok being out, hanging out with the other cats, and watching birds out the window. He needs a family who's willing to give him the time to warm up to a new environment, which can be a several-month process depending on the cat and the environment.

Grover

Grover is 1 year old and has been at Paws and Claws since July 25th, 2022. He's another cat who just needs time to adjust. I think so many of these kinds of cats stay at a shelter for a long time because people are wary of making a commitment to an animal who is shy. As long as you give them time and space they'll adjust on their own time. Grover's bio says "If you give me a little time to get used to you, I will let you pet me. I do like petting. I do! I like to play with wand toys and chase the laser light too."

Oren

Oren is 2 years old and has been at Paws and Claws for just over a year now, since November 21st, 2022. He's a very playful and fun guy who sometimes doesn't know when it's a little too rough. He'll get 'mouthy' sometimes because he gets overly excited. He'll need an experienced cat owner so they know how to help him work on his manners. But if you're looking for a fun cat, Oren is your guy!

Pipsqueak

Pipsqueak is 1 year old and has been at Paws and Claws since September 30th, 2022. She's one of those cats where I don't understand how she's been at the shelter for so long. She's a very sweet cat who comes to greet me when I walk into her colony area and loves to lay on laps. She gets along with other cats too. My thought is the biggest reason why she hasn't been adopted yet is because her third eyelids don't completely retract. You'll want to talk to the cat adoption counselor about the condition but based on my quick Googling it doesn't seem like it creates much of an issue for her and unless her condition is really bad (which I'm fairly certain it's not) she doesn't need medication.

Poppy and Roger

Poppy (black) is 9 years old and Roger (black and white) is 3 and they have both been at Paws and Claws since March 17th, 2022. The two of them spent time in a foster home together and that's where they bonded, so they must be adopted together. Poppy is on the shy side but she does love pets and play time once she's comfortable. Roger, they say, was shy at first but then became a friendly and outgoing guy. One of my favorite things about Roger is that he will sometimes carry plastic balls around in his mouth. Super cute!

Pygmy

Pygmy is 1 year old and has been at Paws and Claws since September 30th, 2022. She's actually Pipsqueak's sister! While they don't have to be adopted together, if you're looking for two cats these two would be great together. Pygmy is a 'petting only on my terms' kind of cat but she really loves to play. Her former foster mom says that 'play therapy' will be a great way to get her to relax and become more people-friendly. I do wonder if she's with Pipsqueak (who's very social) if that would help too.

Ruth

Ruth is 2 years old and has been at Paws and Claws since August 2nd, 2022. She's a cat that will need time to adjust and warm up to you and her new living environment. After being in a foster home. she came to the shelter. But when she arrived she proceeded to hide for most of the next 4 months. I told you it can take a long time for animals to adjust. She eventually started playing with the other cats and occasionally will accept pets. In her bio, it says that after 7 months at the shelter, she finally decided that humans were ok and started to interact with them.

Sammy and Simon

Sammy and Simon are brothers who are both 2 years old and have been at Paws and Claws since December 29th, 2021, so it's coming up on 2 years. They both also need time to adjust to a new environment. I remember I first met these guys when they came to the shelter and they were very shy. Didn't like having a hand approach them, that kind of thing. But they have definitely come out of their shell. They aren't cats who will come sit with me but they're much more ok with human presence and they actually have accepted pets now. A couple of cats who, if given the proper time and space, will reward you with lots of love when they're ready.

Sandy Claws

Sandy Claws is 2 years old and has been at Paws and Claws since October 7th, 2022. Based on my experience with her she's a little feisty at times. Her bio says that she's a "sweet girl with an easy-going personality, but I like to set my own terms and limits." Plus, the shelter environment is just high stress on some cats so her true personality won't shine until she's safely at home with the perfect family who will give her time to warm up.