The Happiness of Having a Cat

Several years ago, I was volunteering for an animal welfare organization.

The area where I live has many stray cats and dogs. I see stray cats especially often.

My mission was to post photos of dogs and cats held at the public health center on social media to find them foster homes.

Dogs and cats are brought into the public health center almost every day, and their photos are posted on the website.
Since those photos rarely reach the general public, I would get permission from the health center to repost them on social media and spread the word.

Some people would go directly to the health center after seeing the photos, but when I was contacted, I would verify the requirements or accompany them to the health center.

Among those experiences, there is one episode I cannot forget.

I believe there were a few kittens and one cat about six months old at the health center at that time.
The kittens had bewildered expressions, but the six-month-old male cat was captured in the photo with an incredibly frightened look, pressing his body into the corner of the cage.
It was a heartbreaking photo.

Kittens are popular, so they are often adopted within the one-week deadline, but I wondered about this cat. He was a very beautiful cat, but being older puts him at a disadvantage.
I was worried about that.

The night I uploaded the photo to social media, I received an email from a woman.
She lived quite far away.

"I really want to see the kittens in person, so I would like to come there tomorrow."
That was the email.

When I receive an email like that, the first thing I do is confirm how serious the person is.

I ask things like whether they are just curious, if they are elderly, if they live in a pet-free apartment complex, and if they will provide spaying/neutering and vaccinations.
I ask quite detailed questions. People who aren't serious usually give up at this stage.
It's not just about anyone taking them.

That woman was 200% serious.

The next morning, she boarded a Shinkansen train carrying an empty pet carrier and traveled 500 kilometers to the public health center in our town.

I couldn't meet her that day due to my own schedule, but she took videos of all the cats at the health center and sent them to her husband.

After a family meeting over the phone, the cat she and her husband chose was not a kitten, but the six-month-old male cat.
They wanted to make this frightened cat, who was hissing at everyone, happy. That is what they thought.

About a month later, I received an email from the woman with a photo.
It was that same cat, looking remarkably calm.
He had been given a wonderful name, and the photo showed him riding on his dad's back and sleeping on his mom's lap.
Huh? You mean I was born in this house?
He looks like he's saying something like that.
It brought tears to my eyes.

I only provided the opportunity, but this couple's strong desire bridged the 500-kilometer distance and connected them with one stray cat.
The cat that had been trembling at the health center was able to find a kind family and a safe home.

I am no longer doing this volunteer work, but my successor must be continuing it.
There are many such volunteers all over the country.

If you are thinking of adopting a dog or cat, please take a look at the website of your local public health center.

There might be a life there waiting to become your family.


[Note 1]
In our region, all dogs and cats that are not adopted after the health center's holding period expires are taken in by animal welfare organizations (the kittens in this article were also all adopted). However, since the organizations are also at full capacity, volunteers work to ensure as many animals as possible are adopted while they are still at the health center.

[Note 2]
If you cannot adopt right now, please do not push yourself. Choosing not to adopt is also a form of animal welfare. If you can share those feelings through donations or support, the animal welfare organizations will surely be happy.