Twenty cats found new homes Friday and Saturday as part of Paws and Claws Cat Rescue’s first two-day adoption event.
The adoption center, located at 829 Chicago Ave., houses overlooked cats from municipal shelters. More than 95% of the cats come from these locations, which have high euthanasia rates due to space and resource constraints.
Overlooked cats include black cats or those that are under-socialized or shy, according to the rescue’s website. Other target groups include those who are positive for feline immunodeficiency virus, a disease that impacts cats’ immune systems.
“All of these cats just want to find a good home,” Paws and Claws volunteer Connie Slotkin said. “Coming from high-kill shelters, they were so close to not being allowed to live their lives.”
One cat who found a forever home this weekend is grey- and white-haired Ellington, whose adoption is currently pending. His adoption biography called him a “gentle sweetie” who loves to play with springs and crinkle balls.
Kellogg Industry Relationship Manager Ellen Samberg has been a Paws and Claws volunteer for nearly a year. As a volunteer for the cat care crew, Samberg feeds, grooms and pets the cats, and cleans their toys and cages about twice a week.
Samberg said it’s rewarding to see cats regain a “new sort of liveliness” after treatment and care at Paws and Claws, especially after they arrive scared or ill.
“I just love seeing them get a new lease on life,” Samberg said. “All of them were destined for euthanasia, and now they’re gonna have really happy lives at a new home.”
Like Samberg, Slotkin started as a cat care crew volunteer. She began two years ago, around the time when Paws and Claws’ physical location on Chicago Avenue opened.
However, Slotkin now works on conducting adoption screening calls for prospective owners and approving their applications.
“Some people want just wildly active cats — others want more sedate. It’s nice to be able to help them find the right cat,” Slotkin said.
This weekend, Paws and Claws had “focus kitties” the organization looked to find homes for, according to Paws and Claws Founder and Executive Director Ashlynn Boyce. Ellington was an example of a “focus kitty.” Another was Redwood, an orange cat who Boyce called “very lovely, very laid-back (and) very sweet.”
Boyce said these targeted cats have often been at the shelter the longest, or may have additional medical or behavioral needs that may make it challenging to find a perfect match.
Until this weekend, Paws and Claws’ adoption events lasted a single day. But after a slower adoption month, Boyce said the organization wanted to “change it up” and give prospective adopters more time to come in.
“We’re always trying to think of new, creative ways to bring people in the door and to get the word out into the community,” she said.
The event comes on the heels of the nonprofit’s five-year anniversary. According to the center’s website, Paws and Claws has saved 2,400 cats since 2020, when it began with a foster-based model. Boyce said the group saved 829 cats last year — the organization’s target number this year is 1,000.
Boyce added that the organization aims to grow its foster base and its “capacity to do more” for the people affiliated with the group and animals they save.
“It’s just hard to believe how much we’ve grown and how much we’ve achieved in just five years as a small, mostly volunteer-run grassroots organization,” Boyce said. “Just looking ahead to the next five, I’m so excited for what we’re going to do.”
Update: This story has been updated to reflect the number of cats which found homes on Friday and Saturday.
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