Faces of No-Kill: The cat who purred through it all

Emmalee knows how to embrace the cozy lifestyle, preferably with a comfy blanket she can curl up in, leaving just the tips of her ears out for her adopter, Isaac DeBlasio, to see. Emmalee has always gravitated toward life’s simple comforts, from cozy blankets to sunny naps. Those quiet moments are a welcome contrast to the medical challenges she overcame on her journey to her very own "kitten playground."

Emmalee came to Best Friends Animal Sanctuary in Kanab, Utah, from a shelter in Los Angeles. This sweet tortoiseshell cat had severe gastrointestinal upset and needed support. The veterinary team discovered she had cryptosporidium, a parasitic infection that affects the gastrointestinal tract. While there’s no way to completely eliminate the parasite, it can be managed through diet and medication, and many cats’ symptoms will fade over time. And while it can be passed to other cats, typically during the early days through their waste, it’s easily managed with good hygiene.

At the Sanctuary, Emmalee would get the care she needed to feel her best.

Emmalee’s caregivers and the veterinary team came up with a plan to help her get back to the things she does best: cuddling and romping. “She’s everyone’s buddy,” Isaac says. “She wants to give everyone attention and get attention from them.”

Probiotics were one treatment the team used to help ease her gastrointestinal upset, and then she just needed monitoring and supportive care if she developed any further symptoms.

However, that wasn’t the only health challenge Emmalee faced. The veterinary team also discovered she had stomatitis, a condition that causes severe inflammation in a cat’s mouth. But with support from the vet team, plus lots of TLC from her caregivers, she began to feel better and get back to her favorite activities.

Bacteriotherapy puts kitten on the road to health

Besides a good nap, Emmalee loved exploring at the Sanctuary and giving a good sniff to the fun things caregivers would bring for her to play with. One caregiver brought in feathers that naturally fell from her pet birds; another brought in goat hair. “She loved it. She zoomed all around sniffing it and even rolled in it,” Isaac says.

Through all her treatments, she never lost her spark. “She’s a firecracker bursting with the thrill of life,” Isaac says. Whether she was launching herself through her play tunnel in pursuit of wand toys or investigating every pair of shoes she could find, Emmalee stayed curious about the world around her. And soon, she would have a new world to explore.

Isaac, who works at the Sanctuary, had fallen hard for the tortoiseshell cat who purred endlessly. He also knew something else: While the Sanctuary team works tirelessly to make sure cats like Emmalee have everything they need, there’s one thing they can't fully replicate: a home of their own. Emmalee was going home with Isaac.

“When I let her out into my apartment, she jumped onto every possible surface to smell and explore everything. It was like she had entered a massive kitty playground,” Isaac says.

These days, Emmalee still embraces the cozy life — blankets included — but she also chooses to explore and enjoy her very own kitty playground. Isaac is always there to support her with new toys, new smells, and any medical care she might need.

Freed from dental pain, senior cat regains vivacious spirit

“Cats with chronic conditions can still enjoy life to the fullest,” he says. “With extra understanding and care from their person, cats like Emmalee can thrive.” And when it comes to cryptosporidium, he hopes adopters won’t let the unfamiliar scare them away before meeting the cat in front of them.

Emmalee lives life at full speed — charging through tunnels, inspecting shoes like treasured artifacts, and demanding snacks when she’s out on a walk in her harness — but she’s also mastered the art of slowing down. Sometimes, that means ending the day wrapped up snug in a blanket burrito, purring away in the comfort of home.

Our goal at Best Friends is to support all animal shelters in the U.S. in reaching no-kill. No-kill means saving every dog and cat in a shelter who can be saved, accounting for community safety and good quality of life for pets. 

Shelter staff can’t do it alone. Saving animals in shelters is everyone’s responsibility, and it takes support and participation from the community. No-kill is possible when we work together thoughtfully, honestly, and collaboratively.