Shy cat’s leap of faith leads to love

For most of her time at Best Friends Animal Sanctuary’s Cat World, Kenobi was more of a whisper than a presence — the kind of cat you saw out of the corner of your eye. Tucked high on a perch, she watched the world from above, quiet and cautious. She arrived with more than a dozen other cats from a shelter in Arizona. While many were adopted quickly, Kenobi needed a little more time and care to feel safe and show her true self to potential adopters.

Best Friends’ goal is for all shelters to reach no-kill, and that means working together with other animal welfare organizations to save pets’ lives, giving each one what they need to move out of the shelter and into a happy new life.

Cautious Kenobi also had a minor skin irritation that required daily medication, which caregivers would mix into baby food and leave near her on her perch — no touching, no pressure, just a gentle offering.

[Cat’s beauty and love of life completely outshine her skin condition]

And then, things began to shift. One day, Kenobi came down to eat. Then she began waiting at the door when she knew her bowl was coming. Eventually, she started greeting caregivers, hesitant but curious. Still shy, still selective — but something was changing.

Sean Hill and his son Avery didn’t know any of that when they pulled into the Sanctuary one afternoon. They’d been searching for a cat for Avery’s birthday and had looked at some cats online, but nothing felt quite right. Best Friends was the first stop on their list that day — and, as it turned out, the only stop they’d need.

They met lots of different cats. All sweet. All lovely. But they just weren’t the right match. And then: Kenobi. “She came right up to Avery and just kept circling around his legs,” Sean says. “He fell in love pretty fast.”

That kind of boldness was unheard of for Kenobi. But for reasons known only to her, she was just as drawn to Avery as he was to her. They took her home that same day, and since then, Kenobi has made herself very much at home.

“When I come home from work, she won’t eat her food until she gets some love first,” Sean says. “She just comes up and meows in my face until I pet her.”

She’s also refined in her ways. “We were originally thinking about adopting a kitten,” Sean says. “But I’m so glad we brought home an older cat. She’s so graceful and considerate. She’s a sweetheart and the perfect fit for our household.”

[Kitty goes from scaredy-cat to snuggle bug]

Kenobi may still have her preferences — certain rooms are “no petting zones,” for example — but she makes her boundaries known with charm. “If we’re on the couch, she’ll come up and curl in our laps,” says Sean. “She sleeps on the bed and is actually very cuddly. We’ve earned her trust.”

And in return, they’ve gained a cat who picked them — who, after watching the world from a distance, stepped into the light when the moment (and the person) felt right.

“She loves being part of our family,” Sean says. And the feeling, clearly, is mutual.

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.