Fresh start for a loving mama cat

Eloise arrived at the Best Friends Pet Adoption Center in Los Angeles with a full heart and a full nest.

The petite, silvery tabby had a variety pack of five tiny kittens in tow — little balls of fluff in shades of snowy white to velvety black. But it was the height of kitten season, when shelters across the country are inundated with cats and kittens. Thankfully this fluffy family was quickly off to a foster home to give Eloise a comfortable place to care for her kittens.

Foster volunteers provide a critical lifeline, caring for pets in need and freeing up space and resources in shelters for those coming in. Best Friends’ goal is for all shelters nationwide to reach no-kill, and people who step up to foster pets, either with Best Friends or any animal shelter or rescue group, play a vital part in reaching that goal.

From the moment they arrived at their foster home, it was clear Eloise was in her element. She was the definition of a doting mom: attentive, gentle, and totally devoted. She never let her little ones out of sight, always on duty with nuzzles, grooming, and soft chirps of reassurance.

[Foster caregivers team up to save orphaned kittens]

A foster home gave Eloise what every mama cat deserves — a safe, cozy space to raise her babies with the helping hand of her foster caregiver. And once her kittens were big enough to be spayed or neutered, they were all adopted in no time. Then, it was Eloise’s turn.

With her maternal duties complete, Eloise finally had a chance to shine in her own right. She was spayed and came back to the pet adoption center to meet potential adopters. It took just a single day for her to charm her way into someone’s heart and head off to a new home of her own.

Now, Eloise gets to be the center of attention, and she’s thriving.

[Foster caregiver drawn to cats with special needs]

Her adoption was part of Truth or Tales, a national campaign from Best Friends and Litter-Robot to bust common myths about cats and help more felines find homes. Thanks to Litter-Robot’s sponsorship, adoption fees were waived for all cats and kittens at Best Friends locations in June.

For Eloise, it was the perfect chance to trade mom duties for lap time, playtime, and a home where she could soak up all the love.

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.