By: Maya Bendezu

Cats are wonderful, soft animals that have had a special place in my heart since childhood. I have made countless trips to visit the cats at the Forgotten Cats Adoption Center at the Brandywine PetSmart. About a year ago, I finally convinced my mother to sign the two of us up to volunteer there. We were assigned the Sunday morning shift which was from 10 to 12 A.M. During that time, we would change the litter boxes, clean the cages, change out the mats/beds, feed and water the cats, and show the cats to anyone who was interested in adopting. By the time we were finished with the work, we usually had around 30 minutes to simply hang out with the cats; however, much time we had to play with the cats was always worth the work.

Unfortunately, my mother and I had to take a break from volunteering over the summer because of difficulties with scheduling and transportation due to the summer break, but we are going to start volunteering again very soon. “Kitten season” is approaching in the spring which is exciting. During that time, there is an influx of kittens brought into shelters. Despite the increase of cats to take care of, the kittens are fun to play with and get adopted more easily than adult cats.

In the time I have volunteered for Forgotten Cats, I have learned that black cats (as well as dogs) are less likely to be adopted than cats of lighter colors. The reason why was lost on me; I could not fathom why anyone would dislike black cats. All of the cats I have had in my life have been black. I have observed, however, that black cats are a bit quirkier than others. That is my personal observation, though, and it serves only to further my love for them. My family has adopted several cats from Forgotten Cats, including our cat, Wednesday. She is shy and edgy because of her past, but she gets along very well with our other cat, Shadow. It is amazing to help cats find families and make their lives as enjoyable and loving as possible.