Entangled Shylight: Emee

It’s not unusual for cats to be apprehensive or scared when they first come to Entangled. When new cats arrive, we show them lots of love and give them plenty of time to adjust on their own. More often than not, it doesn’t take long for them to see Entangled is a peaceful, comfortable and loving place to be until they’re adopted. 

Emee stood out to me because she was visibly afraid and avoidant of both people and other cats much longer than what we would consider normal. After being here for about three weeks, she was still hiding in the same high secluded place, in a guarded loaf position and still looking very scared and unwilling to venture around. We would catch a glimpse of her sneaking food and water from time to time, but she would always dash away out of reach as soon as she would see us. I remember telling her, “Okay, three weeks is long enough for you to be alone."

I pulled out the six foot ladder several times that day and offered her treats from as close as I could get to her, about 3-4 feet away. She was intrigued but not ready to trust. I kept trying…dragging out the ladder as often as possible during the quietest times of the day to offer her treats and canned food. Eventually she started to come closer and closer to have some.  

After several days of still not letting me touch her, I secretly wondered if she might really be better off in the Barn Cat Program. Occasionally a cat simply prefers to be left alone but Emee, finally deciding the snacks were worth the risk, began to feel brave enough to interact with me for the sake of yummy food. Being petted and scratched was obviously foreign to her, but slowly she let herself enjoy it. We were bonding!

One random afternoon I went to open a cabinet (the one where we happen to keep the canned food), and there was Emee, sitting inside the dark cabinet amongst all the kibble bags and cans of food. Smart girl! I slowly and gently reached in to pick her up and bring her out, not knowing what I was in for. Would she fight me or freak out? Would she try to attack me? But to my surprise, she totally let me! I immediately rewarded her with a treat, and suddenly this potential barn cat became a lap kitty! I was astonished! 

She had just gotten comfortable enough to fall asleep on me when two customers walked in for a visit. Fully expecting the timing of this might cause her to regress, I gently put Emee down and left the room to assist the waiting customers. I shared with them a little background of the shy grey kitty on the stool, and almost as soon as they approached Emee, she got in Erin’s lap and fell back asleep! She had chosen her PURRson! The very next day, Erin came back to adopt her, and they’ve been inseparable ever since! Erin has graciously kept us updated on Emee since her adopting her and sends us pictures. She says Emee is a snuggly girl who wants to be in her lap all the time when she's home. They are the perfect fit for one another!

I want to cry when I think of what Emee and other cats like her have to experience to make them so afraid of love and affection. I cry thinking of where cats end up when they’re misunderstood like Emee could have been. And I cry tears of joy and celebration when I think of how very blessed I am to have the opportunity to help connect a precious soul like Emee with her forever person and home. I have the best and most rewarding job ever!