Karen

Karen has one perfectly reasonable complaint: shelter life is far too stressful, and she'd much rather have a quiet home of her own.

This lovely seven-year-old arrived as a stray with no identification, and adjusting to all the unfamiliar people, noises and surroundings has been a lot for her. For a while, she preferred keeping her distance, quietly watching everything happening around her.

Getting to know Karen has been a lesson in patience. At first, treats were the best way to make friends. She slowly began coming forward to sniff hands, accepting gentle touch and even giving a little lift of her bottom during scratches. Then, during a recent interaction, something lovely happened. Karen wasn't particularly interested in the treats anymore. Instead, she started leaning into pats, rubbing against the hand giving them and eventually settling down with a relaxed body and a happy little purr. She even started asking for more attention!

Those moments mean a great deal for a cat who has found shelter life so difficult. Karen still needs someone who understands that trust can't be rushed. A quiet home, a comfortable safe space and a predictable routine will help her feel more secure. Her stress has also affected her toileting habits in the shelter, so she'll need a patient family who can support her as she adjusts to home life.

Karen is FIV positive, so she'll need to live indoors, either as the only cat in the household or with other FIV-positive cats. She also has mild Grade 1 dental disease, which is a pretty good result for a seven-year-old lady! Regular dental home care will help keep her teeth healthy.

Karen might not be the cat who immediately runs up to greet you, but she's already shown us that underneath those worried first impressions is a girl who genuinely enjoys affection. We'd love to see her somewhere she can finally stop worrying about everything around her and simply enjoy being someone's much-loved cat.

Karen is part of our Rescue or Rehome program, where we are committed to finding homes for cats and kittens who simply cannot cope in the shelter environment. If you can open your heart and home to Karen - or if you're a rescue group able to help - please reach out to us at adoptions@dogshome.com