“My husband and I hadn’t had a cat for over a decade and didn’t want one because we’re older and we worried that any pet would likely outlive us,” says Terry. “But when a kitten showed up at our door one cold December evening, he was brave enough to come inside after staring through the open door for 20 minutes.

“Last summer, we lost both of our longtime pets within a few months of each other,” says Mary. “It was a very difficult time for our household. Since we were building a new home in another state and selling the one here, we decided to wait until the ‘dust settled’ before adopting again.

“In March of 2025, our lives changed completely for the better when we adopted Matilda, formerly Coraline, from Furry Friends!” exclaims one very excited Mara.

Pebbles and Toast and Yvette Elrod

“We kept the kitties’ names because there’s a backstory,” Yvette explains. “I collect Flintstone and Bugs Bunny paraphernalia and I’m also a sugar cereal fiend. When we sadly lost our best kitty Max, in January, it left a hole in our hearts that needed to be filled again.

“Pebbles is a pretty calico with gorgeous green eyes, plenty of ‘attitude,’ and of course, her name suits me perfectly. Toast, her brother, who, by his appearance is a tabby Siamese, with bright blue crossed eyes, matches the name on the breakfast cereal, Cinnamon Toast Crunch, and is both a big talker and a mischief maker.

“I’ve had many kitties in my life,” says Stephanie. “When I lost Bella, my 17-year-old kitty, I was kitty-less for the first time.

“I wanted a bonded pair of older cats because I know bonded pairs can be harder to place, and I wanted each one to have a kitty companion. When I met the girls, then named Fish and Chips, at Woodinu, I wasn’t in a position to take them home that day. And yet, the next day I put in my adoption application and the rest is history!

“It took Shimi well over a month to adjust to Leo, our 13-year-old, three-legged yellow tabby. Your behaviorist was most helpful in providing us with some much-appreciated advice, while a close friend of mine loaned us a kitty ‘tent’ to safely separate them. Now they hang out ever so happily together! Shimi, who has an enormous amount of energy, loves her toys and loves watching TV – particularly if the programs involve birds.

“It took Shimi well over a month to adjust to Leo, our 13-year-old, three-legged yellow tabby. Your behaviorist was most helpful in providing us with some much-appreciated advice, while a close friend of mine loaned us a kitty ‘tent’ to safely separate them. Now they hang out ever so happily together! Shimi, who has an enormous amount of energy, loves her toys and loves watching TV – particularly if the programs involve birds.

“We’ve both had cats all of our lives, but it’s been 5 years since our last ones,” says Travis. “Zee, a grey tabby, and Giles, a tuxedo originally named Houdini, are the first bonded pair we’ve adopted. Found on the streets at 12 weeks of age, I believe they went to Furry Friends or a foster right away.

“I’ve had kitties my whole life, but after several years without one, I felt that something was missing,” Kayla says. “When I met Obie (it was as though I had wandered into a magic potion shop and there he was), I immediately knew that it was meant to be, that he was the one. So I brought him home.

“In December 2024, I unfortunately lost my 7-year-old cat, Walter, to renal failure. After grieving his loss for a few months, I felt ready to adopt again because 9-year-old Mr. Kitty, my other cat, and I were ready for a new friend. I began scouring the Furry Friends website for a new companion, but because nothing clicked, I decided to go an adoption event at PetSmart in East Vancouver. When I arrived, all of the kittens had already been adopted and there were only two black and white adult cats left. One of the volunteers introduced me to Saorise, a sweet one- year-old. She was understandably anxious, so it was difficult to get a feel for her personality. But since I had room in my heart for another friend, I adopted her. 

“We were looking for an older kitten to keep our current cat Lyra company after the loss of our other senior kitty at Christmas,” Lori says. “When we first met Tilly (formerly Lily) at the shelter, she immediately came to me and wanted attention: bold but sweet. We felt that Lily was too close to Lyra, plus, to me, Lily is a very elegant name, and Tilly’s not elegant ... lol.

“Our family decided to adopt a new kitty after we lost our two fur babies,” Jadie says. “Our bonded brother/sister kitties we adopted almost 10 years ago passed away at the age of 14.

“This left us with just one cat, Murtie, who was 9 years old. We could tell that he wasn’t happy being the only kitty in the house and decided to find a companion for him. Little did we know that this would lead to our current cat crew, and yet we couldn’t be happier!

“When I returned from traveling while my daughter kept my cat Max, he seemed lonely when I took him home, so I decided to get him a playmate,” says Donna. “Because he’s a tuxedo, I thought I’d get another tuxedo. I found several on the Furry Friends website and went in to meet them. They were so ‘cat like’, indifferent and aloof. But then a little fluffball named Neptune (now Josie) came running toward me full of spunk and personality and it was love immediately.

“When we adopted Tiny, his original name was Rocky,” explains Logan. “But now he’s known, not only as Tiny, but Reggie and Little Guy.

“We chose him because he was so precious and calm-ish, and at the same time, both willing and curious. Although he initially hid in a tiny spot inside the closet when we first brought him home, he was soon making his way out and exploring his new environment.

“There are so many options when adopting a pet,” says Karina. “I love medium-haired kitties and our last one was a tuxedo, so I tend to fall hard for them. Muffin was extremely affectionate at the shelter and we assumed that she would get adopted easily. We then considered adopting Munchkin, another tuxedo, who seemed so sad, but my husband Joel suggested we ask Jenn which cat would have a harder time finding a home. She suggested Muffin because of her health history. So, there was our choice!

“I adopted Leon because my current cat, Chili, needed a friend,” says Nicole.

“When I opened his kennel at the shelter to see him, he wanted all the pets he could get and he wasn’t timid at all. Then, as I went to put him back, he grabbed my hand with his paws, as if saying ‘please, don’t leave me here!’ It so broke my heart that I knew I needed him in my life and in Chili’s.

“When my wife Rebekah and I adopted Gertrude, she was called Dixie,” David says. “Now she goes by Gerdy and Miss Trude, and she’s filling the emptiness created when our two 19-year-old cats passed away a few years ago.

“We recently adopted a kitten called Speedy from Furry Friends,” Mandy says, “and changed his name to Ragnar, after a beloved book character – not to mention a wonderful Viking name as well.

“Imagine two sisters living outdoors, who were ultimately found under a tackle store and rescued,” says Jen. “Now imagine them being called Tackle and Spinner, and you have the two feral kitties I recently adopted from Furry Friends!

“When I decided it was time to get a kitten, I knew that I wanted two: a male and a female,” says Stephanie. “I also knew that I wanted to adopt. I wanted to give homeless kittens a home with lots of love!