Photo by Diana Hanshaw
You'd think that a bunch of cats left to their own devices most of the time would fight nonstop. But cats have an amazing ability to adapt to whatever life and humans happen to throw their way, and that's almost always the case in our group home.
Of course, there have been a few who flatly refused to get with the program -- Mulberry and a handsome orange guy named Finn come to mind. Everyone, including all the cats, celebrated when they got adopted. But for the most part, life in our group home is peaceful and happy.
Like cats in any home, our group home residents find their own favorite places for napping and playing. They "time share" those spaces with each other and manage to work things out when there's a disagreement. And they adapt to an ever-changing community as cats get adopted and leave and new ones arrive to take their place. The rules seem to be flexible and change ever so slightly with every change in the family.
Over the years, we've seen friendships develop and close bonds form. Cats who arrived alone have sometimes left with a new but special friend. Cosby and Mr. Marx met in our group home but were devoted to each other by the time they got adopted -- together.
We began our group home with 22 cats from the same household. But as we added new cats, all strangers to each other and our original cat family, we wondered how they'd manage with very little human supervision. Would they fight? Would some bully the others? Could cats live peacefully and even happily in a cageless shelter? In 10 years, cat after cat after cat has answered all of our questions. We humans underestimate their ability to make the most of things, whatever those things are, and to be happy and thrive.
Like cats in any home, our group home residents find their own favorite places for napping and playing. They "time share" those spaces with each other and manage to work things out when there's a disagreement. And they adapt to an ever-changing community as cats get adopted and leave and new ones arrive to take their place. The rules seem to be flexible and change ever so slightly with every change in the family.
Over the years, we've seen friendships develop and close bonds form. Cats who arrived alone have sometimes left with a new but special friend. Cosby and Mr. Marx met in our group home but were devoted to each other by the time they got adopted -- together.
We began our group home with 22 cats from the same household. But as we added new cats, all strangers to each other and our original cat family, we wondered how they'd manage with very little human supervision. Would they fight? Would some bully the others? Could cats live peacefully and even happily in a cageless shelter? In 10 years, cat after cat after cat has answered all of our questions. We humans underestimate their ability to make the most of things, whatever those things are, and to be happy and thrive.
