Pets believe that humans can do anything. It never occurred to little two-year-old Winona that people can lose control of their own lives. So, when the fully vetted, spayed, house cat’s people brought her to the shelter, Winona assumed that she had done something wrong. Maybe that’s one reason that Winona hides. She’s mortified and embarrassed.

While Winona worries that everyone will judge her to be a bad cat, the shelter staff know better. They talked to Winona’s people. They know that she’s always been a good girl. Winona was completely innocent and uninvolved in her family’s life changes that made her people leave her.

Still, if someone gives her another chance, Winona vows to be the best, most loving cat that they’ve ever met.

Daisy, a gorgeous, one-year-old, golden girl wanted to live and love. She gently asked the shelter staff for chin rubs. She made herself attractive by constantly grooming. She wasn’t fussy about eating. Daisy tried to be an easy, appealing cat, one that goes home.

So, the well-mannered cat was mortified when her food kept coming up. Soon, the staff were mortified, too. Sweet Daisy was starving, dying, before their eyes, even though she was eating.

Daisy’s weakening eyes pleaded for help. The director asked the Friends of the Shelter to fund drastic measures. Even though the vet should have been home, he did exploratory surgery. He found a giant fur ball blocking Daisy’s stomach. Now the relieved director says, “She’s going to do great now.”

No artist but Mother Nature could have created something as exquisite as the 11-month-old, tuxedo-wearing Thelma Lou. The spayed, vaccinated, little lady has a perfectly marked, pink-nosed, white face, with huge golden eyes. Those eyes gaze out of the midnight-shaded part of Thelma Lou’s face. White ears, unusual on a tuxedo cat, make Thelma Lou even more interesting.

Of course, right now, Thelma Lou isn’t trying to be interesting. Her golden eyes, always huge in her petite face, are larger than usual. That’s because Thelma Lou is afraid. She’s a lap-oriented aristocrat. She’s overwhelmed by the more rambunctious cats.

Thelma Lou feels safest with a human visitor. When her world is quieter, Thelma Lou can show a friend how loved she can make someone feel.

The people were surprised to see a perfectly marked, blue-eyed Siamese gingerly prancing across their snow-covered field to get to their doorstep. The handsome fellow obviously understood being indoors. He clearly showed that he was cold, miserable and wanted to come inside, where he belonged.

The question everyone asked was how did this elegant gentleman end up alone in the country? It seemed that the cat, now named Fudge, was asking the same question. Fudge also seems to wonder where his people are. So does the shelter staff.

And Fudge wonders when he can escape his confining cage. The answer is soon. Fudge has just been neutered. After he’s recovered, Fudge can be with the other shelter cats. Or, better yet, Fudge could be adopted.

Gorgeous, russet-coated Aideen is shy, trying to stay unnoticed, until someone reaches out to the 18-month-old, spayed girl. Then Aideen melts into her new friend. This pup’s confidence and self-worth seem to come from feeling that someone likes her. It’s sad that someone ever made the sweet girl doubt that she deserves to be and will be wanted.

Of course, Aideen’s feelings aren’t unreasonable. She’s waited in the shelter for a while. The staff thought someone would come for such a nice pup. Mayne Aideen hoped so, too. But Aideen was disappointed again.

There must have been many times when her owner destroyed Aideen’s hopes. All Aideen wished was that she could count on someone. Aideen is still a pup. Her wishes could come true