Charmaine, a tortoiseshell glamorpuss, is one beautiful cat! She's one of many cats at Wayside Waifs looking for a home
Luna is an 11-year-old tortoiseshell sweetheart. Her bio says "This senior tortie cat came into Wayside when her owner was leaving for basic training and couldn't take her along. Luna is hoping her next family is out there waiting to give her the happy ending she deserves!"
I’ve been taking photographs once a week at Wayside Waifs, a Kansas City, Missouri, animal shelter, for a month now. I’m amazed at the huge variety of beautiful cats available for adoption in many colors, patterns and fur length. (See more of my photos below.)
I don’t even see them all, because, fortunately, many cats and kittens are quickly adopted. But many more homeless cats and kittens (as well as dogs and puppies) come in the door as strays or surrendered pets just as quickly. That’s why we need lots of families for these fuzzy balls of love. Wayside Waifs cares for about 400 cats and dogs and some small mammals every day.
Selena's beauty is undeniable from any angle.
Here’s from a July 22, 2010, email from Wayside Waifs: “As Kansas City’s largest no-kill animal shelter, Wayside Waifs is committed to doing everything in our power to help animals in need. Within the last week, Wayside Waifs has opened its doors to nearly 200 animals in need. We’ve taken in homeless animals from overcrowded shelters in Missouri, Kansas and as far away as Montana. We did not hesitate to answer a plea for help again yesterday, when a shelter in the Kansas City community was left in the dark following a powerful thunderstorm.
Each of the rescued animals is now receiving loving care and a well-deserved second chance at Wayside Waifs. Some have already found their forever homes, the rest are in good hands until the right family comes along.”
Nearly all tortioiseshell cats are female. Find out why and more about these lovely cats by clicking on About Tortoiseshell cats.
To learn more about Wayside Waifs, see some of the animals available for adoption and to donate, click on Wayside Waifs.
To see my first post on Wayside Waifs, which was featured on the WordPress home page for a day or two , click on Wayside Waifs. Be sure to check it out. Lots more beautiful cats and kittens! Most have been adopted, although as of this writing, Ike still needed a home. More cat photographs below.
Orion. Yes, he's got more than star power, he's requires the name of an awesome constellation to capture his magnificence.
Josie is always ready for her close-up, because she's nonstop gorgeous.
Joan shows off her sleek, fabulous looks. She's long, dark and beautiful.
Pedro has tuxedo markings, but don't let the formal attire fool you. He's a cat with a fun-loving personality and he really knows how to play!
On the left is Riff Raff, who's really an aristocrat with lovely manners and a charming and loving personality.
I confess, I don't know Jersey from Shore, but these two almost identical cats (one serves as a pillow for his littermate) are both sweet, beautiful kittens.
Ms. Pufferfish (sitting patiently on the left) and her kittens were not quite ready for adoption, but you can see that they will be in great demand.
Here's a preview of some of Ms. Pufferfish's kittens.
Who could resist Globo?
Catherine Sherman 
Globo is magnificent! 🙂 By the way, who names these animals?
I have to say, I have really been enjoying the posts about Wayside Waifs. It almost goes without saying that your photographs are wonderful, of course. But I’ll go ahead and say it anyway. “Wow. That photography is fantastic!”
But I also really enjoy hearing about that place and the wonderful work they do. Do you know how they get their funding? Is it exclusively through donations? No-kill communities like theirs are truly wonderful places and need all the help they can get.
I think your post has touched me and, perhaps, just maybe given me a spark of inspiration! (It can happen.) I’m going to explore my local area for a similar place and see about finding work there. I would like to spend time every day in a place like that sharing my love. Truly. I’m a cat warrior and my entire body is always covered in scratches from too much play. I’ve probably spent my whole life with cat scratch fever and didn’t even know it. 🙂
Who knows? Maybe my love of cats could be my ticket to a more fulfilling job? Thanks for giving me that idea.
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Though I’m certainly no Cat Warrior, if they didn’t make me go achoo! I’d have eyes for Riff Raff. Too cute. An animal brings so much into your life.
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I’m allergic, too. Always have been. And I’ve always been around cats. Just the way it has to be. 🙂
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Oh my goodness! I really wanted to work there, but there is no way I’d get out of there without like 50 cats. I want them all. I really do. I’m going to be a crazy cat lady. I know it.
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I just brought a darling little girl home from the local shelter. Of course, if I lived alone, I’d have several.
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Spawn volunteers once a week at our local no-kill shelter, socializing the cats. Occasionally the kid might walk a dog, but when you’re 9, the dog tends to walk you.
Above all, people need to get in the mindset of spaying and neutering. We have seven cats, all female, and all have been spayed. Not a cheap proposition, but neither is buying truckloads of litter and food every other week. Kittens are cute but after a certain point they’re like head colds — no one wants one.
If we lived on a farm we’d no doubt have a barn full.
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I don’t really believe in coincidences but I thought I’d share this:
Yesterday, less than a week after I commented on this post, I learned there is an opening at the local animal shelter that sounds like it might be a good fit for me. The job is 32 hours a week (I can hang with that!) and pays a higher hourly wage than I currently make. I’m 100% sure the 32 hour thing is to avoid benefits, but I don’t have those in my current job. I’m going to go for it!
Anyway, I found the timing interesting and thought I’d share. Feel free to take credit for this if you want. 🙂
I hope you do get the job! The credit goes to you! Your vibrations are in sync with the animal shelter! Cathy
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The job application went in today. It’s up to the employment gods, now.
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What amazing characters, what an extraordinary job the shelter is doing, what brilliant names!
Thanks for this Cathy, I could quite easily re-home them all!
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I couldn’t make the drive to KC MO to adopt a kitty, so instead I found one in another city closer to me, one you’ve visited. HB, CA.
Found an adorable little ball of fur who has managed to turn our household upside down. Her new sister (4 year old AJ) is grateful when the she goes to sleep.
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Is it ok to have a favorite? Because Orion is mine 🙂
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Wonderful photos of cats.
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And there are a lot of photos in my blog.
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