Mondays are quiet at the San Francisco SPCA. The hospital is open, but the adoption center is closed to the public. It’s a nice time to play “catch-up” with projects, give attention to cats who may need extra love and affection. I used it as a chance to finally spend time with a little fellow we call Yoda.
I’m close to completing a tech project I’ve been working on for the SPCA, and now that the beginnings of kitten season are being felt in the community, I thought I’d reward myself with a little “kitten time.” I’d heard about Yoda for a few days now. They said once I’d meet him, the name would be obvious. He was rescued from the San Francisco’s Police Department crime lab which has recently been under intense scrutiny.
A former SFPD evidence room resident, Yoda's a sweet kitty looking for a loving home.
Meet Yoda. His ears are enormous! I thought he was adorable, but the feeling wasn’t mutual. He was hiding at first. When I initiated contact, he hissed at me. I spoke to him with a soothing voice. I slowly moved my hand toward him and….nothing happened. It was just a show to let me know he was a little confused right now about humans.
His age is estimated at 7 weeks, but it’s hard to say exactly how old he is. He didn’t receive enough human contact when he was young, so now he’s just slightly undersocialized. It’ll take work, but with consistent love and handling, he will eventually become a loving companion animal.
This isn’t the case with the other cats picked up from the crime lab. They were born and grew up without human contact. They are terrified of people, and will never be suitable candidates for adoption. The San Francisco SPCA is looking for options for them. Perhaps finding a managed feral colony for relocation, or finding another facility that would welcome resident cats that aren’t necessarily companions, “Cats at Work.”
Yoda is a sweet kitty looking for a lovely home, someone who will spend a lot of time building up his confidence.
Yoda responds well to a slow approach.
I sigh. It’s been fun, but I realize I probably should get back to work on my tech project. I thank little Yoda for his time, and can’t help but feel blessed by this opportunity to meet such a sweet little kitten, and the opportunities given by the San Francisco SPCA to help in life-saving moments like this. In so many other communities, feral cats like these would have simply been trapped an killed, but the SF/SPCA is committed to providing humane alternatives and is always willing to educate the public on these options.
Sweet dreams little Yoda. May the force be with you.
For more information on the drug lab, and the controversy surrounding it, check out this report from KGO-TV, check out this link:
http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=news/local/san_francisco&id=7376043
