The Dancing Cat

02/03/2025

Abigail and Charlee started life in much the same way as orphaned feral kittens. On one side of town Abigail was found living under junk cars and in another area Charlee showed up in a managed feral colony. Two little beings too young to be fending for themselves, thankfully taken in by kind community members. They were lovingly socialized and bloomed to life with the care they were given. With the streets in the rearview, these two best friends were only worried about how to get more treats and holding the world record for longest playtime. We are committed to finding homes for bonded pairs, no bestie left behind!
A sentiment shared by their new family who were initially drawn in by belly rubs with Charlee but joyfully embraced expanding the vision from one cat to two. Richard, Irene and Nicole had been thoughtfully and carefully ruminating on adopting a cat together as a family and were encouraged by a friend who volunteers with us to visit. With a family of new adopters and two formerly feral kitties, in a sense everyone is taking a big leap together into the unknown. Which we as benevolent caretakers get to delight in watching, nobody knows yet how wonderful it will be but we do! And it is wonderful, for Charlee and Abigail, now called Nori and Miso, who are so cherished by their parents and sister. No matter your past or how you start out, adoptions #1610 and #1611 are proof that the best is always ahead of us!

02/01/2025

The weather outside is...inviting you inside The Dancing Cat! Spend Caturday with this amazing crew while staying dry and relaxing in our cozy lounge. Trade in your couch for ours this weekend, we can't wait to see you!

01/30/2025

After some introspection and deliberation, Jillie has decided that once she acclimates in a new space she is a lap cat who enjoys petting sessions and sleeping on the bed. When you are as regal and gorgeous as she is you can live life on your terms and we admire that sort of self advocating! Jillie likes quiet, calm environments and appreciates your patience. Change and new spaces can feel overwhelming for her, so a more tranquil vibe can ease the transition. Once she feels at ease in her home, the rewards of her purring on your lap while you pet her fur are joyful accomplishments.

Jillie does best with one or two adults in the home, no children and as an only pet. Jillie is a lady of leisure and does not require too much of any one thing. Jillie does play, with a feather wand toy specifically, and we learned that these interactions were great for bonding in her foster home.

If you’re looking for a unique cat who knows who she is and affirms her choices, perhaps Jillie is for you! The love, mutual understanding and loyalty you will build together is limitless.

01/29/2025

The Dancing Cat wishes everyone a very happy Lunar New Year! Just like our cats have fresh starts once they're rescued, we embrace changing seasons that usher in new opportunities for us all.

Fun fact: a few of our adoptees share homes with snakes and take turns occupying the communal spaces in their homes with their families. Mostly the snakes live in their respective enclosures and provide excellent nature channel-like viewing for the cats!

01/29/2025

A wonderful samaritan was in the right place at the right time to hear a pleading meow from underneath a car at the park n ride on Capitol Expressway. And so began the rescue journey for Castor, meeting the first of many people who would nurture him. Many people poured love into him and have filled his life with comfort and care. We celebrate all the hearts our rescued cats are fortunate to know, thank you to every one of you for making adoption #1609 possible!

01/24/2025

We often meet kitties in desperate situations. One year ago this week, tiny Panchita had given birth outside on a cold January morning. After initial health checks it was clear that despite being a little worse for the wear, she was a darn good Mommy to her four kittens: Caju, Pecana, Whitney, and Elton. Always putting their needs first and making sure all the strange humans nearby were on their best behavior! In time Panchita's sweet litter was ready for adoption, and the kittens found loving forever homes in 2 pairs.

Panchita went from kittenhood to motherhood, and we knew she needed a home that would spoil her with the wonderful youth she missed. Manon met Panchita and saw something special immediately in our golden-haired girl. She made note in her application that she was retired and her home was filled with cat toys, a dream scenario for Panchita! From rock bottom to the tallest cat trees, happy homes and happy hearts for Panchita and her babies. Panchita is adoption #1608!

01/23/2025

Sunday January 26 | 10:00AM - 12:00PM

When you take a look around your neighborhood, do you notice cats in your area that don’t seem to have a home? Have you found a litter of kittens and wondered whom to call?

BE A PART OF THE SOLUTION! Join community cat experts Bay Area Cats for a free workshop introducing Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR), feral cat management practices, local resources for feral cat spay/neuter, and proper use of humane traps. This workshop will offer the knowledge and skills needed to help feral kittens and stray cats in your community.

This workshop is free; donations after the event are always appreciated. All ages welcome! There is additional time at the end of this session for Q & A. Book: www.thedancingcat.org/reservations

01/22/2025

Who has been following along since adoption #100?! We were so excited to celebrate this epic milestone in 2016. The energy that filled the walls of 702 E. Julian St. was pure elation as we watched the adoption counter rise: 96, 97, 98, 99...who was going to be 100?!? One charismatic little brown tabby found his way to center stage when he charmed his new Mama and cemented himself in TDC history. Formerly known as Indy, Colby has been living a great life these 9 years and is still climbing shelves and eating cat grass, habits he picked up with us. Here he is pictured with his new sister Nova during Christmas, and some fun throwbacks. Every adoption is a celebration. We feel so honored to be doing this work on behalf of vulnerable cats who need a champion. Thank you for your support — you make magic happen!

01/22/2025

Some might call this adoption tale a foster fail, but really everyone is a winner! Seraphine is getting to grow up surrounded by the comfort and cuddles from the very people who provided her a safe landing when she needed it most. Mythili, Arjun and Raghav are filling her days with lots of love, active playtimes and in return she has helped heal some of the hurt from losing their beloved cat Luna. We may not always know what or who we need until fate aligns in really wonderful ways. We are honored to help make these connections and we wish Seraphine all the joy as adoption #1607!

01/20/2025

Chiquis's caption this contest:

01/18/2025

Celeste is a wonderfully busy kitty who will bring endless joy and curiosity into your home. This inquisitive explorer loves to check out every nook and cranny, always finding new spots to conquer. Her favorite perches are as high as she can go—think the top shelf in the closet or any other lofty lookout! When she's not scaling new heights, Celeste enjoys gazing out windows, chasing after toys, and sneaking into the bathroom when it’s occupied (because who doesn’t love a little feline company?)

Celeste loves her people and is happiest when she's near them, whether that means making biscuits on your belly or curling up to sleep beside you. Celeste would do best in a home with people who understand cat behaviors and have experience with their quirks. She prefers to be the only pet and would thrive in a household with older children who can respect her need for space when she signals it. Are you ready to welcome this spirited, loving kitty into your life? Celeste is waiting to become your new best friend! Apply to meet her: www.thedancingcat.org/adopt

01/17/2025

Alexandra and Alex were looking for affectionate cats, who would be okay snuggling up with them at night. Their main requirement was that the cats got along with each other. After we talked about a few pairs that we had at the moment, we decided to take a leap of faith and mention Nephos and Nephele to them. At the time, the cats were not yet on our website and we were hoping to make them available after we looked into a cyst on Nephos' tail and the cats had lost some weight on a healthy diet plan. It was love at first click! Alexandra loved their descriptions and how much Nephos and Nephele liked and supported each other. We set up a zoom meet and greet and their foster showed us the social butterfly Nephele and the more introverted Nephos. We set up an in-person meeting; Nephele was the social butterfly and happily greeted Alex and Alexandra. Nephos chose to view the occasion from under the bed. Both Alex and Alexandra were very understanding about Nephos’ reticence. When they came down to chat with the foster, Nephele came down to join in.

Alex and Alexandra were excited to move ahead with adoption. On pick-up day, Nephele waltzed right into the carrier. Nephos needed reassurance it was an okay thing to do. At their forever home, Nephele was settled in within 15 minutes. Nephos was a little hesitant, but eventually followed Nephele’s lead. Nephele adjusted pretty quickly to the new home and that really helped Nephos to also eventually gain confidence to explore the house. Alexandra noted to us that Nephele really is the boss and would grab Nephos and groom him. She also noticed that they both had lost weight in foster and were looking a lot healthier and moving a lot easier. They love to play with ribbons and wand toys and are not shy to let their parents know when they want a snack, albeit a healthy one. Named originally for clouds, these two now live with their parents in a high rise apartment in downtown San Jose. Sky is the limit for adoptions #1605 & #1606, now named Brock and Misty☁☁

01/16/2025

Make it happen for yourself, you’re the best around! Whatever it is, you got this!

01/14/2025

01/14/2025

Before he became known as Mr. Cloud, this guy was far from living on cloud 9! Having been through the TNR process and returned to the streets, his caretaker knew he had the social skills to be someone's bff. Once a serious eye infection took hold she advocated for him until he found rescue and got the medical attention he needed. His sweet face, affinity for belly rubs and curiosity in the world around him made him irresistible to his new family. Mr. Cloud has a new big feline sister named Buttercup who he is working on being less annoying to, but mostly they are having fun together! His family adores him and he is living the dream as adoption #1604

01/11/2025

Are you ready for a constellation of cuteness? Meet Orion, the playful and curious kitten with a love for both treats and rough-and-tumble fun with his sister, Cassiopeia! She's a fan of wand toys, spring toys, boxes, and stuffed mice, showing off her playful and curious side at every opportunity! Cassi is quick to purr, often starting as soon as her human approaches, showing how much she loves attention. Orion's all about the action when playing with Cassiopeia—expect some wrestling matches! However, when he's not in the middle of sibling playtime, Orion is a quiet observer, often watching Cassiopeia’s antics before deciding to join in. The pair are continuing to become more confident and dare we say? More adorable! Fun with these stars is on the horizon for some lucky adopters, could it be you?