Cats have a magical way of knowing good people when they see them. For one black-and-white cat now named Stabatha, she waltzed right onto the front porch of a home in West Philly and staked her claim on the humans present. Artist Kevin Cassidy happened to be sitting right there on that porch when she turned up, and he quickly agreed to foster the cat, figuring a pretty girl like her couldn’t take long to find a good home for. But days passed and still no home for the pretty kitty. She is FelV positive, and Cassidy’s current kitty is negative, so it’s best for her to find a home where she can be the only cat or where the existing cat(s) in the home are also positive for the virus.
Cats with FelV can live years with the disease, and while days are numbered, with love and care these cats get more quality days than fewer.
So, Cassidy tried getting creative to find her a forever home. He polled his social media followers in June in an effort to help choose a name for her. Stabatha, her first name, but also the nicknames of Jolt Cola and Cat Batman for fun. As a writer, Cassidy thought maybe some funny and creative Facebook posts about her could attract potential adopters. Apparently Stabatha is a cat of many great talents. For example, “She has an IQ of 122, speaks some French, and has put three stockbrokers in prison for insider trading.”
Still, no interest in sweet little Stabatha. Cassidy said that,
“I thought she’d find a home quickly, but it didn’t happen. Nobody expressed any interest in her, and I was in shock.”
But it seems that she was garnering attention. He just didn’t know it yet! An artist out of New Jersey, and friend of Cassidy, by the name of Deanna Leist Aliano created a portrait of Stabatha, hoping to get her some more attention and hopefully the home she deserves.
Then, Cassidy knew what he needed to do. And he found the purrfect way to do it!
He created an Indiegogo campaign in her honor, to provide grants to artists currently out of work due to the pandemic. With this campaign, the artists turn Stabatha into art with a $50 grant for each creation. So, really, it’s a win-win any way you look at it. As for the artwork? It’s absolutely beautiful—just like her.
The “art for a stray cat” campaign details read:
“This is Stabatha, aka Cat Batman, aka Jolt Cola. She showed up on a friends porch, desperate to come inside. She’s adorable and for some reason, nobody wants her. She’s also FeLV positive—which means that her lifespan is severely limited and she can’t be with other cats. She’s wants to sit under your legs, tell you a story and live whatever few years she has with you.
I want to hire a series of [out-of-work] artists to draw pictures of her. Not just to help find her a home, but because there are artists who are out of work and it would be nice for [out-of-work] artists to get a paycheck.
Everybody who contributes gets digital copies of all the drawings, and hopefully Stabatha finds a home and someone to love.”
Cassidy told The Philadelphia Inquirer that,
“It’s interesting to see our times reflected through the pressures on these artists. They are compressed like coal, and the pressures that are on them are popping out in some of this art.”
Just look at this chatty little queen, she’s too precious!
When I asked Cassidy what he was hoping for in a home for sweet Stabatha, he said that,
“I’d love her to find a home where someone can stay with her all the time and listen to her stories and make every day special.”
Here’s to hoping that his wish for this now famous kitty comes true. If you or anyone you know might be interested in giving this gorgeous tuxedo gal a home for the rest of her days, please contact City Kitties who is handling the adoption. They’re a no-kill and nonprofit cat rescue in Philadelphia who pride themselves on giving the stray cats and kittens of Philly better lives. So they have her best interest at heart.
To check out her Indiegogo campaign, click here.
Featured Image Courtesy of Mia Wolff, Kyle Cassidy, and Katie Gressitt-Diaz
