The food is filled, the water replenished, no more stinky litter boxes, no more gibberish from those humans. These are all signs that another day at the Humane Society is at an end. These humans may come in to groggy felines, but they have no clue as to what goes on when the lights go out.

My name is Misty and I have been here at the Humane Society for quite a while, and I want to give you a glimpse into the life of cats at the Humane Society when the lights go out. I love being rubbed by humans and would be grateful to have another owner, but I do enjoy the late night events we have at the shelter. Just to give you an idea of how many cats live at the humane society, there are six main areas that my fellow felines live in. The first is my room or the big girls’ room as the other cats call it because this is where most of the larger girl cats live. This room is considered a “mixed room” in which there are cats roaming around and cats in their own metal homes. The area outside my room is called a “metal house room” where all the cats live in metal houses. Are you still following? Well, the third room is the little girls’ room. This room is a mixed room and has few cats and houses the smaller cats. Another area is outside the little girls’ room. This area contains only metal houses with holes in them, very odd structures and I can not understand how they can be comfortable, but I have not been in one in my time at the shelter so I can not tell for sure. Anyway the next area is an enclosed area, but it is a “metal house/ white house only” room. The last room my fellow felines live in is the boys’ room. This room is about the size of my room and is also a “mixed” room.

Now for the activities! First we go to the boys’ room and have an update of new cats and cats that have gotten a new home. Getting to the meeting is very fun! Every area or room of cats has cats that have (unfortunately) been here long and have learned how to get doors and the metal houses open. I happen to be one of those cats, and open the metal houses in my room. I have gotten a bit plumper shall we say since I have arrived at the shelter, and am not able to jump up and open the door anymore. I have given this job to an extremely active cat named Kayla who has too much energy for the end of the day!

After the meeting we play many different games. The games we play the most are; the water giving game, “king of the cat tower,” and hide and go seek. My favorite game is the water giving game. This game consists of two cats on both sides of this giant water dish thing that no water stays in and two circular twistable things that when twisted water comes out of a metal tube thing. The object of the game is to start the water before the other feline does. I am currently the champion of this game. “King of the cat tower” is a game in which cats must be able to climb the tower in my room and lay on the top bed before anyone else lays down. I find this game rather unfair to those of us who are a little plumper than other cats, but I enjoy watching it. The third game is “hide and go seek” and almost every single cat plays this game. The game is simple, all cats but one hide and after counting, yes cats can count, to sixty then the cat goes around the shelter trying to find everyone.

Scary stories in the little girls’ room are next on the agenda. Normally the littlest cats are asleep and are not allowed to come for fear that they will have night mares. We do not always do this but it is fun! The boys are very good at telling horrifying stories that make the girls’ screech.

After being tired out thoroughly we all head to our beds for a good night sleep. My favorites place to sleep is at the top of the tower in my room. The sweetest thing is when my dear friend Lulu, who is a newer cat, goes around each night to each room and makes sure everyone is comfortable and that all the kittens are fast asleep with blankets on them. She seems like an aunt to every cat here at the Humane Society. Over all I love my life at the Humane Society and hope to get a home soon. I hope I have given you a good glimpse into the activities that happen when the lights go out at the Humane society.