Why I Volunteer at the Humane Society

This morning I went to the Berkeley Humane Society, where I volunteer. I met one of my Yelp friends, who also volunteers there. I also met Devin, an older cat with a sad story. He was rescued from the home of one of Oakland's cat hoarders, an older lady in a big Victorian house with something like 17 cats and 9 dogs -- mostly bigger dogs. She died shortly after Devin was rescued.

This was a cat with a soul. This was a cat who just wants to spend the rest of his days being loved. If I could, I would take him in in a minute. As it is, Oliver is 18 years old and very used to having one cottage and two humans all to himself.

Devin had something Oliver doesn't (and I'm glad he doesn't) -- fragility. My cat spent two months in the shelter (the San Francisco SPCA, a veritable manse for cats and dogs of the homeless lot) before I adopted him at the age of nine. He was mouthy as ever when I walked by, and a half hour later I was signing the paperwork.

But Oliver has always had sass. There isn't anything sad or wounded about him. His owner might have given him up, but she obviously treated him very well. There's nothing broken about him, the way there is with so many shelter animals. He's loud and demanding and he takes lap space and treats with impunity, and I wouldn't have it any other way.

"Why'd you have to get a used one?" my father asked when I told him I'd gotten a cat. I wisely bit my tongue.

In March, it'll be nine years that I've had Oliver. I love that cat more than I can say. I may never have kids, but that doesn't mean I don't have the desire to love, protect, and care for other beings. I would do anything for him.

He was surrendered to the SPCA because his owner (who had had him his entire life) had a new boyfriend, and the new boyfriend didn't like Oliver.

Give me a break.

I'm very fortunate in that Oliver and Adam are a match made in cat-owner heaven. Honestly, I think Oliver loves Adam better than he loves me, and that's totally fine.

I can't imagine being with someone who didn't love my pet. Okay, even if they didn't love my pet, that would be fine. But I would never, ever forfeit Oliver for a relationship. No way.