A Tribute to Shiloh

This gorgeous cat touched so many lives, and it all started when she was found on the side of the road as a tiny kitten.

A family took in the alone 6-week-old kitten, named her Shiloh, and took care of her into her adult years. A few years after they found Shiloh, the family adopted another cat but the two never got along. Time went on and the family welcomed two young kids and then shortly after adopted a dog. Unfortunately, a growing family did not seem to be the best match for Shiloh, and her environment became stressful for her. Behaviorally, she started to have accidents outside of the litterbox which was a sign to her pet guardians that she was too unhappy within the home. The family contacted Our Companions for assistance in finding Shiloh a calmer environment where she would once again thrive.

We started Shiloh in our Rehoming program, knowing the Sanctuary may be a good option if a new adoption wasn’t found first. Since Shiloh was older and needed to be a single pet, we did have a room available before a new home was found.

We welcomed Shiloh to our Sanctuary in December of 2022 at the age of 13 years old.

Her medical needs were on par for a senior kitty, and of course our biggest goal was to see if the litter box incidents subsided in a new environment since nothing could be determined medically “wrong”. She needed a dental, which was done a few months after her arrival, and we found out she had kidney disease. She had been on a renal diet in the past, but she seemed to have a sensitive stomach and was a bit particular with her food flavors. We went back and forth with Shiloh and diets, trying different flavors and techniques to get her fed the best diet for kidney health. Her appetite was never consistent, but she would sometimes clean bowls of her wet food, enjoy the occasional treats of lil soups, and the crunchies once she recovered from dental surgery.

Of course, at first moving to the Sanctuary was still a bit scary, but once she came to us, she never had a potty accident again! Sometimes it really is about finding the right match and environment. When she settled in, Shiloh became exceptionally affectionate and extremely chatty! She would happily claim your lap and purr up a storm, giving you lots of cheek rubs and asking for them in return. Shiloh would also be very playful, at one point we had to be mindful of our jewelry or what popped on our phones, so she didn’t try to play with something inappropriately. We could redirect with a wand toy and continue with her happy playtimes and purring.

After some time with us, we started to notice some limited mobility in her back end and noted some sensitivity to touch in that area. When we noticed something off with her balance and gait, we started to limit her playtime and jumping while we waited for a vet visit.

A few vet visits later and no definitive diagnosis, it was suspected she had a fracture in her pelvic area prior to her arrival. Now, she needed to be on limited activity and rest to heal. It took months of low-key interactions, but we did start to see mobility improvement. Of course, Shiloh would loudly let you know her disapproval if you passed by her room without saying hello! She did miss the “action” while we tried to keep her world calm, but we knew it was worth helping her heal!

Although she could be sensitive in that area, she did seem to improve significantly with decreased activity but that also created some pent-up energy in Shiloh. We had to be mindful of giving her energy outlets while allowing her body to physically heal. Again, she could start enjoying jumping up on your lap, climbing her outdoor cat tree, or flopping next to you on the couch for her head pets.

Shiloh became quite the staple in Jane’s Place, a place she seemed to find the most comfort even with other cats nearby. Shiloh adored visitors, and like we said – would let you know she wanted attention! At the same time, she wasn’t afraid to express herself with nips or swats if she was getting too much attention. We thrive when we learn the cues of our Sanctuary guests because it allows us to meet them where they are and learn to communicate with one another.

Learning her cues along with likes, dislikes, and sensitive areas, her nipping behaviors subsided with those who understood her. Her catio time seemed to be one of her favorite places and eventually she loved to be out in the action with people in the kitchen or even saying hi to Woody in the social room! Sanctuary staff remembers, “She would let out these abrupt, very loud yells from her room when she heard someone in the kitchen, which often made us jump, demanding to be let out of her room. She had such a range of vocalizations, from chirping to chattering at the birds, often joining in our conversations with her chirps. She learned to give high fives and was always willing to oblige for some treats or Churu!”

She loved chasing rolled up paper around and found that she loved many toys that her visitors brought her. She was so happy to move into the living room and the very loud meows ceased immediately. She was mesmerized by the bird feeders and would always hang out where people were, as well as the heated beds. And not to mention – enjoying the company of other cats!

In the years we had Shiloh, we got to know her incredibly well and could tell something wasn’t quite right with Shiloh now in 2025, but the severity of it all took us by surprise. Her behavior was off and one evening, staff noticed small amounts of blood in her urine, prompting an urgent vet appointment. They did an ultrasound and found an inoperable tumor in her bladder partially blocking the entrance to the Urethra causing her bladder to be distended. With nothing else to do, we brought her home and the next day, she had several visitors, lots of treats and many different foods before the vet came and we said goodbye. She mustered enough strength to eat lots of yummy cookies and enjoyed tons of head pets before we said our goodbyes. Shiloh became such a notable figure at Jane’s Place, the cat cottage she resided at. We had a couple years with Shiloh and loved to get to know her so well, as she shared a lot of love and comfort with us too.

The sounds of her meows and purrs will be greatly missed and will echo in our hearts for years to come. We love you, Shiloh!