Daily Photo: JayLynn

I met JayLynn at the Pittsburgh Pet Expo and she is indeed one relaxed kitty. In an exhibit hall with absolutely no acoustics, she was with Frankie’s Friends Cat Rescue in an area featuring the canine agility proving ground and the canine grooming competition, full of barking, happy dogs and applauding humans. Yes, she can hear. She’s just like that. She loves to be petted and is very playful too, so don’t be fooled by that regal expression.

JayLynn has had an interesting history, though, being rescued from a huge hoarding situation and put into the feline “witness protection program” a few years ago. She was taken in by Dr. Becky Morrow in the aftermath of the Tiger Ranch Cat Sanctuary rescue, which had begun as a sanctuary for homeless cats to live out their days or be adopted to forever homes, but quickly deteriorated into an unbelievable hoarding situation of neglect and disease where many cats suffered or died. About 375 cats were removed and housed in a shelter in a nearby county. Dr. Morrow was involved in the investigation and proceedings and cared for the cats from the day of rescue through the many months during court proceedings while their fate was being determined. After the defendant was convicted of animal cruelty the cats were finally free to be adopted and Dr. Morrow worked on getting the adoptable cats into loving homes, but when it became evident that some of the cats would never be well enough for adoption and would require life-long care, she literally found a home for them in her home town of Arnold, PA, northeast of Pittsburgh—she bought a house near her own and outfitted it for the cats, then found a veterinary technician to live there. You can see Lindsay Joyce in yesterday’s post with Phoenix.

And about that witness protection program? JayLynn, though a cat, was also evidence in a trial. As Tiger Ranch was taken apart people wanted to retrieve cats they’d taken there thinking they were safe. JayLynn ended up staying put, and she’s pretty much permanent at the place.

You an read more about Frankie’s Friends and the house where the cats live on their website and keep up with current events on their Facebook page.  Dr. Morrow is also the president of the board of directors for the Homeless Cat Management Team as well as an assistant professor of biology and physiology at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh.

I can’t wait to travel up to see the Frankie’s Friends house!

Browse some rescued cats and kittens!

Inspired by felines you know! Visit Portraits of Animals on Etsy.