Diego Domestic Short Hair Mix Anchorage, AK

Update 2/18/24: Diego transitioned to our Main Floor and is doing very well. He is showing only sweetness and curiosity with the other cats which makes him even more purrecious.

Our sweet Diego has been through so much and yet here is with his beautiful heart open and waiting to meet you, his purrfect match.

Diego, if you remember, was found abandoned in unsanitary conditions without food for two weeks by Animal Control. It is a miracle this sweet boy was found and survived. When he got to the shelter it was evident that his eyes had Entropion (a condition where the eyelid turns inward, which causes the eyelashes and skin to rub against the eye's surface. This can cause corneal irritation and discomfort) so they reached out to us to see if we could help him out.
Thanks to the incredible generosity of this community, we raised more than enough funds so Diego could get the surgery needed to correct this.

His surgery was on 1/26/24 and he has been a patient boy healing up nicely. We recently transitioned Diego to one of our Apartments to help him adjust to the Main Floor of our shelter. We strongly believe in providing each cat with a transition process that will help them to adjust to their new setting in a positive, fear free manner with less stress. Each apartment is set-up with trees, shelving for their food/water and an area for the litter box away from their food and enrichment toys. They each have a sign on their door that provides volunteers and visitors with guidance about who they are and what their needs are. Depending on the cats purrsonality we generally transition over 1-2 week period and then we monitor them as they transition. Their door is left open for about a week so they can retreat back to their apartment if they need to. It helps our cats to adjust with ease as they get ready to choose their purrever homes.

Diego should hopefully not need any more care for his eyes. There are times when the entropion surgery needs to be redone, however we are hopeful his eyes will stay as purretty as they are!

Diego is a love muffin extraordinaire. He is snuggly sweet, playful, gentle and will give you kisses if you allow it. He will call to you with his gentle tiny meow and then it is all about the cuddles. Due to his gentle demeanor, Diego may be a good match for most homes. He is very loving and does not mind being held by people he knows. He has not interacted directly with the other cats yet, but we will update this post when we see how he does when he moves onto the next phase of his transition. Diego is a very tall, lean panther purrince with so much love in his heart. He is a testament to the amazing resiliency these purrecious cats have, even after everything they have been through. Diego has shown us yet again, that it is so important to let the past go, especially if it is something that continues to cause you harm. Diego’s heart is open and ready to move onto the best of adventures with an amazing family that will inundate with love and we purromise you he will return that unconditionally with all of his heart.

Shelter Hours
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday & Friday: 7pm-9pm: Visitation Only
Wednesday: 7pm-8:30pm: Visitation Only

Weekend Hours by Appointment Only.
Please text 907-230-6394 to make these arrangements.
Appointment times are:
3:15, 4:00, 4:45

Our adoption policies and procedures are rigorous and thoughtful as our goal is to match you with a cat who will become a loving addition to your home for the rest of his/her wonderful life.  

Seeing photos and videos are great first steps, however, meeting the cat in person and seeing if you connect is critically important. You may even want to visit the cat a few times to ensure you have made that connection. 

If you are interested in adopting one of our cats, you will need to complete our adoption application and have that approved prior to placement. Submitting an adoption application does not guarantee placement.

    We do not do same day adoptions.

Please ensure you have permission to have a cat where you live before considering adoption! We will need to see a copy of your lease agreement along with a contact number for your landlord to ensure the adoption is allowed.

All parties interested must meet the cat before adoption to ensure that everyone is in agreement with the adoption. If you do not live in Anchorage, you must come in to meet him/her before the adoption and make arrangements to transport him/her to your home.

AHS will provide behavioral support for the transition and throughout the adoption to ensure that everyone feels secure with the adoption. 

Our adoption agreement prohibits declawing an adopted cat, and stipulates that the cat will be returned to us if the adoption does not work out. We also ask that cats be returned to us regardless of when the cat was adopted if the adoptive home is no longer able to keep the cat or is unable to provide him/her with the necessary healthcare to maintain a healthy and happy life. 

AHS has an indoor cat policy. We strongly support the utilization of cat harnesses and catios as these are positive ways of giving your cat the chance to explore, get some fresh air and provide him/her with the benefits of the natural world while keeping them and wildlife safe and sound.

These steps have been implemented to ensure the placement is the best one possible to meet the needs of the cat and the new home. 

Our Adoption Application is available to complete online or download. If you download the application please email the completed one to ahscatshelter@gmail.com

Once You've Made That Purrfect Connection, Here are Some Factors to Consider

Do you rent? If you do, do you have Landlord approval and documentation to verify that you are allowed to have a cat? Is there a clause about declawing in the lease? We do not allow declawing.

Is your home ready for a new arrival? Do you need support with getting that together?

Does everyone in the home agree to the adoption and has everyone met the cat? (This is one of our policies)

Are you aware of the municipal code, Title 17, that requires a multi-animal license when you own 4 or more of the same species in the Municipality of Anchorage?

Do you have a carrier to transport your cat?

Once your application is approved, then you have two options:
1. Set up an adoption appointment on the weekend by texting at 907-230-6394 or emailing ahscatshelter@gmail.com.

2. Reserve the cat and put down a deposit ($25 minimum towards the $130 adoption fee) and set up a time with a volunteer to schedule pickup.

Suggested Supplies
* Food/Water dishes (Our cats eat IAMS Proactive Health Chicken Kibble and
Friskies Canned Food).
* Uncovered Litter Box/Litter (we recommend non-clay clumping litters)
Scratching Posts/Cat Trees
* Feliway (cat pheromone that assists with stress and behaviors)
* Cat Beds/Hidey Spot/Cube/Kennel 
* Cat Trees/Perches
* Music (Through a Cat’s Ear is highly recommended: www.icalmpet.com)
* Enrichment Toys (you’ll receive an enrichment brochure with some suggestions)
* Cat DVDs
* Collar/harness/ID tag
* Carrier (we recommend a larger sized hard sided carrier when picking up your
cat from the shelter). Soft sided carriers are great for when your cat is more
comfortable in your home.