Copper's Cat Commune is a nonprofit cat sanctuary dedicated to the lifetime care of a limited population of ill, disabled, or otherwise adoption challenged cats, the adoption of as many of those cats as can be reasonably done, as well as the promotion of TNR programs and feline behavioral therapy.
Just like her BFF Trill, Lady Gaga needed a few extra lives to find her forever place. In 2020 Lady Gaga was born in California suffering from Manx syndrome; this genetic condition causes a short stubby tail or in severe cases like Gaga’s no tail at all, and compromised bowel and bladder function.
Sometimes a cat needs nine lives and then a few more. When a young cat with neurologic problems and megacolon came in, the team at the 9 Lives Foundation in California knew they had to give her a chance. In loving foster care Trill began medications for megacolon, but because she suffers from bladder and bowel leaks the team struggled to find the right home for her.
Flash was a cat we trapped during a TNR situation. He had some bad eye infections so we opted to hang on to him until he was cured. Unfortunately his eye issues proved to be chronic but he had become more friendly during this time and we let him stay.
Despite facing some challenges, Sparky's spirit is unbeatable, and he fits right in with our amazing Soggy Bottom Crew.
Rose Tyler was named so after the companion from Dr. Who. She is just wibbly-wobbly. She wobbles and shakes when she walks, often falling over. Despite this, she is an energetic, happy girl. She is also fearless and fierce.
One day Mr. Chibbs arrived at work with the intent of helping save lives. For many years (in cat time), he had been a blood donor and was proud of the work he was doing. Unfortunately, Mr. Chibbs arrived to a pink slip and an eviction notice.
Aust used to live with his beloed owner n a warehouse apartment. His owner was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer. He set up a fund for the care of Aust and his other 4 cats. After he passed, all 5 cats were cared for by a petsitter for an entire year. The petsitter knew about the Commune and suggested us as a permanent home for the cats.
Aries passed away suddenly on February 8, 2022 at the age of 6. His memorial page can be found here. ARIES
Aries is our resident superstar! He was found at a local car wash late on a Saturday night army crawling out of the bushes by a teenage boy whose whole family are animal lovers. They took him in that night, but knew they were in way over their heads. They put out a Facebook SOS the next morning. The magic of networking led that post to us, and I (Mimi) immediately contacted them and went and picked him up not knowing what we were getting into besides a kitten paralyzed from the waist down.
3D is the mama of the *only* litter of kittens ever born here at the Commune to date. She was found already pregnant in a parking lot in south Houston right after we moved here in 2011 and before we had any connections in the area.
Kili is one of five brothers born to a neighbor’s free roaming cat. His siblings are Flint, Billy Bones, Charlie Weasley and Bill Weasley.
Lupin came to us as a shooting victim. He had no control over his rectum or bladder and had to be expressed daily. Over time, and with medication, he regained his ability to potty on his own.
Mama Dunn came to us from one of our neighbors. She was a stray that was dropped off in the neighborhood and had kittens in their garage.
Munchkin was a kitten that Mimi brought home that had some behavior issues. She was prone to biting without warning and would lunge at people’s faces. Matt dedicated his time to making her understand that people could be trusted and she bonded with him.
Odin came to us at the tender age of 6 weeks old. He was turned in to a local animal shelter and they contacted us. We could not turn him away. Odin had one eye that was so infected it had literally ruptured out of his head. His left eye was infected as well, though not to the same extent.
Ash was one of a batch of kittens that the Commune took in less than a week after Aries was found. At only a few weeks old they were slated to be put to sleep at Harris County due to a lack of space. There were 4 total. Eventually 2 were adopted – Sooty and Flame; Lumiere and Ash remained at the Commune. Ash stayed at the Commune due to some very strange issues with his front feet as a kitten. His front legs were bowed out and his paws did not work correctly.
This beautiful boy is Crane (as in Ichabod, thanks for the name Toni Jo!). He is a neutered male that started hanging around our clinic about the same time a box of kittens was abandoned at our clinic front door. Mimi would see him every couple of days - darting under a fence or hiding around a corner. He gradually became braver, and started spending his days under one of the doctor's vehicles.
Dot is one of the only litter ever born here at the Commune to mama 3D – along with brothers Wakko and Yakko (named along with for the Warner siblings) and brothers Gandalf and Yeti. Wakko, Yakko, and Dot are all solid black, and being in a new city with no connections at the time, we decided not to fight the fight of getting them adopted.
Ivy was found flying solo in a garage at approximately 2-3 weeks of age. We do not know why she was alone, but her mamma didn’t return in what the finder felt was a reasonable time. Knowing we did rescue, and not knowing what to do with a kitten with eyes barely open, she called us and Mimi went and got her.
Jason arrived on May 13, 2019 after a 2 week stay at a vet in College Station. Many thanks to BCS Spay for reaching out to us about his case. Jason is front declawed and was an indoor/outdoor cat in his former home. His owners brought him in to the vet paralyzed in his rear legs from unknown trauma. Tests showed no bone breakage, but a severely bruised abdomen and bladder.
Lightning and her brother, Thunder, were trapped as stray, borderline feral kittens and brought into the clinic to be adopted out. They were difficult to manage even after several weeks of socializing by the clinic staff, so they came to the Commune.
Lumiere was one of a batch of kittens that the Commune took in less than a week after Aries was found. At only a few weeks old they were slated to be put to sleep at Harris County due to a lack of space. There were 4 total. Eventually 2 were adopted – Sooty and Flame; Lumiere and Ash stayed at the Commune.
At the Commune, you never know what the next situation will be. One day, Mimi got a call that broke her heart. A concerned woman saw that her local feral cat colony, who she kept an eye on, were all injured. These 6 cats were fixed, always fed, and watched over and she was surprised when all, but one returned with injuries and signs of severe abuse. Mimi sprang into action and set up traps to catch the cats to get them treated. She suspected that a neighbor might be the culprit and knew that the cats needed to leave the area, or their lives would be in constant danger.
Minerva came to us indirectly through another rescue group because she was unable to walk in her back legs. Our doctors could find nothing obvious except a possible deformity or trauma high up in her spine. She had also been shot twice in the shoulders with what appeared to be pellets or BBs, but those were not positioned to affect her spine unless they had migrated. She was prescribed steroids and bed rest.
Mr. Meowgi was originally found as a 6 week old kitten in a client's yard and brought in to the vet clinic where Mimi works. Almost immediately he was adopted by a former employee who had been looking for a kitten. She took him home and was raising him well, but he began exhibiting unexplained violent behaviors. She reached out to us for advice and followed it to the letter, but the situation did not get any better. When he started attacking children, she knew he could not stay. We gladly took him in knowing his personality was a sure death sentence in a shelter.
I (Mimi) was at home one day when I received a message from my neighbor about an unusual cat in her yard with a photo attached. The photo showed what appeared to be a Bengal! I immediately went over and captured her using a crate and some wet food then took her to the clinic to scan for a microchip figuring someone has lost a beloved pet! Nope. No chip, and one very wild and terrified cat. We were unable to find owners, so we started the process of vaccinating, spaying, chipping, and socializing.
In 2017 a homeowner/friend came to me and said that someone in her neighborhood had intentionally injured 5 out of 6 cats in her feral colony in less than a week. We immediately went to work and were able get all six of them trapped. At that point your generosity allowed us to pursue diagnostics and treatment on each cat as needed. All 5 injured cats had been shot at close range with an air rifle. One girl was paralyzed and had to be euthanized. The others have been treated and with your continued help, they are safe with us now.
Peach is a stunning dilute calico, born in 2014, who came to live at the Commune due to severe behavior issues - namely aggression and aggressive biting. When Peach (formerly "Girlfriend") was adopted as a kitten, she showed some biting behaviors that may or may not have been play.
Jason, Tonks, Hiccup and Butterscotch Lollipop are each thriving at Copper’s Cat Commune thanks to Aries, thanks to Mimi, thanks to the Commune, thanks to You. Today you can give them another day of gentle care, another morning with a full belly, another afternoon of sunbeams, another night of love.
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