By Tabitha Evans Moore | EDITOR & PUBLISHER
LYNCHBURG, Tenn. — It’s amazing what a little unconditional love and just 63 days can accomplish in the life of a Lynchburg cat. That’s the story of Mini Pearl, a Tabby cat, recently rescued from a hoarding situation by our local animal rescue, the Friends of Animals Rescue & Adoption Center.
June is National Cat Adoption Month. So, we thought it would be interesting to catch up with Friends of Animals Director Christy Oakes to discuss this recent success story and why the spay and neuter program at the rescue is crucial to the health of our furry kitten friends, as well as the overall community.
From heartbreak to morning greetings
When Mini Pearl first arrived at the Moore County Friends of Animals rescue with her housemates Zelda and Doc back in March, she was in heartbreaking shape – dehydrated, emaciated, nearly hairless, and riddled with fleas.
“She had a horrible smell of ammonia,” Director Oakes recalls. “She was confused and did not understand why all the things she had known in her life were suddenly gone.”
Mini Pearl also suffered from an upper respiratory infection and needed antibiotics for weeks. During that time, she remained shy, scared, and uninterested in the humans who were suddenly so invested in her wellbeing.
But then came the wet food – a small treat she’d likely never encountered. Just like men, the way to a cat’s heart is through their stomach. After a couple of weeks trust began to form.
“It took approximately a month and a half to have her completely trust us,” Oakes says. “Then one day, she met us at the door for her morning treat. Once we started seeing all these positive changes, we called the vet and got her spayed and fully vetted and ready to find her forever home.”
By May 16, all felt right in Mini Pearl’s world as she headed to her forever home – bright eyes and full of love.
Spay and neuter assistance
Unfortunately, stories like Mini Pearl’s are all too common here in Lynchburg.
“Most of the animals we take in are homeless, starving, parasite-infested, and have lost trust in humans,” Oakes said. “They are scared and do not understand.”
Not only are stray cats and kittens picked up along the roadside, but feral colonies are scattered throughout Moore County. Friends of Animals offers not only financial spay and neuter assistance to residents, but also administers a Trap, Neuter, Return (TNR) Program for local feral cat colonies.
Volunteers live trap feral cats then transport them to be fixed. These cats area also vaccinated for rabies, and tested for both Feline Immunodeficiency Virus and Feline Leukemia Virus. Finally, vets tip their ears so the community knows that they have been spayed or neutered. Then, they are released back into their environment once rescue officials feel like they are healthy enough.
These cases, especially common in rural communities like Moore County, underscore a harsh truth: pets are often treated as disposable. Rural areas like ours also get utilized as remote dumping grounds for unwanted animals. Abandoned animals don’t just adapt. They starve to death, get run over, or get eaten by a predator. Leaving them to fend for themselves is essentially a death sentence.
“We have domesticated these animals to depend on us. They are not wild animals. We all need to do better,” Oakes says.
Having a ripple effect
Oakes says what keeps her and her staff going is the ripple effect they see in the community when just a single furry life is saved. She recalls one local father, a veteran, who adopted an older kitten – after thoughtful guidance from the rescue team – for his autistic son.
“The family picked out the most beautiful black older kitten and took it home,” Oakes says. “I received pictures within a couple days of the autistic son holding his cat and smiling. The father told me that after the kitten arrived, his son was a different kid. Animals have so much to give and help us in so many ways. They are good for our mental state, and even our overall health.”
Oakes says rescues often face misconceptions – that the animals are damaged, or that the work is simple. She says that locals sometimes get frustrated when there’s no more room for an animal that needs help due to capacity issues. Though she and her staff hate saying no, that’s sometime the right answer for the health and safety of all the animals already in their care.
“People think we can just keep taking animals in, even when we have no room,” Oakes explained. “This isn’t a 9-to-5 job. It’s 24/7. We see death, disease, abuse, and neglect. Even when we’re short on staff or money, we work long hours because it’s not about us – it’s about them.”
Oakes says what keeps her and her staff going is purpose – and love.
“They can’t speak, so it takes people like us to be their voice. I’ll keep doing this until I can’t anymore, because this is what I’m meant to do.”
Mini Pearl is one of many “success stories,” but one that is deeply personal to Oakes.
“She taught me that unconditional love is what they have and what they give. That no matter what – it gets better.”
Adopting helps save more lives
The rescue urges the community to spay and neuter pets, consider fostering, adopt when possible, and even sponsor adoption fees for others.
“No matter how many we adopt out, we’re always at capacity. Taking one home helps us save another life.”
For anyone on the fence about adopting a rescue cat, she says there is nothing better than an animal that knows you saved their life.
“They give the purr-fect happily ever after,” she says. “These animals brighten even our hardest days. Imagine what they could do in a forever home.”
If you are a Moore County resident who needs financial assistance get your animal spayed or neutered, please reach out to the Friends of Animals at 931-434-7508. If you live outside Moore County and need assistance, you can get more information at the Spay Tennessee website. If you’d like to make a donation to the Friends of Animals. you can do so at the Support Us page on their website.•
About The Lynchburg Times
The Lynchburg Times is an independent, woman-owned newspaper rooted in the heart of southern middle Tennessee. Led by a Tulane-educated journalist with over two decades of experience covering this region, we shine a light on the people, politics, and cultural pulse of a changing South. From breaking news to slow storytelling, we believe local journalism should inform, empower, and preserve what makes this place unique. Supported by readers and community partners, we’re proud to be part of the new Southern narrative –one story at a time. [Support us here.]