Never count your chickens before they are hatched or your cats before they walk out the door of the Animal Shelter of Martha’s Vineyard with a new owner. Our shy black tom cat, Michael, emerged from hiding into the arms of someone who promised him a home.

Unfortunately, that person left the Island without him. His social skills are much improved due to the dedicated volunteers who give him affection, so we hope his special person is still out there.

The shelter still has some other cats guaranteed to make a house a home. A new tuxedo kitten arrived from West Tisbury, supposedly feral, but sitting contentedly on a volunteer’s lap wrapped cozily in a towel. She now bears the name Tilly, courtesy of Stephanie, an active volunteer. She did not come with a birth certificate, being a stray from West Tisbury, but she seems to be recently weaned. She will probably be long-haired. She is too young to be spayed, but a returnable deposit to the shelter for the needed procedure will allow her to be adopted. Two young black and white cats are awaiting their turn at a possible new home, one male, Erik, and one female, Viola.

School starts soon. The ideal mammal for a learning environment is residing at the shelter. A brown and white mouse named (what else?) Mickey is living in a colorful cage which he has renovated into his own apartment. He now has a top floor bedroom which he decorated himself, a private bathroom below, and habitat trails he navigates easily.

The shelter is hopping with bunnies and hoping someone will give a lifetime hutch to our two rabbits. Doolittle, the brown and white girl in her cage in the main room of the shelter, is sweet-natured and soft. Not so with Vincent, the one-eared bunny who needs someone with experience to gentle him. Both of them are strays so not acceptable to the wild population of rabbits on the Island.

Greta, a stand-in for Sandy in Annie is being walked by volunteers as she patiently waits for a new family. She is a medium-sized dog, willing and friendly, but not happy with small dogs.

Notice to all you generous and kind people who support the shelter: we are overloaded with towels and blankets.