Standoffish void cat finally gets adopted after three years at shelter when 13-year-old girl's birthday present turns from one cat to two, saving more lives than she expected to that day

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Briana Viser • Writer and Editor
Jul 27, 2026 6:15 AM EDT

A 13th year is an important one, and she got to experience it in a special way. 

Norse mythology, certain contexts, and mathematics are just three reasons 13 is a special, or unlucky number. It doesn't mean you have to listen to the hearsay, but 13 does have something in it. 13 as a birthday is usually special because it marks some transition from childhood into the beginning of adulthood. When it's a kid's 13th birthday, it's important that it's made out to be special, like in this story below. The girl went to adopt a cat on her 13th birthday with her father. She meant to get a previously declawed cat, but even though it didn't work out that way she loves her babies all the same. She was looking around, and a white cat was trying very, very hard to escape, and it got her attention. Her open cat carrier was sitting in the room and the white cat politely let herself inside. It was so special to the girl to see that this white cat chose her immediately, without her having to do anything. She looked around a bit more, but ultimately decided on this white one. 

When they were going to go pay for her and fill out the adoption paperwork, another cat came over and joined in. He loved them immediately and started purring. The dad noticed that there was a sign saying, "buy-one-get-one-free deal" for cats that day. They decided it was a sign for them to adopt him as well. The worker was over the moon because he was a void cat who had been there for 3 years without any signs of someone adopting him. They weren't actually declawed before, but the family loves them all the same. They'd rather have scratched couches rather than cats without claws. The void cat is usually standoffish, but not to this family who took him. The two cats latched their claws into the family hearts. Since then, the white cat, Talia, crossed the rainbow bridge. But their void, Lincoln, is still fresh as a daisy. Enjoy this adorable story of life, cats, and 13th birthdays. 

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    S
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    Not sure if this counts, sorry if it doesn't.
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    (Important edit: I have never and will never declaw a cat, I find the practice barbaric and inhumane and
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    I can't believe it's legal. My intention was to adopt a cat who had been declawed by previous owners
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    before being surrendered to the shelter, never to declaw a cat. I never even considered declawing them myself, and I didn't get how
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    inhumane it was at the time, just that I felt it wrong. Talia and Lincoln's claws remained intact, and
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    Lincoln's claws remained intact, and Lincoln still has his to this day. I have treated declawing-related
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    behavioral issues in multiple cat patients and I am so glad my babies had their claws left alone. Our couch
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    suffered but my beautiful babies did not. They were never declawed and I never planned to declaw them. To be very clear where I stand there)
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    I was allowed to go to a shelter to pick out a cat as my thirteenth birthday present (our household
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    had long-term cat experience and I knew how to care for the cat and had wanted one for two years,) and
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    these two wound up choosing me. I had meant to get a previously- declawed cat (declawed by previous owners before winding up in the
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    shelter) and was only in the room for clawed cats because I wanted to consider all of my options. While in
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    there, I noted Talia (white cat) trying very, very hard to escape, and something about that really got my attention. And, as I was
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    looking around, she found our open cat carrier and decided to climb in, and I loved that. I decided that if no
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    other option really stuck with me, I'd come back to that room and grab her.
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    Well, no other option stuck out so I went back and we grabbed Talia. We were playing with her while Dad
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    filled out her adoption paperwork, and another cat came over and joined in, and for a reason I can't explain we loved him instantly, too.
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    So, when Dad came back, I pointed out how the shelter was having a buy-one-get-one-free deal, and that
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    this cat was friendly and we all liked him. After some discussion, Dad went back and told the desk we were going to adopt Lincoln, too.
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    Apparently, the lady was thrilled. He'd been there for three years, he was standoffish and not that
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    talkative (he needed time to come out of his shell, really,) and he's a mostly-black male cat, so the
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    employees were super thrilled he actually got adopted since his chances weren't good. Everyone was happy to see him find a forever home
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    We went to get me one declawed cat for my birthday. Instead, we were got by two who latched their claws into our hearts (and later our
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    sofa) and never let go. Talia has since crossed over the rainbow bridge but Lincoln is still going.
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    strong and showing our dogs who's boss nine years later. I chose to study and practice cat behaviorism because of them
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