Calico Cat Left Behind In LA Learns To Trust Again With Her New Family

Nova, a stunning calico cat, shows that patience can lead to the happiest of endings. Her story is one of transformation—she went from a timid shelter resident to a cherished member of a loving family.

When this six-year-old calico first came to the Best Friends Pet Adoption Center in Los Angeles, she was devastated. 

Nova had spent five wonderful years in the comfort of a home, but then, without warning, she found herself alone and uncertain. Confused and frightened, she clung to the only thing that gave her comfort—a soft gray blanket she carried with her like a lifeline.

Those first few days at the shelter were overwhelming. Everything felt strange and unfamiliar, and Nova responded the only way she knew how—by hissing and growling at anyone who tried to approach, as if to shield herself from more hurt.

But Faith Giesick, the Best Friends lifesaving outcomes coordinator, wasn’t fooled by Nova’s defensive front. She recognized that beneath the hisses and growls was a cat who wasn’t mean at all—just deeply afraid and trying to protect herself.

At the time, finding a loving home for Nova was the most important thing, but first, she needed a peaceful place to relax and feel safe.

This is the moment when foster care came into the picture. Nova needed a temporary home, but Faith also thought it was a great chance to understand a pet’s real personality too, as she shared for Best Friends:

“Cats thrive on routine and being able to express their natural behaviors. So often those things can’t happen in a shelter environment.”

While Nova was at the shelter, she had the opportunity to stay with different foster families. At first, she was a bit shy in each new home, but after a few days, her true personality started to shine through.

After Nova finally relaxed, her foster parents found out a lot of new things about her. They realized that she was a cheerful cat who enjoyed lounging in the sun, eating treats, and meowing a lot. 

One of the volunteers even said that living with Nova was like having another human around due to how much she talked! 

They also learned that despite being distant in the past, Nova actually loved cuddling. Although she needed her space sometimes, she still loved being petted, purring, and kneading.

However, that’s not where the story ends. Shortly after, Nova met a kind family! John Doppler and his family were looking for a loving adult cat when they went to the animal shelter. 

Faith immediately remembered Nova, the special cat waiting for a home. She was hopeful that Nova would be a good match for this family, as long as they were willing to give her a shot.

Just as they thought, Nova wasn’t too excited about meeting her potential new family at first. She was nervous and she greeted them with hisses. However, as she spent time in the meeting room, John saw her true self shining through.

That’s when the family took a chance and decided to adopt her. Still, they were worried at first. They didn’t know if Nova liked them and if she would feel at home with them. As John mentioned:

“We were nervous: What if she didn’t warm up to us? Would she be comfortable in our home? Would she run away and hiss if we tried to pet her?”

Luckily, their fears turned out to be unnecessary. Nova was finally home, but similar to when she was in foster care, the beginning was filled with hissing, growling, and hiding. 

The Dopplers realized Nova needed time and space, so they patiently let her settle in at her own speed. They continued:

“About a week later, she suddenly strolled into the living room, jumped up on my wife’s lap, and started purring loud enough to hear from across the room. It was completely unexpected. I think that was her way of announcing that she was finally home.”

Today, Nova is a completely different cat—confident, relaxed, and very much the queen of her new home. Her playful antics keep the Dopplers laughing, especially when she’s leaping after her favorite toy, a soft green worm on a string that John brings out just for her.

It’s inspiring to see how far she’s come. After all she endured, Nova patiently waited for the right family, and now she’s living her happily ever after.