Published Feb 21, 2025
When Corazon and Cuchito were brought to Lollypop Farm Humane Society, they were feisty and scared. When they weren’t trying to hide inside of their crates, they were hissing or swatting at shelter staff.
That was, until an employee decided to play them Spanish learning tapes. It turned out, they felt much more comfortable hearing the language they were used to!
Three months in the shelter
Corazon and Cuchito are a father and son cat who were brought into the shelter in July as an owner surrender. Their previous owner could no longer care for them.
Cats are easily stressed by changes in routine and environment, and shelter settings can be especially difficult. These cats were scared! They didn’t want to play, and would hiss and swat at people.
It didn’t help that they may not have understood English at all, or that they spent three whole months in the shelter without being adopted.
Spanish-speaking cats
The shelter employee who worked with Corazon and Cuchito helps cats with behavioral problems–and she clearly finds some creative ways to do so!
When she met the cats, she looked up their names and realized they were of Spanish origin. This made her think that maybe they’d enjoy hearing Spanish learning tapes.
The cats relaxed at the sound of the tapes and didn’t hiss at her as much. Soon, they were taking treats from her hand and even licking her gently.
She says they were much improved after only a couple of sessions with the tapes. All they needed was a bit of familiarity in the scary shelter environment.
Finding a forever home
Thanks to the kind person who played them Spanish and helped them warm up to human contact, Corazon and Cuchito were much easier to adopt out. Soon, they found their forever home with a great family.
Finally out of the shelter, they’re doing well in their new home. The son even cuddles with his new human mom and lets her pet him. The dad is taking a bit more time to come around, but is becoming more comfortable each day.
The woman who worked with them at the shelter says it’s a warm and fuzzy feeling to see the cats doing so well after she helped them. She loves watching cats in the shelter make progress and find families.
More about Lollypop Farm
Lollypop Farm is a humane society started in 1873 to help mules that worked along the Erie canal in New York. Every year, they help thousands of animals like Corazon and Cuchito. They provide veterinary care, behavioral training, and a safe haven for pets who have nowhere else to go.
In 2023, they completed a stunning 9,131 surgeries for community animals and adopted out over 4,000 pets.
They rely on help from the public to continue their great work. If you’d like to show them some support, you can do so via donations, fostering, or volunteering if you live nearby. If you’d just like to see some more adorable animals–or perhaps adopt one or two for yourself–you can find them on Instagram.
