Dressed in Santa hats and fairy lights, these cats look ready for Christmas; but this year, they will spend the holidays in a Tallinn shelter, still waiting for a home.
They are wearing Santa hats, lounging among fairy lights, posing beside wrapped presents and Christmas trees. At first glance, they look as though they already belong somewhere – someone’s living room, perhaps, or a windowsill warmed by a radiator. They do not. Not yet.
These cats live at Cats Help, a volunteer-run shelter in Tallinn. They are safe, warm and well cared for. But this Christmas they will spend their days in a shelter rather than at the foot of a bed or curled up on a sofa, half-watching the world go by.
Each of them comes with a past. Some were found on the street, others abandoned, others simply left behind when circumstances changed. What they share is a present shaped by patience and routine – and a future that remains open.
This gallery (click to enlarge) is Estonian World’s way of wishing its readers happy holidays, together with Cats Help. It is also a gentle reminder that while the city celebrates, some stories are still waiting for their next chapter to begin.
Adoption is one way to change that story. But it is not the only one. If welcoming a cat into your home is not possible right now, there are other ways to help. Especially at Christmas, donations make a tangible difference, helping shelters like Cats Help provide food, veterinary care and warmth to cats who are still waiting for a family of their own.
Until that moment arrives, these cats will keep waiting. Calmly. Curiously. With Christmas lights reflected in their eyes.
Happy holidays from Estonian World and Cats Help!
