Cat Psychologist to Adoption Center Director

Staff Stories: Karla Pan, Adoption Center Director

Welcome to our new series featuring the people and pets of Blue Ridge Humane! Today we start off with our Adoption Center Director, Karla Pan, who this week celebrates her 10 year anniversary at Blue Ridge Humane.

In 1995, I excitedly went to the Blue Ridge Humane Society Adoption Center with my Baba to hopefully adopt a kitten. I still remember walking into the kitten room, and seeing “the one.” Petite, and oblivious to my presence, the most beautiful tortoiseshell tucked in the corner, enjoying a feast of dry food by herself, and I fell in love immediately. Her adoption paperwork said “Persia,” and I didn’t want to offend her, so never renamed her.

When I brought Persia home, she hid under my parents’ bed. I still recall laying in the square of sunlight from the window, the carpet imprinting on my cheek as I stared at this glorious (scared) cat. I noticed her slowly closing her green eyes; and after a pause, opening them back. Like morse code, I mimicked these rhythmic blinks. Enough time had passed that I was no longer laying in the sunlight, when Persia unearthed herself from under the bed. Slowly, at first just her head. I let her sniff my hand and was able to subtly scratch her chin. That was the ticket. After this, she trusted me and I was OBSSESSED with her.

Most kids pretended to be sick so they could stay home from school to have fun, watch cartoons, be pampered with soup in bed. Me? I snuck my Baba’s video camera, stole precious home video tapes and recorded over them, of me following my cat – for hours. I wanted to be a “cat psychologist”.

In middle school, I had a difficult time adjusting to my parents’ divorce. I didn’t have any friends going through the same thing and I felt isolated. Persia could be in another room, but if I was upset, she knew and would always magically appear when I needed her the most. So often, I felt like she was the only being in my life that knew me so unconditionally. Walking home from the bus stop, she greeted me in my drive way and ushered me inside every weekday. She slept on my pillow and I would often awake to her grooming my eyebrows with her bristled tongue.

Persia passed away when I was a Junior in High School, and it was the first gut wrenching experience I had of loss. My tiny young heart swallowed her whole, and it felt so empty without her. Persia taught me so much of cats, of tortitude, of patience, of companionship and resiliency.

My first day as an animal care attendant, I went into the kitten room, where I first saw Persia so many years prior. I still feel to this day that BRHS has played such a crucial part in developing the story line of my life. From providing me with Persia and so many other furry best friends, to the most satisfying job I could have. I do feel that I accomplished my 1995 goal of becoming a cat therapist.