T-R PHOTO BY ROBERT MAHARRY - Don Myers, a resident at The Willows in Marshalltown, poses for a photo with his “adopted” cat named Willow.

As a longtime farmer between Marshalltown and State Center, Don Myers has always loved and appreciated felines, owning many of them throughout his life. After Myers and his wife Bonnie moved into The Willows in April of 2023, he began to notice a feral tri-colored calico cat “hunting” around the property, and he would walk as close to her as he could and do his best to coax and communicate with her.

By the end of the summer, she had finally started to warm up to him. Myers can recall sitting on a rock in front of The Willows when she walked over and let him hold her.

“It takes a lot of time and a lot of patience,” he said.

Last spring, he started feeding her and eventually set up a kennel that the cat, who is now known as Willow, has lived in since the fall. She still wanders around the assisted living facility’s property throughout the day,

“I just love cats,” he said.

Facilities Manager David Wignall joked that Willow had never come up to any of the staff or residents until Myers moved in. Now, the cat who has taken the name of the assisted living facility where she has found a home lightens up the lives of Myers and other residents who enjoy her presence every day.

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Contact Robert Maharry at 641-753-6611 ext. 255 or rmaharry@timesrepublican.com.