Mimi Teller/American Red Cross

Just 10 days after adopting her first cat from the Burbank Animal Shelter, Nami Nam, a home health nurse, thought she was settling into a new chapter of life.

Then an early morning fire tore through her East Hollywood apartment complex. Residents fled into the darkness, many escaping without their phones, wallets or keys and carrying nothing more than the clothes on their backs. Of those displaced, 25 turned to the American Red Cross shelter at the Bellevue Recreation Center for a safe place to stay and begin putting their lives back together.

Among those residents was Nam, who evacuated alongside Mama Roo, the rescue cat still adjusting to life in her new forever home.

The transition had not been easy even before the fire. Like many rescue animals, Mama Roo remained wary of her new surroundings and her new human. During those first 10 days, Nam was often met with hisses whenever she approached. On the rare occasions Mama Roo ventured closer, food was usually the motivation. As a first-time cat owner, Nam worried she was doing something wrong and began to wonder whether the adoption would work out at all.

The fire and subsequent move to the shelter only added to the uncertainty. Displaced from their home and routine, both Nam and Mama Roo found themselves navigating yet another unfamiliar environment. Soon, Mama Roo stopped eating and drinking. Nam eventually realized the cat's diet had changed. Mama Roo had only been eating wet food, but dry food was all that was available. Already struggling to earn her new pet's trust while coping with her own displacement, Nam feared she had exhausted her options.

She began to consider the unthinkable: returning Mama Roo to the animal shelter.

"I was disappointed," Nam said. "I just didn't think it was going to work out."

When she shared her concerns with Red Cross disaster mental health volunteer Sue Brekka, she expected a sympathetic ear. Instead, Brekka told her she had already spent time with Mama Roo and saw something different. While disaster mental health volunteers support people coping with the emotional impacts of disasters, Brekka had noticed something encouraging. Rather than avoiding contact, Mama Roo had shown signs of curiosity and a willingness to form a bond if given enough patience and understanding.

Recognizing that Nam was a first-time cat owner, Brekka offered guidance. Together, they approached Mama Roo slowly, allowing the nervous feline to sniff Nam's hand before any attempt at physical contact. Brekka demonstrated how to recognize the cat's comfort cues and how to allow Mama Roo to determine the pace of interaction.

It didn’t take long for the breakthrough Nam had been hoping to see happened—Mama Roo began rubbing her head against Brekka's hand. Nam was stunned.

Following Brekka's encouragement, Nam cautiously reached out and petted Mama Roo herself. What had seemed impossible only moments earlier suddenly felt achievable.

"I was so surprised! I was so happy!" Nam said with a beaming smile. "I couldn't believe it."

Brekka also identified another likely source of Mama Roo's distress. After learning that the cat was accustomed to wet food, she added wet cat food to the shelter's list of needed supplies.

As Nam learned more about feline behavior, she also began to understand what Mama Roo had experienced. Within a few short weeks, the cat had been adopted into a new home, introduced to a new person, survived a fire, evacuated from that home and relocated to a disaster shelter.

What Nam had initially interpreted as rejection was fear, stress and uncertainty. With patience, understanding and a little coaching, both cat and owner began settling into their new relationship.

Looking back, Nam believes Mama Roo likely would have been returned to the animal shelter without Brekka's intervention. While Red Cross disaster mental health volunteers support the emotional well-being of people affected by disasters, Brekka's guidance ultimately preserved something else at risk: the bond between a first-time cat owner and a frightened rescue kitty struggling to navigate a whirlwind of change.

Amid displacement, uncertainty and loss, Nam found reassurance that she was not failing as a pet owner. Mama Roo found the safety, patience and understanding necessary to build trust. Thanks to an unexpected lesson from a Red Cross volunteer who proved to be something of a cat whisperer, both were able to preserve the fresh start they had hoped to achieve.

As she works to recover and rebuild after the fire, Nam said the support she received at the shelter is something she hopes to pay forward one day.

"When I am stable and back on my feet, someday I hope I can volunteer with the Red Cross as a nurse," she said.

You don't have to be a cat whisperer to help someone after a disaster. The Red Cross welcomes volunteers from all backgrounds, because sometimes the skill that makes the biggest difference is one you never expected. Visit redcross.org/volunteer to learn how you can help support people when they need it most.

About the American Red Cross:

The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides comfort to victims of disasters; supplies about 40% of the nation’s blood; teaches skills that save lives; distributes international humanitarian aid; and supports veterans, military members and their families. The Red Cross is a nonprofit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to deliver its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org or CruzRojaAmericana.org, or follow us on social media.