A petite calico with gorgeous golden green eyes, Ran came to ARK when she was just a kitten. She is now 3 years old and patiently waiting in the shelter to get noticed, holed up in a world that offers very little outside of the bare necessities.

Cute observer: Ran may not be up for a snuggle, but she definitely loves being in the company of others.  | CHIHIRO NAGATA
Cute observer: Ran may not be up for a snuggle, but she definitely loves being in the company of others. | CHIHIRO NAGATA

Ran came to the shelter with her siblings, but she was always the shy one of the group. She's still not totally comfortable with being handled except when she’s in the mood for the warmth and comfort of a human's touch.

"We’ve noticed Ran slip past other cats to get close to people without it being too obvious that that’s what she’s doing," according to the shelter staff. They believe that she likes to be close to people, she's just not comfortable with too much handling. After all, Ran’s name means “orchid” in Japanese, and orchids are best when they're viewed, not squeezed or fondled.

On the other hand, Ran goes completely bonkers for food. When there's a meal around, she'll drop her guard — she loves it that much.

Ran also likes other cats, so a household with cats would be fabulous. It would surely bring this beautiful lady into full bloom.

If you are interested in adopting Ran, email ARK at [email protected] or call 050-1557-2763 Monday to Saturday (bilingual) for more information. Tokyo ARK is an NPO founded by Briton Elizabeth Oliver. It is dedicated to rescuing and rehoming abandoned animals. All animals are vaccinated, neutered and microchipped. Prospective owners are requested to undergo a screening process. Web: www.arkbark.net.