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Smarty

European Shorthair · Female

I’m Smarty, an active and lively cat looking for a home that’s sensitive and understanding. Here’s my story: Originally adopted as a kitten from a farm, I lived with my family in a small apartment with a balcony. Unfortunately, due to swallowing a foreign object, I needed urgent surgery. Sadly, my family couldn’t afford the surgical costs and had to give me up to the animal shelter. There, I didn’t feel very comfortable at all and longed to go home right away: No couch, no bed, no familiar smells—and people all around me—everything just felt wrong. Thankfully, we found a solution, and I was able to return to my family. At first, everything seemed fine again. However, because of everything that had happened, I lost my trust and started questioning everything. I no longer felt safe; everything overwhelmed me, and I reacted by becoming defensive. Eventually, my family decided to place me with people who had experience with cats, since living together any longer wasn’t possible anymore. Twice I had to move within a very short period of time, and each time I responded with defensive behavior, refusing to let anyone get close to me. Anyone who came too close would feel my claws and teeth—I just wanted to protect myself! In the end, I ended up back at the animal shelter. After settling in a bit, I’m already feeling better. The caregivers spend plenty of time engaging with me every day and put a lot of effort into making sure I’m happy. We play, cuddle, and recently we even started clicker training. Although I still have some trouble concentrating during these sessions, we’ll work through it together 😉 My caregivers describe me as a very active, restless, and affectionate cat who nevertheless always keeps an escape route open. Trust is key here too—we’re working on it every single day so that I can feel safe and secure. What I’m hoping for… are people who have experience and a keen sensitivity to feline body language. To satisfy my need for movement, a house with a garden in a rural setting would be ideal. I don’t really like other cats and would prefer to have my home all to myself. Due to my insecurity and skittish nature, children shouldn’t live with me. I’m absolutely certain there’s a perfect home out there for me—I firmly believe it.

DE·Show original

Ich bin Smarty eine aktive und lebhafte Katze, die ein Zuhause mit Feingefühl sucht. Das bin ich: Ursprünglich als Katzenkind vom Bauernhof adoptiert, lebte ich mit meiner Familie in einer kleinen Wohnung mit Balkon. Aufgrund eines verschluckten Fremdkörpers musste ich schnellstmöglich operiert werden. Leider konnte sich meine Familie die OP-Kosten nicht leisten und gaben mich ins Tierheim. Hier fühlte ich mich nicht sehr wohl und wollte am liebsten sofort wieder nach Hause: Keine Couch, kein Bett, keine vertrauten Gerüche und Menschen um mich herum – alles doof. Gott sei Dank hatten wir eine Regelung gefunden und ich durfte wieder zu meiner Familie zurück. Alles schien wieder in Ordnung zu sein. Jedoch verlor ich aufgrund der ganzen Geschehnisse mein Vertrauen und stellte nun alles in Frage. Ich fühlte mich nicht mehr sicher, alles überforderte mich und ich reagierte mit Abwehr. Letztlich entschied sich meine Familie, mich an katzenerfahrene Menschen weiterzugeben, da ein weiteres Zusammenleben nicht mehr möglich war. Zweimal musste ich umziehen, innerhalb kürzester Zeit, beide Male reagierte ich wieder mit Abwehrverhalten und wollte keinen an mich heranlassen. Wer mir zu Nahe kam, der spürte meine Krallen und Zähne – ich wollte mich doch einfach nur selbst schützen! Schließlich landete ich wieder im Tierheim. Nachdem ich mich etwas eingelebt habe, geht es mir schon besser. Die Tierpflegerinnen beschäftigen sich jeden Tag ausgiebig mit mir und geben sich sehr viel Mühe. Es wird gespielt, gekuschelt und vor einiger Zeit haben wir auch mit Clickertraining begonnen. Allerdings habe ich noch etwas Schwierigkeiten, mich dabei zu konzentrieren, aber das bekommen wir noch hin 😉 Meine Tierpflegerinnen würden mich als eine sehr aktive, unruhige und verschmuste Katze beschreiben, die sich trotzdem immer ein Hintertürchen offen hält. Vertrauen ist auch hier die Devise – wir arbeiten täglich daran, damit ich mich sicher und geborgen fühlen kann. Ich wünsche mir … Menschen, die Erfahrung und viel Feingefühl für die Körpersprache von Katzen mitbringen. Um meinem Bewegungsdrang nachzukommen, wäre ein Haus mit Garten in ländlicher Umgebung ideal. Andere Katzen finde ich nicht so toll und möchte mein Heim ganz für mich allein haben. Kinder sollten aufgrund meiner Unsicherheit und schreckhaften Art nicht bei mir wohnen. Ganz sicher gibt es auch für mich das richtige Zuhause da draußen – ich glaube fest daran.

Size
Age
Location
🇩🇪Berlin
Shelter
Tierheim Berlin Falkenberg
Living with Smarty
  • Good with cats
  • Good with kids
Cared for by Tierheim Berlin Falkenberg · BerlinLearn about European Shorthair

Listed 2 months ago

Bringing Smarty home

What you'll need for Smarty in week one.

Hand-picked · prices indicative

  1. 01
    Required by most shelters

    Hard-Shell Cat Carrier

    Top-loading carriers are easier than dragging cats out of a side door.

    View on Amazon
    €25–40
  2. 02

    Feliway Calming Spray

    Cat-specific pheromone. Spritz the carrier 15 min before pickup.

    View on Amazon
    €18–25
  3. 03
    Editor's pick

    Covered Litter Box

    Privacy reduces stress in week one. Get one size up from what you'd think.

    View on Amazon
    €25–45
  4. 04

    Clumping Cat Litter

    Match the shelter's brand for the first bag, transition slowly over a week.

    View on Amazon
    €10–18
  5. 05

    Litter Scoop + Stand

    Daily scooping is non-negotiable. A stand keeps the scoop clean.

    View on Amazon
    €10–18
  6. 06

    Sturdy Scratching Post

    Tall enough they can stretch fully. Saves your couch from week one.

    View on Amazon
    €30–60

§ Affiliate links · TailHarbor earns a small commission, no extra cost to you.

About Smarty

What life with Smarty looks like

Smarty is a adult european shorthair cat waiting at Tierheim Berlin Falkenberg in Berlin.

An adult cat usually shows their personality within a week. Give them a quiet room with everything they need (food, water, litter, hiding spot) and let them choose when to explore. Don't force interaction — every cat decides for themselves when a new home counts as home.

🇩🇪Adopting from Germany

German rescues typically require an in-person home visit (Vorkontrolle) or detailed video home check before approving adoption. Animals leave the shelter sterilized, microchipped, and with a valid EU pet passport. Adoption fees usually fall between €250 and €450, covering veterinary preparation.

Berlin, Germany browse more cats in Germany.

Frequently asked

Adopting Smarty, answered.

How do I contact the shelter about Smarty?
Use the phone, email, or website link in the sidebar of this page. Tierheim Berlin Falkenberg handles screening and the adoption contract directly — TailHarbor doesn't broker the conversation. When you reach out, mention you saw Smarty on TailHarbor so they know which animal you're asking about.
Can I adopt Smarty if I live in another country?
Yes, in most cases. Rescues across Europe routinely place animals abroad — Tierheim Berlin Falkenberg will tell you what they need (EU pet passport, rabies titer, transport coordination) and whether they handle transport themselves or refer you to a partner. Plan for an extra €100–€350 in transport costs depending on distance.
Is Smarty already vetted, vaccinated, and chipped?
Most cats on TailHarbor leave their shelter with sterilization, current vaccinations, microchip ID, and an EU pet passport included in the adoption fee. The vet status on this page reflects what the shelter has reported — ask them directly if you need details on specific vaccines, recent bloodwork, or chronic conditions.
What happens if Smarty isn't the right fit?
Every reputable rescue accepts an animal back if the adoption genuinely doesn't work — that's part of the standard contract. Talk it through with Tierheim Berlin Falkenberg early rather than rehoming privately; they know Smarty and can place them more successfully than a second-hand listing can.
Why does the description sometimes read awkwardly?
TailHarbor translates shelter descriptions into English from the source language (DE). Translation is imperfect — names of streets, donors, and shelter-specific terms occasionally slip through unidiomatically. For the cleanest read, click the source link to see the shelter's original page.
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