Cat Who Spent 12 Years In Testing Lab Finally Gets Her Very Own Name

She was known as #11-245.

After White Coat Waste successfully closed down a kitten testing lab at the University of California, Davis, including its decades-old breeding colony, the remaining cats needed to be adopted out to loving homes. Anthony Bellotti, president and founder of White Coat Waste, decided he wanted to be one of those homes.

“After my organization shut down the lab, I was determined to adopt one of the cats,” Bellotti told The Dodo. “Petite, one of my other rescued lab cats, had recently passed away … So, I had a choice to make when picking a new pet. But, as the saying goes, ‘You don’t choose the cat, they choose you.’”

Bellotti met the rescued lab cats and loved them all, but there was one who imprinted on him immediately, and he knew she was meant to be his. The sweet orange cat had spent her entire life, 12 years and 10 months, living at the lab and had even been experimented on at times. She was extremely nervous, underweight and refusing to eat when she was first rescued. Her entire life had been nothing but hardship — but when she met Bellotti, she knew things were about to change.

For her whole life, the cat had only been known as #11-245, a number which was tattooed inside both of her ears. Bellotti knew she deserved better and gave her her very first name: Marigold.

“Her name reflects her unique color, which looks a lot like the marigold flower,” Bellotti said.

Even after only a few months in her new home, Marigold already knows her name. She’s absolutely thriving with her new family and couldn’t be happier, and has loved experiencing so many firsts in such a short amount of time.

“Marigold is doing amazing,” Bellotti said. “She is healthy and she has gained back all her weight. In fact, she’s now food-crazy and constantly demanding treats! We just celebrated her 13th birthday — her very first one outside of the laboratory. Our family even threw her a little birthday party, which included her first KitNipBox.”

Marigold’s favorite things now include cat nip toys and making biscuits. Her days at the lab are far beyond her, and she’s thrilled to have her very first — and last — family, who love her more than anything.