For nearly 13 years, the orange cat known only as #11-245 lived behind the cold walls of a research lab at the University of California, Davis. She had never felt grass beneath her paws, never curled up in a sunny window, never known what it meant to be loved.
Her identity was reduced to a number — tattooed inside both ears — a label instead of a name.
But when the animal advocacy group White Coat Waste succeeded in shutting down the lab and its decades-old kitten breeding colony, her life — and the lives of so many others — finally changed.
Among those determined to help was Anthony Bellotti, the organization’s founder.
“After my organization shut down the lab, I was determined to adopt one of the cats,” Bellotti told The Dodo. “My previous rescued lab cat, Petite, had recently passed away … but as the saying goes, ‘You don’t choose the cat — they choose you.’”
When Bellotti met the surviving cats, one immediately caught his heart — a frail orange tabby who had spent every moment of her nearly 13 years inside that facility. She was thin, terrified, and too anxious to eat. But when their eyes met, something in her shifted.
He knew she was the one.
And just like that, #11-245 became Marigold — named for the warm golden flower that symbolized resilience and renewal.
“Her name reflects her unique color, which looks a lot like the marigold flower,” Bellotti said.
Slowly, Marigold began to trust her new world. The hum of lab equipment was replaced by birdsong. Cold metal tables gave way to soft blankets and gentle hands.
In her new home, Marigold started to bloom.
“She’s doing amazing,” Bellotti said. “She’s healthy, she’s gained back all her weight — and now she’s food-crazy and constantly demanding treats!”
Just a few months after her rescue, Marigold celebrated a milestone she never could have imagined — her first birthday outside of a lab. Her new family threw her a little party, complete with toys, treats, and her very first KitNipBox.
Today, Marigold spends her days making biscuits, rolling in catnip, and soaking in the love she was denied for so long.
After nearly 13 years without a name, a home, or freedom, Marigold has all three — and she’s finally living the life she always deserved.
