Cat Depot throws a Motown and Soul-themed bash

Whether it was the FurReal Friend stuffed animal on the auction table or the real-life kittens that guests couldn’t help but pet during cocktail hour, it was hard to forget why Hyatt Regency Sarasota was packed with cat-lovers on March 11.

The annual Cat Depot gala, Stop in the Name of Love: An Evening of Motown and Soul, began with a cocktail reception featuring passed appetizers and drinks. Guests bid on several silent auction items, featuring everything from cat tree condos to SeaWorld tickets, and got to meet several Cat Depot cats.

After the ballroom doors opened, festivities began with a performance by Dynasty Dance. Attendees then enjoyed a dinner buffet before the entertainment continued with a performance by M-Town Connection: The Motown Revue.

Speeches were then made by Chairwoman Alexis Meininghaus and Cat Depot Executive Director Shelley Thayer before recognizing several honored veterinarians as well as the 2017 Giving Heart Award recipient, Sarasota County Deputy Shawn Keeffe and the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office.

Before the evening ended with another performance, event-goers were reminded why they were there when they heard the story of Origami, a kitten who came to Cat Depot with a fractured femur bone and an abdominal hernia. She died on the operating table during at attempt to fix her up, but a Cat Depot veterinarian resuscitated her and she was as good as new. Origami is now in foster care and up for adoption.