Among the cats roaming Paws and Whiskers Cat Shelter in Toledo, Mindy is one of the least likely to be noticed.

The adult tabby keeps to herself, often perched on top of the shelter’s dryer where it’s warm. She doesn’t have flashy coloring, nor does she seek out affection or run around and play.

“She doesn’t really want to interact,” kennel supervisor Kim Ferguson said. “She’s not mean — she just wants to do her own thing.”

Mindy’s low-key personality may be one of many reasons the tabby has never had anyone interested in adopting her since she was dumped in a small box outside the shelter’s door as a 9-month-old kitten in February, 2009. She is the no-kill shelter’s longest continuous resident.

The majority of Paws and Whiskers’ cats have been there for a year or more. Kittens tend to go more quickly, while older adults get overlooked. Along with Mindy, a number of cats that came to the shelter in 2011 and 2012 still need homes.

“For some, it’s a personality thing,” said David Plunkett, shelter manager. “Some are because of medical problems, and some just don’t stand out and people look over them.”

A calico named Bissett has been passed over since 2011 because of her hot-and-cold personality. Sometimes she seeks affection, but other times she’s very standoffish and will swat hands away.

The shelter has an American curl named Ferarri that, despite the unusual breed featuring ears that curl back at the tip, has been at the shelter since 2012 because of chronic sinus infections.

Mr. Plunkett said the shelter used to process about 500 to 700 adoptions a year.

“Back 10 years ago and before, we very seldom started February of a year with any cats from the previous year,” he said. “This year [2014], we did 350, and that was our highest since 2008.”

Mr. Plunkett said the shelter used to be one of the main places for area residents to adopt cats. Now, additional rescues in the area have given people more options.

Ms. Ferguson said the feline-only shelter’s high population also can work against adult cats and those with less affectionate personalities or special needs. The shelter has about 80 cats now, but often has well over 100 for potential adopters to choose from.

“We have a bigger selection and more of an age range,” she said. “Most people want kittens and younger cats, so they walk past the older kitties.”

But a renewed effort to promote long-stay cats on the shelter’s Facebook page is beginning to pay off. A female cat named Lallie that had been there since 2011, as well as a male named Chine that arrived in 2012, both were adopted last week. Lallie went to a family in Illinois, and someone from Texas inquired about Chine.

“It does work eventually,” Ms. Ferguson said. “They just have to find the right people.”

Adoption information is available on the shelter’s Facebook page, Paws and Whiskers Shelter, and at pawsandwhiskers.org. The shelter’s phone number is 419-536-1914.

Contact Alexandra Mester: amester@theblade.com, 419-724-6066, or on Twitter @AlexMesterBlade.

First Published January 12, 2015, 5:00 a.m.