Last week, a woman brought in her cat to the shelter and surrendered it. It was a pretty gray cat with some white facial marking, long haired. Clean, and appeared to be in good health. Front declawed. About 7 years old.
The lady had lost her job, exhausted her resources, and had to move out of state, back with her mother, who has an allergy to cats. She was in tears, but she felt she had to do it.
Raquel was very timid. In her cage, she would hiss at anyone who looked at her through the glass window. However, if you went in the room and opened the cage door and petted her, she clearly enjoyed it.
On Saturday, an older couple came in looking to save a cat and get some company for their 7-year-old Maine coon girl. They initially looked at the current crop of kittens (we have a bunch of them!), but then they turned the corner and saw Raquel.
She didn't hiss as usual. In fact, she went up to the glass, rubbed on it, and generally looked like she liked them. However, it was just before closing time. They didn't have time to complete an adoption, but the lady was in tears, too, when she heard Raquel's story.
On Monday morning, during my shelter day, the husband came in. He asked to spend some time with Raquel in our get-acquainted room, so I brought her out. He put her in his lap, and she was clearly pleased with that.
Something interrupted us, and Raquel got down and hid in a cat tree. I got her back out and the gentleman promptly put her back on his lap. He said she was purring.
He decided to adopt Raquel, and I brought him the preliminary paperwork. He set Raquel down, and I assumed she would hide back in the cat tree. WRONG!!! She immediately jumped back in his lap, looking up at him in love, even adoration, and went back to purring and kneading.
Needless to say, they left a happy couple!
The lady had lost her job, exhausted her resources, and had to move out of state, back with her mother, who has an allergy to cats. She was in tears, but she felt she had to do it.
Raquel was very timid. In her cage, she would hiss at anyone who looked at her through the glass window. However, if you went in the room and opened the cage door and petted her, she clearly enjoyed it.
On Saturday, an older couple came in looking to save a cat and get some company for their 7-year-old Maine coon girl. They initially looked at the current crop of kittens (we have a bunch of them!), but then they turned the corner and saw Raquel.
She didn't hiss as usual. In fact, she went up to the glass, rubbed on it, and generally looked like she liked them. However, it was just before closing time. They didn't have time to complete an adoption, but the lady was in tears, too, when she heard Raquel's story.
On Monday morning, during my shelter day, the husband came in. He asked to spend some time with Raquel in our get-acquainted room, so I brought her out. He put her in his lap, and she was clearly pleased with that.
Something interrupted us, and Raquel got down and hid in a cat tree. I got her back out and the gentleman promptly put her back on his lap. He said she was purring.
He decided to adopt Raquel, and I brought him the preliminary paperwork. He set Raquel down, and I assumed she would hide back in the cat tree. WRONG!!! She immediately jumped back in his lap, looking up at him in love, even adoration, and went back to purring and kneading.
Needless to say, they left a happy couple!
