An elderly lady that was in her late 80's came in faithfully every week with her live-in care giver that was helping assist her walk through the Shelter as she visited looking for her missing cat. They have been coming to the Shelter for several weeks in a row hoping to find her missing cat with no luck so far.
Then finally one time they came back again, but this time it was a little different. The friendly elderly lady told me straight away, that if her cat wasn't in the back holding area today that she was ready and was going to adopt another cat. After I escorted them to the back to look for her missing cat again, she was visibly disappointed to not see her beloved missing cat.
However she had a glimmer of hope in her eye, probably due to being hopeful enough to save the life of another homeless cat on this day. Once we walked back up front without her missing cat, she quickly moved on to ask me if I could help her pick out a cat from our adoption area. As we were walking back up to the adoption room, I explained to her that she should take them out one at a time and see how they interact with her, and choose one that way.
Once we were in the room I closed the door behind me and noticed that her first glance went towards a 6 month old black/white kitten in cage CA9. Without wasting time she quickly pointed out that she remembered that kitten and she wanted to take it out.
She went on to explain to me that she wanted that one because she remembered seeing it with a E collar a few weeks previously, on several of her previous visits to the Shelter while she was looking for her missing cat. This kitten she was talking about was indeed held in the back for quite some time in the isolation area because he had a crypt orchid testicle. His surgery was a bit more invasive than a normal neuter due to him being crypt orchid. The night after his surgery, he had managed to pull out all of his sutures and he ended up getting a bad infection due to that.
Overnight after his surgery, not only did he remove his sutures, but he had also licked his surgery site wide open and he had a gaping wound in his abdomen by morning. Once it came to our attention to what he had done, we had to start him on medication immediately, which meant that we had to hold him back for a few weeks while he was on his round of antibiotics. We had to also keep the area clean and treat it daily, and just give him time to heal up. So, it was during this treatment period that she had took notice to him in the back holding area.
After all, how can anyone miss a black kitten with a bright pink sate-light collar around it's neck? So as soon as she recognized him again up in adoption, she immediately asked me to take him out of the cage for her. She stroked him a few times and quickly told me to pack him up for her... She was certain that this was the one that ought to be coming home with her. She had her mind set quickly that this was the cat that she wants.
As I was getting the box ready for her; her attention was diverted to this orange and white kitty. (pictured below) I continued on with setting up the card board carrying case for her newly chosen kitten. As I was finished with the last fold, she quickly announced that I should "hold on". She told me that she liked this orange and white cat too. I told her to take her time choosing and that she could take him out too if she liked. I had already finished making the box and just put the bottom support in the box and I left it sitting on the floor with the top opened.
I took a few steps away to assist her opening the cage so I could let out the orange and white cat that she was looking at because she wanted to pet him too. As soon as I opened the cage the cat quickly darted out and wrapped around her legs and feet a few times as she bent over to pet him. Suddenly without warning or much thought, he instinctively turned tail the other direction and jumped right into the card board box that I left open on the floor. I have never witnessed such a powerful moment of this was really meant to be.... It was like he was telling us..... "Nooo, you gotta take me home!"
It took us just a second to react because we were a little stunned and we looked at each other in disbelief and giggled for a few seconds. My attention was turned back to the cat that jumped into the box. I glanced back down and he was still laying just as I saw him the second he jumped in. He was stoically peering back up at us waiting for us to react. His body was low and flat to the bottom of the carrier and he was laying flat on his belly with his front feet stretched out in front of him. He looked straight up and made direct eye contact with me... I could almost hear him say, as if he was a child speaking to me... "So what are you waiting for?"
It didn't take the elderly lady much longer to say "Close the lid, he wants to come home with me".. and so we giggled in pure amazement the whole way up to the front desk to seal the deal....It's stories like this one that I intend on letting outweigh the sad stories of working at a Shelter.. I love my job :)
~Author, Jenni (me)
Authentic photo of the actual cat
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