Wednesday, May 25, 2011

Best Friends

We didn't know much about Tabby when he came to our group home from death row at a Baltimore shelter. He was eight years old, his intake paperwork said. And he'd been given up because he "scratched the furniture too much." A big scratching post for a big cat probably would have solved that problem...

In our group home, Tabby loved everyone, and everyone loved him. Although he longed to be outside, he was happy with us and didn't seem to miss his former family at all. He must have known he'd be going home with someone special very soon.

Cats in no-kill shelters have a way of making things work their way when adopters are around. Tabby's people didn't come to meet him. They were there to see Mister, a tabby with long hair and a less than outgoing disposition. While we were hunting for Mister, who was supposed to be a two-year-old's new cat friend, Tabby was rubbing against the people's legs. While we were trying to lure Mister our from under a chair, Tabby was curled up beside the people he'd chosen, purring nonstop. We took him to their house the next week.

It takes most cats a while to get used to a new home. But Tabby settled right in. A few minutes after he arrived, Arthur, his new toddler friend, showed him all of his toys. Then Tabby joined their dad for a quick nap on the couch.

Tabby's name is Tsi-tsa now, which is Hungarian for kitty. Commenting on Tsi-tsa's and Art's photo on Facebook, their mom said, "He's an amazing cat. He and Art look like they've finally found what they've always been missing."

Sometimes it takes cats a long time, maybe even eight years, to find the perfect home.