Pat was once a scared and anxious girl who hid every chance she could get. But now, she is a playful, sweet cat who makes herself at home on your lap. Our staff and volunteers at Wayside could not be more proud of her, and she continues to put a smile on our faces everyday.
Pat came to us in mid-July as a stray. After living outside on the street with probably little to no human interaction and struggling to survive, she was very unsure of how to react when she came to our shelter. She avoided all contact with humans and other cats for quite some time, hiding away in the cat fort our staff and volunteers built for her. We wanted to make this transition as smooth and comfortable for Pat as possible, so we could give her the care she needed. It was a big adjustment for her, but with love and time, she has finally learned how to be a cat.
We seen so much potential in her, and with that, we were not going to give up on her. With sweet talking, slow movements and gentle petting with a wand, Pat’s mistrust for humans slowly began to diminish. She was starting to come around on her own terms, and we did not want to force her to do something that could potentially erase all of the progress she had made. She would start to initiate head butts and rubbings against the wand – she was not quite ready to do this with humans, but she was showing signs of affection, which is something that she had never shown before. She was starting to gain curiosity but was still skittish when hearing loud noises or meeting new people.
Only staff and certain volunteers were able to interact with Pat, working on two major things: desensitization to human touch and meeting new people. Every day over the course of three months, they were in Pat’s room socializing with her, giving her breaks if she was telling them she had had enough. Baby steps were very important in helping Pat during this frightening time, but she was well worth the wait.
It was a stressful yet rewarding three months, and Pat is now ready for her forever home!
She is described as a quirky, sweet and fun cat who loves laying on your lap. She always wants to be right by your side and will now seek out people for affection. She is incredibly playful and will play until the sun comes up. Her favorite toys, the wand and ping pong balls, help her to relax and have fun. She is still not fond of being picked up, but this is something that will come with time and trust.
She will need a patient adopter who will understand that moving into a new place after she just got used to one will be scary. All of the progress she has made has been amazing, and we want Pat to be in a home with an understanding, patient and loving adopter(s) who will continue to work with her on being the best cat she can be. At Wayside, she has gotten braver and gained more confidence by the day, and everyone here is extremely proud of her. We cannot wait to see the happiness she will bring to her family’s life, and the joy they will give her in return. She has worked so hard for this moment, and she deserves every bit of it.
Please, if Pat’s story has touched your heart in any way, don’t hesitate to come meet her. She is the sweetest cat who is looking for a family to call her own. This could be that start of something truly amazing.
“I’ll be waiting for you. Here is an air hug in the meantime!” -Pat
You can visit Pat during our adoption hours:
- Monday: CLOSED
- Tuesday: Noon-8pm
- Wednesday: Noon-8pm
- Thursday: Noon-8pm
- Friday: Noon-8pm
- Saturday: 10am-5pm
- Sunday: 10am-5pm
Written by Cierra H.