Found Love at Gifford
For any cat entering Gifford Cat Shelter, the ultimate goal is to find love with a family, forever. We recognize and celebrate the inherent differences in every Gifford cat, whether they have medical needs, behavioral quirks, or are part of a bonded pair of felines. Bonded pairs are inevitably more difficult to find homes for, but we truly believe that bonded cats are much happier when they can stay together once they go home. In most cases of bonded pairs, cats arrive at Gifford together as a pair. Sometimes, cats in the shelter at the same time will take a liking to each other and decide on their own that they are bonded. Here are some lovely stories of cats that Found Love at Gifford.
Cheesecake and Blathers
Cheesecake came to us VERY pregnant and VERY sassy at the height of the pandemic. Having been a stray, she clearly had a “survivor” sense. She gave birth to her beautiful kittens at the shelter during an intense thunderstorm. She was a caring mother, albeit quite protective. Once her kittens had grown up and moved on to foster care, Cheesecake was spayed and placed in one of our adoption rooms. She still had an edge to her, but without kittens to care for, Cheesecake started to reacquaint herself with her own inner kitten. She soon became the most playful cat in the room.
Blathers was also a stray. He put on a tough guy act for a while and wouldn’t allow anyone near him, scaring us away with his hissing. For a while, he hunkered down in the background, observing the rest of the room's activity. Eventually, he began to partake in the fun and games. We also noticed that he always followed Cheesecake’s lead, and he was more confident when she was playing.
One day, we found Cheesecake and Blathers curled up together. Soon enough, the two of them were found headbutting each other, flirting with their tails, and taking evening strolls in the room to enjoy their dinner together. They became inseparable. Blathers was more confident and interactive when he was with Cheesecake. Cheesecake was more relaxed and engaging when she was with Blathers. They brought out the best in each other, and we realized we could never separate them.
Cheesecake and Blathers were adopted together in December. We knew it would take a while to adjust to their new home, but they have each other, and they’re making strides every day!
Ketu and Enola
Enola was a stray before she arrived at Gifford. She was a tiny, timid little lady, and it took her a little while to settle into her new surroundings. Once she grew more comfortable, she revealed a charming and affectionate side to her. She was friendly to all of the cats in the room, but she seemed to have her heart set on one particular gentleman since day one.
Ketu came to us in May 2019 in a group of 6 as transfers from another rescue, rescued from a horrific hoarding situation. Many of them had health issues due to years of neglect and poor nutrition. Most of them were undersocialized and didn’t trust humans. Ketu was estimated to be 6 or 7 years old, and he had presumably been living in these conditions for his entire life. For many months, he showed zero interest in playing, accepting treats, or interacting with humans in any way. He wasn’t even particularly fond of the other cats that he was sharing space with. We kept working with him, trying to figure out the way to his heart.
By October 2020, Ketu began showing some interest in playing and making some slow progress. Then, Enola arrived and immediately gravitated towards him. At first, Ketu wasn’t sure what to do with her attention. None of the other cats that he had been living with had paid him much notice. But everyone could see that Enola was smitten! It wasn’t long before Ketu returned her affections, and they were often found flirting, playing, and canoodling together. Ketu showed more interest in playing and seemed to relax when humans were around. Enola was comfortable with pets and human interaction and would start to purr loudly. We noticed that Ketu would start to purr when he heard Enola purring! Enola brought out a refreshed side of Ketu. Once closed off and reticent to any attempts to work with him, Enola’s presence helped boost Ketu’s confidence to open up and try new things.
Ketu and Enola were adopted together just a few weeks ago. Their adopter is so thrilled to give them a forever home together and continue to work alongside Enola to help Ketu build confidence and find new things to enjoy.
