Happy ending for Jay Z
Personalities change. Hissy, swatty cats can decide humans aren’t so bad after all. This black beauty made his way into a volunteer’s heart – and now sleeps in her bed with a whole new family of humans and animals.
We don’t usually adopt out cats from the RAPS Cat Sanctuary, but occasionally we are able to make a match (usually with one of our volunteers or staff). Cats come to the Sanctuary and remain here mostly because they are considered “unadoptable.” They may have behavioural or health issues that make them unlikely to find a human family. That’s why the Sanctuary exists: To provide a forever home for animals who might be euthanized in other jurisdictions. For cats who are not likely to be adopted, the Sanctuary is a glorious “Kitty Club Med.” We have special sections for residents with special needs or preferences.
Sometimes, though, cats’ personalities change. Or they bond with a particular volunteer or staff member. Every now and then, a cat who we thought was not adoptable lets us know that they are, in fact, quite ready to go home with a very special human.
Our volunteers and staff are fortunate enough to spend time with the cats and get to know their personalities and whether they would be a match or not. They also know the cat’s history, so there are likely to be few surprises. That makes the decision a lot easier for us when contemplating an adoption. Other considerations are what type of home they would be going to and what other pets live there, how long the cat has been with us, how settled they are and if they are happy at the Sanctuary or not. Of course, it would be ideal if every cat could have a home of their own, but some of our cats are very happy and content living at the Sanctuary with all their cat friends.
Jay Z (or just Jay) is a very popular Sanctuary cat with lots of human fans. This handsome boy is only about four years old. He was trapped at a tow yard in Richmond when he was a six-month-old kitten. Initially thought to be a pregnant female, he was put into foster care and, after no kittens arrived, we found out he was just a chubby male.
When he arrived at the Sanctuary, he was not a fan of the humans that were attempting to care for him. In typical feral fashion, he was very hissy and swatty and overall uncooperative. Within a couple of months, once Jay learned to trust us, he realized humans were not that bad and he became the sweet affectionate boy he is today.
For the past couple of years, dedicated volunteer Dana was falling madly in love with Jay. Jay had tamed up nicely and was very fond of all the attention we humans lavished on him. Dana had expressed interest in adopting Jay but we were not sure he was ready. After many lengthy discussions, we decided to send him home with Dana to see if he would get along with her other pets. Well, he did. And he became best buds with their dog and elderly cat. He acts as if he has lived there forever. He even sleeps in the bed with his new mom and dad – and the dog, of course. He has also fallen in love with their daughter and looks forward to his special cuddle time with her. Jay Z is definitely an adoption success.
