"Gus"

One of the shelters where I rescue had an outbreak of ringworm last year.  Instead of killing all the cats, (like other shelters do) they rented a trailer and put 53 cats - most of them kittens there to be treated for the fungus.

Months went by and the kittens in the trailer grew.  They were bathed in anti-fungal bath and treated regularly.  Some never had symptoms of ringworm.  But being a responsible shelter, they were all treated and DNA tested.  I was never permitted in the trailer until it opened for rescue months ago.  Seeing that many cats in one small trailer was incredible.  These are now adult/young cats that have never really had much attention, (the staff did the very best that they could!) and have never known what it was like to live in a home.

The trailer was all they knew.

Our rescue took many of the 53 cats over several months.  But as time went on there was only one cat left....

...Gus.

Gus has never known a home.  He's never known a kitchen, a vacuum cleaner, a doorbell.  He's never known regular love or a lap to snuggle.  Every time he was picked up he was dunked into a sink and soaked in an anti-fungal bath.  I had a feeling this was going to be a difficult transition. 

Today was Gus' rescue day:



You can tell Gus was a shelter favourite.  He had his own room with toys and a bed.  But it wasn't a home.  Apparently, Gus had started to meow for attention.  He watched 52 of his friends leave the shelter for new adventures. 

When David and I left the shelter with Gus the staff applauded.   "Difficult transition?"  We think not!  Gus is dying to bond with somebody!  He knows his name and comes when he's called.  He purr's and rubs and is dying to explore the rest of his foster Mom's house.  Gus is going to be OK!  He's going to have a beautiful life thanks to a shelter that cares enough about their animals to make it happen.