Last Chance

by Theresa
(Shirley, NY USA)

I am employed at a group home for developmentally disable when a wife of one of my co-worker came into the house with this coon cat looking for someone to adopt it.

I contacted my mother, an animal lover, whom agreed to take in the cat before it was destroyed.

My mother had the cat for about 8 months when she needed to return it to me because the coon cat that she named Tiffany just hid and only came out at night, which she believed was the cause of the other cats dominating her in personality because she is a very gentle and sweet cat.

I rescued Tiffany from my mother before she was brought to the pound. I recently just lost my beloved cat Salvation and was not in the market to have another animal.

I just did not want to love and loose another animal, but my heart told me to take in this cat and I did and renamed her last chance because the cat continues to have many owners and I am pretty much her last stop.

It is only my husband and I with no other animals and as in my mother's house the cat continues to hide in fear and will only come out at night to eat and play when she thinks all is asleep.

If I get up from bed to enjoy the cat she bolts under the couch where she stays all day and part of the night...until she comes out.

I just recently found out "Last Chance" story:

Her previous owners were unstable and did not want her. She was loved as a kitten, but once she became an adult cat she was no longer loved and was badly mistreated, in which is the cause why she is so afraid and hides. They had the cat for a few years before they gave up "Last Chance" to someone whom also hurt her.

I had the cat for about two weeks and for a short time it appeared that she was accepting us and came to sleep at the end of the bed, but once we awoke she would bolt back under the couch.

It looked as if she wants to love us, but not to sure given her back ground. All has stopped and she reverted back in herself and doesn't come to the end of the bed anymore.

If I try to hold her to pet her you could see that she loves it and is really a sweet and gentle cat, but than her face cringes her ears go down and flat and she bolts; I am just thinking that she is remembering and is afraid to love and get close.

I was contemplating in given "Last Chance" up because of her hiding and fearful behavior, but I did rethink my position because "last chance" is not any different from me... afraid to get close, love and to lose.

Comments:

Last Chance
by: Missy's mom
My adopted cat Missy is the same way. She is very fearful of us. She was honestly on her last chance from the pound and they let me take her for only $20.

We made it home ok, then she got all hissy and hid. We kept calling her and discovered she answers best to Missy Sweetpie. When we are all quiet watching TV and the fireplace is going she will come up and set by us and purr.

But she will not tolerate us petting her. She likes to eat on top of the washer, who knew that? Thanks for caring for her and have you tried to give her catnip?

Oh, I just discovered Missy Sweetpie likes goat milk, maybe try that? Its comes in cans like evaporated milk, I thin 50/50 with water.

Last Chance
by: Kim
The way I make shy cats come to me is by hand feeding them sliced deli ham or turkey.