The weather is getting colder and at Best for Kitty, we are getting more and more requests to take in cats. Sadly, sometimes we have to say “No”. To be acceptable to us, a cat must be domesticated enough to be placed in a home. We do not have a “shelter” and all our cats are placed in foster homes. Feral cats, or cats that are not socialized to people, are very difficult for us to take into care. A kitten born in the wild can become feral in as little as eight weeks and it is very difficult to domesticate them after that time, so it is very important that any kittens come into care as soon as possible. As we need to place cats in a home, it is also very difficult for us to take adult male cats who have reached the point where they are able to mate. Once at this age, they will often “spray” urine to mark their territory and if you have ever experienced this in your home, it is not pleasant. We value our fosters, and we want to make sure they enjoy the experience of fostering.
We are also an “emergency” rescue, so we will not accept cats simply because the owner is moving or has developed allergies, unless it can be proven that they have tried everything, or simply does not want the cat any longer. Please remember before you get that cute kitten, you are taking ownership of a future adult cat who could easily live for 15 years or more. Cat ownership comes with a lot of financial obligation, the single most important being having your cat spayed or neutered. We would hardly be needed if every pet owner would live up to this ESSENTIAL responsibility. Today’s “Pet of the Week” is a clear example of that. Fortunately, despite being abandoned, he has not lost his trust in people and has fit in to his foster home quite nicely.
Meet Sylvester: Sylvester is a young adult male tuxedo. Sylvester was turned in to Best for Kitty by a lady after he had been hanging around her house for a few weeks. Even though Sly was a stray, his behaviour clearly shows he spent a lot of his life as someone’s pet. He is a “people cat” who loves to snuggle, give kisses and generally likes to be wherever you are. He is TERRIFIED of dogs: even a bark in the distance sends him into hiding. He likely had a traumatic encounter with a dog when he was on his own. We suspect he would be fine with cats.
Sylvester has had his shots and will be neutered on November 9. He is pretty much ready to go and has a lifetime of love to give. If you are interested in Sly, message us on FB Messenger or email bestforkitty@gmail.com
