by Lupe Gore

Feral Paws Rescue Group in Fresno shares with us some of their animal rescue adventures every month. Check out KRL’s article about Feral Paws to learn more about them. Lupe Gore is a FPRG volunteer.

Pumpkin is a beautiful, large, seven-year old orange and white cat who Feral Paws Rescue saved from the CCSPCA (Fresno) over two years ago. She had been surrendered to the CCSPCA after the death of her human owner. She was at the main rescue site for a while and acclimated to life there, when a call came from a senior citizen who was looking for a cat to share her small apartment. As part of the Rescue’s Senior-to-Senior program, Pumpkin was placed with the lady. Pumpkin was initially very shy and wanted to hide in the bottom of the recliner chair. She had a playful nature, though, and hid objects that her new human left lying around, including a roll of quarters for the Laundromat, and putting her “stash” of toys under the woman’s bed. Pumpkin settled in, and she and the woman became best friends.

Pumpkin

Unfortunately, in January 2019, Feral Paws received a call from the lady, saying that she had to return Pumpkin to the rescue as her own health was failing and she was moving into a care facility. This time, Pumpkin immediately went into foster care when she came back to the rescue. Pumpkin’s mom was heartbroken at having to give her up, but, there are other cats in her new foster home, to which she is acclimating. With much attention and care she is gradually adjusting to her newest surroundings. Most of all, she loves to be held and petted and reassured that everything is all right. It is never easy for a cat to be abandoned, even once, but twice can make them depressed just as a human would be, especially as they get older.

Also in January 2019, Feral Paws Rescue was contacted by a private shelter (SGVHS) in Los Angeles County regarding two beautiful cats who had been there since May 2018. Dyna is a three-year-old female, and Soft Tail is a six-year-old male. Both were found wandering the streets, so it is unclear if they had a home and were let outside, or if they had been abandoned. They both have medium-length fur, are white with brown and grey markings, and look like they could be related to each other. Neither Dyna nor Soft Tail got along well in the shelter environment, as they tended to be reclusive. Dyna had no adoption inquiries, and, although Soft Tail was adopted in June, he was returned 11 days later as the owner “had no time for him”. After that he became even more reclusive. Dyna had some flare-ups of a medical condition due to stress, and neither would groom themselves so they had to be shaved.

After many months of volunteers working with them, the shelter staff reached out to several rescues to intervene. So a couple of weeks ago, Feral Paws Rescue made the long trip to pick up both Dyna and Soft Tail and bring them to the Rescue together, hopefully not only to gain their trust, but to make them more sociable so they can be adopted out together. They are very bonded to each other, and Dyna goes into a depression when she can’t see Soft Tail or be with him. One day at a time, progress is being made thanks to Paula and her team of volunteers. Now Dyna and Soft Tail run around in a very large area, they have both begun to talk to volunteers, and they have stopped hiding. They have even started to walk up to the volunteers to get attention.

Check out more animal rescue stories in our Pet Perspective section & watch for more stories from Feral Paws every other month, and we would love to have you join our KRL Pets Facebook group. Advertise in KRL and 10% of your advertising fees can go to Feral Paws.