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.

It was early 2013, and inside the shelter was a very scared white cat who was only one year old. He felt so abandoned and was so fearful, that he was pulling the fur out of his tail, yet he was very loving whenever humans paid attention to him. Feral Paws Rescue stepped in and saved him from certain death, as he wouldn’t be deemed adoptable with his self-destruction. Because of his beautiful white coat, we named him Snowy. He was taken to the Rescue Veterinarian and was diagnosed with a neurological condition. He was given a cone around his neck so his tail would heal. Then he was taken to the Main Rescue. After he had healed, Snowy went to the Adoption Center, where he was put in a room with other special cats – mostly seniors who just wanted to lounge on the furniture and look out the window. I was volunteering at the Adoption Center at the time, and it didn’t take me long to fall in love with this friendly, affectionate cat.

Snowy remained at the Adoption Center for a while, but was moved back to the Main Rescue as he had attempted to escape out the front door one too many times, usually trying to follow us. Snowy settled in well at the Rescue, but he continually craved attention and wanted to be with his humans all the time. So he was brought into the house where he could be loved, take naps on the sofas, beds, or his favorite spot (the chair at the computer desk). He will wait for you to get out of the chair, and within a minute he’ll be sitting there, letting you know that you need to find another place to sit! It didn’t take long before it was determined that Snowy’s forever home would be at the Rescue.

Since Snowy always wants to be with his people, it has become impossible to go out the door of the house without him wanting to follow. So he was allowed outdoors. Since the Rescue is out in the country, and is completely fenced, there are no dangers for him while he remains on the property. He will follow us around as we go to the different areas where other cats are housed and “help” us take care of them. When we go out to the front of the property, if he’s outside he’ll follow us to the front gates. But he wants to be picked up and carried back to the house; sometimes he will just sit there, waiting for someone to do just that. He will sit out there watching us until someone comes back and picks him up.

Now we all know that cats are supposed to eat cat food, but Snowy won’t just settle for that. He wants chicken. And not just any kind of chicken: he wants Kentucky Fried Chicken. He wants it in his special little dish and cut off the bones. First, though, the skin has to be removed so he won’t eat the spices on it, because they could upset his stomach. Sometimes, we do get away with cooking a chicken for him, as his “habit” of KFC can get to be rather expensive. It’s basically his treat as long as he still eats his regular cat food.

Right now, Snowy is getting ready for the Holidays by playing in cardboard boxes from Amazon. In the very near future he’ll be helping to decorate the tree and wrap presents. It’s a joy to watch him interact with the other resident cats . Snowy is one cat who has come a long way from that day at the shelter when he was rescued.

From all of us at Feral Paws Rescue, we wish you a very Merry and Snowy Christmas!

NOTE: next cat adoption event: Saturday, December 15, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. @ Tractor Supply, 1630 Herndon Ave, Clovis, CA 93611

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.