Finding the right pet takes time – it takes more time to find the right second pet – and we’ve been very fortunate with our finds!
We love hearing how the animals adopted at our shelters are settling in at their new homes. Heatherlyn and her roommate adopted two cats from Pet Alliance – and they quickly became a loving family. Check out their heartwarming story below:
By Heatherlyn, Pet Alliance Adopter
I moved to Orlando for a job in December 2017 and my cat, Murphy, stayed behind with my dad while I made the move. In April 2018, I called home to tell them I was coming to get Murphy, but my dad begged to keep him – he’d fallen in love and started telling of how Murphy would “drink” morning coffee with him, greet him at the door, etc. Seeing as how my dad never liked a cat before in his life, I allowed Murphy to stay with them. That afternoon my roommate Caleb and I headed out to see if there was a new cat for us at Pet Alliance.
We arrived and Caleb immediately pointed at a grey cat lying on a shelf and staring at the wall in one of the cages and said “it’s that one.” I laughed and told him that we can meet the cat, but it doesn’t usually work like that (it was his first indoor cat). When the volunteers sat Caleb down and plopped Mr. Business (formerly Smokey) into Caleb’s lap, we knew he’d been right. Mr. Business spent the first several hours in our house hiding on top of the kitchen cabinets. When we managed to get him down, we set up a kitty suite in my home office and waited for Mr. Business to decide whether he liked us or not. It didn’t take long before the 20lb furball (actually 20lbs – and according to the vet, the perfect weight for his size!) warmed up and proved that he is definitely a people-cat. He doesn’t hide from anyone, sleeps on the beds, manages to take up the entire couch, will cry if I don’t let him sit on a chair behind me while I’m working at home, and is oddly welcoming of belly rubs and Halloween costumes.
It's Nice to Have a Friend
Just about a year later, we decided it was time for Mr. B to have a friend. This time I went solo to Pet Alliance, with no intention of bringing home a new cat that day. I was mistaken. I interviewed one younger cat, and decided she wouldn’t be the best fit for Mr. Business or our low drama, low maintenance household. The volunteers encouraged me to let an older cat sit in my lap – one that had been yelling and telling a story the whole time and went by the name of Spaz. Despite his need to tell me all about his day, he started nuzzling my face and then curled up and fell asleep in my lap – this was the one. I’d been told he was there for a while and was a favorite among the volunteers. After sending a few pictures and making a phone call, Caleb agreed that, while unexpected, this cat would fit in well.
Every volunteer in the cat area gathered when I said I would like to take Spaz home – they took turns petting him and wishing him well while I filled out the paperwork.
Within a week, he was renamed Roger (after the alien in “American Dad” who makes similar noises when he wants attention) and he and Mr. Business were snuggling together on the couch.
I don’t know if I can accurately describe the joy and chaotic neutral energy these two fuzzballs have brought into our lives. Mr. Business is our calming force that likes to stand on the coffee table right in front of where you’re watching TV, and Roger has parlor tricks, including aggressively licking ANY cup that has condensation on it (also the prime instigator of wrestling matches that take place on my bed at 3am).
Prepare for Trouble — Make it Double
I’ve had to add an extra chair in my office so they can both sit behind and watch me work – Roger will meow and tap me on the shoulder repeatedly to let me know he wants in my lap. They both love taking baths, being brushed, belly rubs, all of it. Roger will stand on the edge of the tub and meow until I spray him with water. They always want to be near us, but when Roger gets bored or tired, he will quietly disappear and put himself to bed (which is my bed, but he doesn’t know that). I’ve had cats for quite some time, but never a pair like these two. Their level of shenanigans fits exceedingly well into our household. Roger and I are currently going through the process to become a Therapy Team and he’s doing very well on some “training runs” we take to friends’ houses. He loves riding in the car, meeting new people, and being pet for an hour at a time.
It’s now Halloween time, and our first year with both of these nuggets – Roger fits into most cat-sized costumes, but Mr. Business requires a Medium Dog size, so matching costumes aren’t exactly an option. This year, Roger is a pizza and Mr. Business is a rainbow unicorn!
The folks at Pet Alliance Orlando have been nothing short of amazing, from helping pick the right pet, to checking in for updates on one of their long-time favorites. Roger sends regular updates about his antics. Mr. Business is more low-key about his awesomeness, but due to his extreme photogenic qualities, has become a celebrity at work. Finding the right pet takes time – it takes more time to find the right second pet – and we’ve been very fortunate with our finds!
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