She crossed Rainbow Bridge in October of 2020 from inflammation that had traveled to her brain. It broke my heart.
Then I adopted Baxter/
Baxter's back story is uncertain. He was apparently found as a stray by a lady who couldn't keep him, and he was surrendered to HSET. He was blind and probably had been for a good amount of time. It was felt that he had other issues as well such as thyroid problems. I had never dealt with a special needs animal, but Baxter was an easy one. He acclimated himself quickly to my home and was a cuddle bug. In November of 2021, he began staggering around and the vet said that he was unsure of the cause but suspected it was neurologic in nature. He quickly became worse and his prognosis was very, very poor. I had to let him cross Rainbow Bridge as well.
I'd sworn off pets by now but then along came Apollo. I volunteer for HSET and when I saw Apollo, I fell in love, His backstory was sad. He had been raised from kitten to adult by an elderly man who kept him in his bedroom. He had also been declawed. (Please, don't ever do that to a cat!) When the gentleman passed away, his wife wanted nothing to do with Apollo so he was surrendered to the center. He had a difficult time socializing with the other cats and was kept separate for his physical and emotional well being. He would be destined to be an 'only cat.' I decided he needed some full time love and so I am fostering him. He is what is called a 'permanent foster." He'll never be taken away from me.
Although I adored Apollo, he was very unsure about me and even nipped at me once at the center. But I took a chance and brought him home.
I picked him up from the vet after his exam and shots. He was not a happy camper!
He immediately hid for the rest of the day and then later in the evening, came out from under the bed.
He was very wary of me!
The next day, he became a bit braver and jumped on the couch next to me.
It didn't take him long to find a snuggle place on the bed.
Surveying his kingdom!
Apollo has become a snuggle bug and can be very affectionate but as with most cats, only on his terms and his timing. It's been a joy to watch him come out of his shell and make this his home. He is an unusual cat. He doesn't care for treats and doesn't seem to understand how to play with toys. But we're working on that.
He's pretty sweet! I guess he likes me after all!
