Heinrich

Tuesday, two young women walked into the lobby. One was carrying a black-longhaired cat. He was on his back, with one leg sticking up in the air. She said she found him that morning, but couldn't keep him. She didn't have her ID, so her friend signed the cat over as a stray.

I later found him in the feral/stray room, unvaccinated and with no name. I was confused, since he was so docile and if that girl had handled him like that as a stray, he should have made it through vaccination with no trouble. I talked to him and pet him, but he stared off into the distance and didn't react to me at all. The intake team pulled him, vaccinated him, named him and asked the vets to take a look at him, since he was acting like he couldn't see anyone. He was covered in scabs and had significant hair loss, probably from fleas and living on the streets.

Turned out there was nothing wrong with his eyes. He was just so scared that he was completely shut down. The first day, he was laying in his litterbox, unresponsive. I put a towel in his kennel, and he hid under it once I left. The next day, his towel was gone and he was back in the litterbox, so I got him a bed and flipped it upside down. This is what I saw when I checked in on him later:

He hadn't eaten, hadn't used the litterbox. Other than hiding, he didn't really move. I kept talking to him and petting him, and he eventually started looking at me and making biscuits. After another day, he would move his head to get chin rubs. When I would call him, he'd pop his head out.

Turns out, that girl who carried him in was actually his owner. She came in Wednesday to reclaim him, and was shocked that we required photo ID, and proof of ownership, and a fee, and that she would get him vet care. He wasn't a stray from the streets. He was someone's pet dumped at the shelter without even a name.

His stray hold ended, and I couldn't let him go anywhere else. I brought him home.

Within minutes, he was out from under his blankie and in my lap. He ate like he hadn't eaten in days because he hadn't. He was so starved for food and affection that he didn't know which one to do. Madeline and Xanadu arguing outside the room scared him, but he looked to me for reassurance and I guaranteed him that they did not have thumbs and could not open the door to get to him. He seemed okay with that. I combed off a lot of scabs, and he seemed to enjoy it.

When I left, he went back into his box to lay down, but did not hide under his blanket. I hope he feels better, eats a lot and finally uses the litterbox. His fur will grow back, and he will find a good forever home.