Toby and the Allens : Furry Friends Fur-Ever Tail
“My husband and I hadn’t had a cat for over a decade and didn’t want one because we’re older and we worried that any pet would likely outlive us,” says Terry. “But when a kitten showed up at our door one cold December evening, he was brave enough to come inside after staring through the open door for 20 minutes.
“No one claimed him despite continuous postings, so we kept him and named him Ziggy. A year later, we thought he might like a companion and again, despite our age, we went for it. I looked at the available cats in various shelters, but it wasn’t until I saw Toby, formerly Bobber, on the Furry Friends site that we decided to meet him.
“He was quite shy and huddled in a corner under a chair, but he was the age we wanted, and we were told that he was very sweet. He stayed in our guest room for three weeks with a water fountain, litter box and cat tree so that he could look out the window. At first he hid under the bed, but because of the camera we’d set up, we saw him come out in the evening to sleep on the cat tree or on the bed. He soon started sniffing me and allowed me to pet him, but he wouldn’t let me hold him and he’d crawl under the bed if it got to be too much.
“Once he was more confident, we opened the door with a garden trellis blocking it and let both cats see and smell each other. A few days later, we opened the door and closely monitored Ziggy. If he got aggressive, we’d gently take him out of the room and close the door. Although it was a slow process, we were patient, knowing if an introduction wasn’t done correctly, Ziggy and Toby might never get along.
“Toby is now part of the family, and we’re so, so happy to have him! He’s a great companion and enjoys Ziggy licking him and wrestling with him. Toby may never be as large as Ziggy but he’s often the one doing the chasing and pouncing which makes us laugh. They’re a joy to watch and we’re delighted we chose him. Toby finally allowed me to pick him up and carry him around, and has not only become quite cuddly, he purr, purr, purrs a lot. He also has a sweet relationship with my husband, often seeking him out for attention.
“Toby doesn’t meow like a typical cat but chirps and trills, which is something we hadn’t heard before, and we can’t help but smile whenever we hear him. He’s such a sweetie, and now Ziggy has a best friend. With this kitty, patience was key, but it was definitely worth it.
“I encourage everyone to adopt a cat, whether it’s a senior, an adult or a kitten. They will add such joy to your life.”
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Furry Friends Fur-Ever Stories are compiled and written by Nomi Berger who is the bestselling author of seven novels, one work of non-fiction, two volumes of poetry, and hundreds of articles. She is a volunteer writer for Furry Friends in Vancouver, WA and also volunteers her writing skills to animal rescue groups in Canada and the USA.
