Gypsy’s  Story

My name is Sandra and my husband Mike and I are responsible for this web link. We chose to begin addressing emotional special needs cats because we have been fostering such a cat.

Gypsy is a black and white female domestic cat around the age of three. She was brought to HSAR in November after being rescued from living on the streets. When she arrived at the shelter she was pregnant and tested positive for Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV, similar to HIV though only found in cats). Because of her FIV status, Gypsy’s pregnancy had to be terminated and she was sterilzed. Gypsy’s coat was a dirty patchy off white color and she did not like being touched or picked up by shelter staff. Because we were fostering two other FIV positive cats at the time, Mike and I decided we would take Gypsy into our home.

When Gypsy first arrived, she wanted little to do with us or the other two cats. For safety reasons, all three cats are isolated in their own room with wall to wall carpeting, cat window sills, and a plush cat tree for their enjoyment. Gypsy attempted to find any and all hiding places to avoid having to be around anyone. We promptly removed all hideouts, placing their bed on the floor and removing objects that she could fit behind. Gypsy spent her days slinking around the room cowering in corners batting at the other cats when they would get too close. Though it sounds like a daunting task, we were more than up to the challenge.

We began establishing a routine of feeding, loving, and play. We think it helped to have the other cats there as a model for her so she knew what to expect and how to respond. Slowly, she stopped slinking around, her coat brightened up to a glossy white, and she put on much needed weight. Emotionally, she began responding to head scratches and started seeking out petting in the morning. Some mornings, she could be seen playing with a cat-nip mouse chasing it around the room and carrying it in her mouth.

It is now June and we have had Gypsy for almost seven months. She loves having her head scratched and starts purring the minute the morning feeding starts. She has taken to climbing onto the top platform of the cat tree at night where she then waits to be petted and brushed as she purrs in delight. There is still a great deal of work to be done but we are all better for the effort.

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