I was not looking for another cat. As a full-timer shelter volunteer and foster mom, I had a full house with four cats of my own and any given number of fosters. I was simply cleaning out cages at the shelter, when I reached in to remove bedding from what I thought was an empty cage, and found this mess of a cat hiding underneath.
There wasn't a card on his cage so I took a closer look. Bent leg. Hunched back. Two different colored eyes - one of them runny. He scrambled back under his blankets and I went back to cleaning, but I couldn't stop thinking about him.
A week later, we named him Petey and moved him to adoptions. I watched as adopters said "What if his leg needs surgery?" or "What's up with that hunch?" So, I took him home to foster.
It took only one day for him to adjust. He spent the first day in my lap, snoring like a pig. He made friends with my zoo and quickly destroyed any feather toy in his proximity. He learned to climb into my arms and sit like a bird on my shoulder.
Petey turned each of his negatives into a positive. He discovered how to open a door with his crooked paw and jump over the dog with his signature hunchback-hop. He even learned to give a high five for treats.
He had a potential adopter, but when they backed out, I was secretly glad. He now lives a wonderful, spoiled life in my home where he is loved for being odd.
I wasn't looking for another cat, but that's okay. I got a stone cold weirdo, a half rabbit, half parrot, 100% purrfect pet.
My Petey - the one and only.
Jacksonville, FL
