A pitifully frightened and forlorn Fred was discharged to us.  We quietly tended to his needs, taking care not to offend or scare him further.  Delectable tidbits and gentle words of reassurance were offered, but Fred remained frozen in fear.  In an attempt to make him feel more secure a plush and poofy baby blue bed was offered.  He slipped silently into its cushy depths and within moments began kneading like a nursing kitten.  Fred loved that bed!  The following day he was blissfully lolling to and fro darn near beaming at us.  We do not know why the gift of that bed had such a significant impact on Fred.  Perhaps it brought back a distant memory of when he had been safe and well loved.  Regardless, it provided a fast track to his heart and his trust.  Fred is now an utterly fearless feline though we wish he would practice a bit of caution for he is often directly underfoot vying for attention.  He is an adoring companion, keeping a watchful eye on those that are important to him.  He would do well with an equally adoring person or two that enjoy lounging about with their favorite one and only feline friend.  Fred had so little for so long he would rather not share his people.