On the seventh day of Catmas, our true loves gave to thee … a happily ever after ending to a sad start story.
Jake’s world turned upside down when he found himself dumped on a farm north of Calgary. Lacking the skills to fend for himself outdoors, Jake ended up on the wrong side of the farm cats and got a bad reputation trying to defend himself. The massive upheaval took a deep toll.
Upon arriving at FRFA, most everyone described Jake with the same word – sad. So sad he was named Jake after the lyric “If I die before I wake, feed Jake.” He was given a stuffed toy monkey to be his “I’ll never leave you” buddy and Monkey never left his side. During Jake’s first year with us, upper respiratory issues appeared along with seasonal asthmatic-esque episodes and food allergies. Each issue was managed easily once identified but made him that much more unlikely to adopt.
Given the loving, stable environment of the shelter Jake began to let his guard down. Like many wallflowers, Jake liked to hang back. While appearing aloof at first, he was really sizing up situations and new people until he could trust them. He gained confidence and found a wrestle buddy in Michu and engaged with the volunteers who approached him. Jake settled into life at the shelter living the best life we could give him.
Imagine our utter delighted surprise when after 7 years Shannon came forward with interest in adopting Jake.
Shannon began volunteering at the shelter, making every cat feel special. But Jake caught her eye and her heart with his sweet and quirky ways. Knowing all his issues did not deter her from wanting to have him in her life. We couldn’t ask for a better happy ever after forever home. This is why we never gave up on Jake or any cat – because you never know when their person is going to come along. Every cat deserves a chance for the best life possible with their right people.
Jake is enjoying the presents under the tree to see if any has his name. If you would like to brighten Christmas for one of our other sanctuary cats, please consider donating through ATBCares (https://bit.ly/ATBCaresFRFA). Specify “sanctuary cat” and where you would like your donation directed in the notes to us.
If you have a soft spot for cats overlooked for adoption and would like to meet some of ours, please email . Sponsoring a sanctuary cat with a monthly contribution helps with the costs of their day-to-day care. Please consider donating through CanadaHelps.org, select the fund “Sponsor Parent” and specify their name.
Photo credit: Thomas Ooms