Dear Cathy: About three years ago, two black-and-white cats sneaked into my house when a door was open. After all this time, they still are terrified of me. I have three other cats that they get along with, but despite…
three other cats that they get along with, but despite my welcoming them in, giving them all the space they want, providing them with food, fresh water, soft places to sleep, and safety, they still run whenever I appear. The larger of the two is about 30% trusting, though she will not permit any physical contact of any kind. The smaller one is just plain scared and hides under a chair in my room. I assume she comes downstairs to eat during the night.
People are also reading… But the truth is, they may never socialize to the point where you can touch them. While that can be hard, because you love them and want to pet them, you have already demonstrated extraordinary love and patience for these felines that few in the world could match. The reward for that may just be knowing that you have saved two lives, loved them, and provided them with a forever home. You’re awesome.
As a result, there has been a language shift; the word “adoption” has become synonymous with the word “rescue.” People generally don’t say they adopted a pet anymore; they say they rescued one. By using this language, they are communicating in a single word that their newest family member is from an animal shelter or rescue group and not a breeder.
Cathy M. Rosenthal is a longtime animal advocate, author, columnist and pet expert who has more than 25 years in the animal welfare field. Send your pet questions, stories and tips to [email protected]. Please include your name, city, and state. You can follow her @cathymrosenthal.Respond: Write a letter to the editor | Write a guest opinion
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