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    ‘He’s brought me so much joy already and follows me everywhere like a little shadow.”: A filthy, neglected stray’s journey from a garden bed to a beloved indoor companion concludes with a full veterinary makeover and a new, permanent name: pepper

    There is no doubt that cat rescues can be dicey, sometimes it is because the cat themselves is a little bit of a menace and is unpredictable to the point where it might cause those around it harm. And other times it is because the cat is so tame and cuddly that you cannot be all to sure whether you are simply stealing someone's cat who went out for a walk and lost their collar.

    This story is related to the latter type of cat albeit in a setting that you would not necessarily expect a cat to be cared for. More often than not, cohabiting young men are the perpetrators of catto neglect, not the saviors of cats from neglect. But this group of young people showed that there are indeed some well-mannered youths out there who will go above and beyond for the needs of a cat child.

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    Author image for Laurent Shinar Laurent Shinar
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    • 01
      About 2 months ago, the most adorable kitty cat showed up at my boyfriends house appearing to be a stray. He was incredibly skinny, dirty, and hadn't been neutered. My
      via sophielola_
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    • 02
      boyfriend and his housemates began feeding him and he was sleeping in their garden in a little bed they made for him. He wanted to take the cat in, but unfortunately one of the housemates turned out to be
      via sophielola_
    • 03
      allergic so they asked if I'd be interested in keeping him. We made a few posts on local Facebook groups and they put a collar on him with their details on to see if anyone claimed him (they didn't). So I decided
      via sophielola_

    • Wow, what a wholesome start to a story. Unfortunately, not all too many stories begin with such a sweet and simple start. Perhaps because most cat rescues seem to take a drastic, emergency style approach. Which admittedly could have been the case if these young men were not as caring as they seem to be. 

    • 04
      to adopt him and keep him inside as we live in a big city and I want to keep him safe. We checked to see if he has a microchip, which he doesn't, so I got one inserted with my contact details. I've also had
      via sophielola_
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    • 05
      him c d₁ dewormed, vaccinated etc. I've bought him endless amounts of toys, a cat tree, and really want to give him the best life I can. He doesn't seem to want to go outside at all now and has settled in so quickly.
      via sophielola_
    • 06
      I'm pretty sure the cat was stray, as he was so dirty and tiny and had fleas. However, he is just so friendly and cuddly that I can't help shaking the feeling that someone must have owned him. The vet
      via sophielola_
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    • 07
      also thought someone probably owned him at some point, but he assured me I did the right thing by taking him in as he was so neglected. I guess
      via sophielola_
    • 08
      I'm just worried he may have gotten lost and someone is out there looking for him, perhaps in another area of the city. Does anyone have any thoughts or wisdom on this?
      via sophielola_
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    • Well, here we have it, one of the toughest truths that there are in cat ownership. They are not going to be your cat forever, whether it is old age that takes them, or a turn in the tide of the universe, a cat pawrent has to always be aware that their time with a cat child is limited and should be enjoyed as much as possible while it lasts.

    • 09
      I love my sweet boy so much, I've named him Pepper and he is just the cutest cat ever. I just really hope I did the right thing.
      via sophielola_
    • 10
      EDIT: Hi everyone! Just wanted to thank you all for your responses. I have read them all and I really appreciate you all taking the time to give your thoughts and share your stories of similar situations. Nothing
      via sophielola_
    • 11
      Cheezburger Image 10561129728
      via sophielola_
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    • 12
      better than hearing of a stray or abandoned cat being given a second chance and ending up in a loving home. I .1
      via sophielola_
    • 13
      feel a lot better about keeping Pepper now. He seems so happy with me, as I am with him. He's brought me so much joy already and follows me everywhere like a little shadow.
      via sophielola_
    • 14
      Thank you also for raising good points on ways I can continue to look for a potential owner. I live in the UK so not sure what the official protocol is on
      via sophielola_
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    • 15
      registering a found cat, but I will definitely look into it. I do feel satisfied that we made a genuine effort to find out where he came from. I'd also
      via sophielola_
    • 16
      be pretty heartbroken if someone claimed him now, but I think I'll still contact shelters in the area he was found just in case. Thank you all
      via sophielola_
    • 17
      again for giving me a peace of mind about this. Sending love to you all and all of your kitties!
      via sophielola_
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    • 18
      alphi... if he was someone else's cat before, they clearly weren't taking very good care of him, he has a
      via sophielola_
    • 19
      much, much better life and a loving home with you now, previous owners or not
      via sophielola_
    • 20
      Shib... You did the right thing. Ask yourself this - would you ever let Pepper end up like that? My guess is no.
      via sophielola_
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    • 21
      None of us would. The cat senses who you were and made a choice. Keep him and keep loving him. And, thank you for being a good cat human.
      via sophielola_

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