The weekends are relatively quiet at the cats-only boarding facility. Once in a while, we get a walk-in — someone who needs to pick up some prescription food from the vet side of the building. Outside of that, most of our visitors are expected (either dropping off or picking up feline guests for boarding).
This past weekend, I had a surprise visitor. A man stopped by to inquire about boarding rates. I ran through the rates, showed off the condos and playroom, and mentioned our extra services (like grooming).
Then he told me his story.
He and his cat had recently lost their apartment and were living in his van. Although he had tried to get friends to take his kitty in temporarily, he’d had no luck. Now he was looking into boarding so she could be well cared for while he looked for work and a new place to live. Our facility was a little more than he could afford.
What next? He didn’t want to surrender her to a shelter. “The shelters are already overcrowded with cats and dogs who lost their homes to foreclosure,” he said. “I don’t want her to be euthanized because the shelter doesn’t have room.” We talked about some of the no-kill shelters in the area, but it was easy to see that he really didn’t want to be separated from his cat.
I offered him some cat food before he left, but he declined. “I’ve got food stamps for me and cat food only costs a few bucks,” he said. Still, we’ve got plenty of food destined for the feral cats; it wouldn’t hurt them to share.
He stopped back in a day later to schedule a grooming session for later in the week. While his cat is enjoying a day at the spa, he’ll be filling out applications. He joked about how much she sheds (almost enough to make a new cat every day), so the bath and brushing will hopefully make them both more comfortable in their temporary home. Maybe if she’s shedding less, a friend will be persuaded to take her in for a few days.
It breaks my heart to see so many people losing their jobs and their homes… only to have to surrender their furry friends, as well. At least in this case, I have a chance to help. I’m going to make sure that after grooming, the cat goes home with a care package of food and treats.