A big Meow for all of those who have adopted our wonderful little babies. All of our kitties can add so much to your life, but don't take our word for it.
Henk
My first and only cat, an angel named Pushkin, died four months earlier at age 16 1/2, and I thought I would never adopt another cat. But the photo of “Hank (Skippy)” on the GCK web site touched me and I wanted to meet him. Elizabeth said that he was “affectionate and talkative,” two qualities that Pushkin had in spades and which I was hoping my next cat would also demonstrate.
I met Hank at his foster home out in the North Bronx. He ran from me instantly. I was told that he had had at least five different homes (some horrible), had been declawed (abuse!) and was not trusting (how could he be?). Clearly he was not affectionate or friendly, but he was gigantic — over 18 pounds! It turned out that his foster mom was moving to another state the next day and that she could not take him with her. I adopted him and changed his name to “Henk” and completely dumped the “Skippy.” (Where did that come from; does he look like a Skippy?)
It was a terrible first year. He ran from me for twelve months. I would try to sit with him and he would flee. I could barely pet him and when I was able to, he would bite me. I wound up getting a second rescue cat (a tiny kitten from Asbury Park who had a horrible history as well — but was very affectionate). Henk ignored her.
Around his first anniversary with me, Henk peed in my bed. I phoned Elizabeth and told her that was it. Things were not getting better and I wanted to return him to GCK. She agreed to take him (of course), but suggested I purchase a bottled liquid diffuser called Feliway: a synthetic pheromone that mimicked the odor of friendliness to cats. It sounded ridiculous and no one was more amazed than me when it worked! Henk’s entire personality began to change. Over the next three years, Feliway combined with intense love and patience, caused him to metamorphose into the most loving, affectionate cat I could imagine. He never asks for anything except his Goodlife Beef and Chicken Treats at 7:30 every night. He eats them out of my hand or stands on his hind legs and extends his front paws and head up to reach eat them out of my hand.
I never thought I would love him so much. He comes to me when I call him (jumps up on the couch) and we rub our heads together and I kiss his head and he blinks his eyes at me (to show love) and I do the same to him. He still ignores my little girl, but that’s the way this mountain lion-like Alpha cat is. Just look at the photo of him — regal and relaxed — in his element. I cannot imagine my life without him. Love changes everything. And it would never have happened without Gotham City Kitties and their continued support.
~ Fred Kaplan
