Matchmaking: Kitties and Kiddies

A Success Story by SCAA Sponsorship Director, Jack Derrington

Felix and Oscar

Cat Stats:

Names: Felix and Oscar:
Age: 12 months
Rescue: Found on the street, cold and hungry, when they were only a month old
Funny habit: Chasing around the vacuum cleaner
Status: Adopted (together!)

My friends search for the right cat companions

SCAA recently had the pleasure to “place” a couple of gorgeous black and white cats with 4 very close friends of mine. These friends are a family living in Pudong: Peter, Caitlin (the parents), Max and Elliott who are their two gregarious blonde-headed boys. (With very disarming smiles - be careful ladies.)

There had been some discussion in their household about getting an animal (or two!) and the best seemed to be cats as they had a history with cats and they were the best option for apartment living. The challenge was to find two cats that had the right personality to mesh with two active, engaging and particular twin 4 year boys.

Felix and Oscar relaxing in SCAA foster care

When I presented this quandary to our Foster Care Director, Lee Anne Armstrong, she said she would search her foster list and we would try our best to find a good fit. The main quality we were looking for was “flop” quality. Of course, you normally want your cats to be playful - displacing the rugs, doing cartoon impersonations as they round corners too fast, but in this circumstance we needed cats that were also willing to be stroked, willing to be picked up and not lose their cool. They needed to have “flop”.

My friends Max and Elliot meet Felix and Oscar

So, with that in mind, a couple of cats in foster care were considered: Felix and Oscar. These were a couple of lithe adolescent black and white brothers that seemed to have some of what we were looking for, actively floppable. They were screened at their foster home briefly, where Peter and a friend of his were rather impressed when Felix and Oscar greeted them at the door and proceeded to vie for their attention. Soon after, Felix and Oscar were off to their new home.

To say these two have been a fit into the household would be an understatement. They are part of the family now and have certainly proved SCAA’s faith in them by displaying two of the most likable personalities you would ever see. The boys, Max and Elliott were thrilled with the new additions and immediately put the cat's flop quality to the test. You know how so many animals, cats and dogs will run the instant the vacuum cleaner comes on? Not these two, but they are not indifferent either; they actually chase and follow the vacuum around! So many cats would also not take kindly to having their eyes opened and closed for them, as Max often demonstrates for guests: “Felix eyes open, Felix eyes closed, Felix eyes open, Felix eyes closed.”

Felix and Oscar really making themselves at home!

This story is a great example of how we at SCAA try our best and hardest to find the right animal(s) for a family and vice versa. With animals and with people, there are no guarantees for sure, but we tried and found a match that has worked beautifully. Max and Elliott now have two more playmates in the house and the family home has a warmth to it that was not there before.
Our thanks go out to Peter, Caitlin, Max and Elliott for giving Felix and Oscar such a wonderful home.

Jack Derrington

YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE!!! FOSTER, ADOPT, DONATE TO SCAA!!