A Success Story: Tommy

Cat Stats:

Tommy Reading SCAA Website

Name: Tommy
Age: 2 years
Rescue: Tommy and his sister Mila were full-grown adult cats when their owner abandoned them on a doorstep and left Shanghai.
Funny habit: Sitting in the bath tub – usually when it’s empty but sometimes when it’s full of bubbles!
Status: Adopted

Tommy’s Story

Tommy and his sister Mila were abandoned on a doorstep as fully grown adult cats when their owner returned to Canada.  SCAA took the cats into foster care and Mila found a good home fairly quickly.  Tommy, who had more difficulty trusting people, was in foster care for almost 10 months.  It took patient and caring foster parents, David Daly and Joka (Jia) Xu, a long time to help Tommy become the relaxed and loving cat he is today.  Working at home often, Joka developed a strong bond with Tommy and, judging from some of Joka’s photos, Tommy developed a particular interest in her laptop computer!

Tommy’s new mom, Francesca Mulazzi, saw Tommy on SCAA’s website and knew immediately that he was the perfect cat for her and her ginger cat Tito.

Before there was Tommy, there was Tito…
International school teacher Francesca Mulazzi fell in love with Shanghai while visiting 6 years ago and jumped at the chance to return for work in 2006.

The tummy-flashing Tommy photo that caught Francesca’s eye

Tito, Francesca’s 4-year-old ginger tom cat, adopted from a U.S. animal-rescue organization, made the trip to Shanghai with his adoptive mom. Tito has even flown to the U.S. and back to Shanghai during summer breaks!  Tito was lonely at home in Shanghai by himself and when Francesca saw Tommy’s profile on the SCAA website she thought he would be a perfect sibling for Tito.  Of her first sighting of Tommy, Francesca says “In one picture Tommy was laying on a chair with his fat stomach spread out and I was smitten!

Debunking Adult Cat Adoption Myths

“Relaxed”, “plays with cats and dogs”, “is lonely at home alone” and “runs laps around the apartment” are things that can describe an adult cat as aptly as they can a young kitten. 

The only thing better than a comfy new home...

is having a friend to share it with.

Tito and Tommy, along with many SCAA cats, prove that adult cats can be more social, healthier (at least slimmer!) and happier pets when they have a cat friend to play with.  Yet time and time again, adult cats get passed over for adoption in favor of small kittens. Adoptable adult cats suffer this fate all around the world, so Tito was lucky to have caught Francesca’s attention in the U.S. as was Tommy in Shanghai: “When I adopted Tito, he was already a year old and had been in the rescue center for a long time. I felt bad that no one wanted to adopt Tito. The same for Tommy- I felt it was my responsibility to adopt another older cat to prove that kittens aren’t the only pets out there.”

Knowing your adult cat’s personality and following some simple tips for integrating a new pet into a household help everyone adjust to the new pet status quo.  While Tito enjoys summer vacations in Maine with the Mulazzi family’s other cat and two pugs and can easily be described as a “very relaxed cat”, Tommy had only made friends with some of his foster cat mates but had been aggressive with others.  Francesca gave Tommy his own room for a few days and he and Tito got used to each other’s scent through the bottom of the door. Then, when Tommy and Tito met for the first time, under Francesca’s supervision of course, they “sniffed noses and butts and became friends almost immediately”.

Tommy Settles in and ‘Showers’ His Adoptive Mom With Affection

Tommy introducing Tito to his favorite hangout!

After three or four days exploring his new home, Tommy settled in.  When he’s not sleeping on the bed or in the window with Tito, he enjoys spending time with Francesca, including time in the shower:  “His personality is crazy- he jumps into the shower WHEN I AM IN IT.”

Having each other to play with while Francesca is at work has been good for both cats - Tommy’s big tummy is trimming down with all the chasing around the house, while Tito is discovering new places to hang out that he’d never though of before. 

As the proud and happy owner of two big ginger tom cats, Francesca offers some sound adoption advice: “Do not be afraid to adopt an older cat. They will love you for it!”

 

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