We adopted Andy “Watson” Boots in May of 2011. We had lost our cat Casey to cancer and were really hoping to find someone who would love our other cat, Hap, and fill our home with that certain happiness that perhaps only pet owners understand. Boy did we get it! Watson’s description said he was upset in his cage, shy and didn’t like to be held. We figured it would be hard for him to be adopted, competing against kitties who were cuddling right there inside the Petco. We thought maybe we could offer him a nice life with lots of toys and treats, and a playmate.
KittyKind told us he was late-socialized, but that they had made progress with him and would be there to guide and support us whenever we needed it. We took them up on it and had a long talk with the woman who had fostered him and emailed back and forth about what we could do to bring him out of his shell. He was so good with our other cat that even if he never became a people-cat, we would have still loved him just the same. But we did everything they told us, and he went from being basically untouchable and afraid of people to a super affectionate cat.
Watson just loves to be petted now, and KittyKind was right: They told me that it would take time, but that when you do bond with a late-socialized cat like Watson, it’s even more special. He is a huge part of our life, and his young spirit has lifted ours. It melts the heart to watch him play or cuddle with our other cat, Hap. He is such a lovable guy and has so much to offer our little family – we are so lucky to have found him.
