This Feral Cat Finds Love After 10 Years, Now He Loves Cuddles
Meet Mr. Belvedere, aka Mr. B, a roughed-up ol' tomcat with a heart of gold that shows all homeless cats deserve a second chance at a forever home.
After nearly a decade on the streets as the alpha cat of an outdoor cat colony, this bedraggled old tom was on the brink.
Lindsay of Tabby Cat Liability had been working on TNR (Trap-Neuter-Return) for Mr. Belvedere's colony. But this street-smart tomcat was "trap-savvy and hard to catch." But one day, she noticed that Mr. B had fallen seriously ill. She knew he wouldn't make it much longer on his own. "When we finally caught him he practically walked into the trap voluntarily, it was almost like he was begging for help," Lindsay told LoveMeow.
Lindsay rushed him to the vet. "He tested positive for FIV," she said. "At that point, the clinic suggested I put him down, but I could see in his eyes that he still had some life in him."
Mr. B was treated for mange, ear infections, and even had a few teeth extractions. But as he recovered, something magical happened - Mr. B began to open up and trust the humans that were helping him. "Somehow he started to trust me and even let me give him medication and clean his ears. It was like he knew I was helping him, it was so magical," Lindsay said.
As Mr. Belvedere had likely spent his entire life on the streets, estimated to be 10-12 years old, he was afraid of people and didn't want to be touched.
But his rescuer began to socialize him in baby steps, as is important with all community cats, first adapting him to being touched by gently brushing his paw with a wooden spoon. "He seemed to like it, so then I went after his face," said Lindsay. "He was in such heaven."
After a few weeks earning the tomcat's trust, she brought Mr. Belvedere inside to try and make him into a house cat. He took to it immediately. "He was still scared of certain things and I could only pet him halfway down his back, but I could see at that point that he wanted to retire off the streets for good."
It was only a few months before this once fierce street cat was putty in his rescuer's hands, enjoying soft, gentle pets and pats. And after just three months, he began sitting in Lindsay's lap.
Littered with scars telling of his life on the streets, but so filled with love, affection, and tons of purrs, it wasn't long before Mr. Belvedere was ready to find his forever home. "He was a special-needs kitty so I needed a special home for him," Lindsay said.
It wasn't long before he found his home with Jenna, a vet tech, who fell in love with Mr. B when she saw him on Instagram.
"He loves to play! He can entertain himself with toys for hours. The best part about it is that he's never seen toys before so everything is so new and exciting for him," Jenna told Love Meow.
"He has certain chirps and trills when he is happy - different sounds for each emotion! You can see his soul through his eyes."
Want to learn more about how you can help community cats like Mr. Belvedere? Or want to get involved with a local TNR program? Check out these informative posts by the Humane Society or the ASPCA.
You can follow Mr. Belvedere's journey in his new forever home on his Instagram, and see more kitty rescues on Lindsay's cat rescue Instagram, Tabby Cat Liability!
Do you have a Mr. B of your own at home? Now you can get their photo printed on any custom item, like a mug or blanket! Click below for more details.
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