From Cage to Couch Stories: Generosity and Love That Give Shelter Pets a Second Chance at Life

In January I saw a post on instagram from my friend’s dog rescue nonprofit, Bajastreetdogs had shared. It was from a post from mexicalirescuses. It was this little girl in Mexico who had this massive eye infection and really skinny. She’s a chug. I just knew I had to help and give her a better life. They had to remove her eye, it was rough. Two weeks later she was delivered. I’ve have had other great pups but there is just something about her and all that she’s been through. All I want to do is smell her. She’s like a little loaf of bread and butter. We have slept next to me every single night since she came home.

Last week, a skinny stray cat started hanging around my apartment. He was clearly starving, so I started leaving food and water outside my door. A few days later, my neighbor confronted me and told me I was attracting strays. She was pretty angry and said, “I’ll get rid of that cat and make you leave if you keep feeding him.” The next morning, the cat was gone. I didn’t see him anywhere for several days, so yesterday I knocked on my neighbor’s door to ask if she knew what happened. She opened the door, and there he was. Except now he was clean, well-fed, and sleeping on a blanket on her couch. I just stared at her.
She sighed and said, “I know what you’re thinking.” Apparently, she found him outside one night during the rain. He was freezing, so she brought him inside “just for the night.” She took him to the vet, bought him toys, and decided to keep him. She even named him Oliver. I couldn’t help laughing and asked, “So you got rid of the stray?” She looked at Oliver and said, “No. I think the stray got rid of me.” Then she apologized for how she treated me.
She said she realized he wasn’t causing trouble. He was just hungry and looking for somewhere safe. Honestly, I wasn’t even mad anymore. The funniest part is that when I left, Oliver followed me to the door, and my neighbor immediately said, “Don’t even think about taking him. He’s mine now.” The woman who threatened to get rid of the stray ended up adopting him. And somehow, I think Oliver knew exactly what he was doing.

When I was married my wife wanted a cat. I love cats, so I prepped the entire house that we had pretty recently moved into. She picked it out, and I loved that guy. Then she wanted a second car so the first isn’t lonely when we are both out.
Financial stuff made me hold off for about a year. So then I said we are ready, I’ll pick out this cat. The wife already had a cat in mind that I thought was too young, but when I went to see the cats that one jumped on my shoulder, and loved me. Just fascinated with my goatee, purred like an engine. This adorable little idiot decided that the best place to fall asleep was on me and would lay over my shoulders and just pass out. Then she would cry til I picked her up and would fall asleep in my arms. That was it, that’s when she stole my heart. That was the highlight of my day, and I even timed her naps in my arms. Typical nap about a half hour, longest an hour and a half. Don’t think I forgot about the other cat, me and him had a whole special thing too. And when I went to bed, he came to bed instantly. The sleepy cat that needed to be held by her dad for a nap melted my heart more than anything though.

When I met my cat at the shelter and they put her in the little meeting room with me, and she immediately jumped around and circled my legs. She purred when I picked her up (which was a rouse because she HATES being held lol) and I knew instantly that she was MY cat.

Adopted my cat Pickles from an animal shelter three years ago. She was the “grumpy senior” nobody wanted. Now she sleeps on my chest every night and yells at me if breakfast is late. People underestimate how much love and happiness older cats can bring. If you’re thinking about getting one, check the animal shelter near you first. Shelters are full of cats and dogs who just need someone to give them a chance.