Sometimes fostering is a sprint and other times it is a marathon. Mufasa was definitely a marathon kitty. To be honest, he may have even been an obstacle course kitty, jumping through hoops and over hurdles before landing the perfect adopter… in Ohio. To understand just how special his adoption is you must first understand Mufasa’s special needs.
Mufasa is estimated to be about 9-years-old and was rescued by Planned PEThood from a high-kill shelter. We have no idea how he landed up there to begin with or what his life was like before us. To say he was a hot mess is an understatement. His long hair was so matted that he had to be fully shaved upon rescue, and during the shaving process we realized he was emaciated and declawed for starters. Things were a challenge for Mufasa from day one, but he has always been the perfect gentlemen. He easily won over his foster parents with his blue eyes and LOUD meow.
Unfortunately Mufasa’s journey was just beginning. Remember, we are on a bumpy crazy obstacle course here. In summary, after months of vet visits and tests here is the list of ailments Mufasa suffers from:
1. Arthritis – moderately severe in elbows and mild in wrists
2. Bone Marrow – non-regenerative anemia
3. Thickened Small Intestines – possible cancer or IBD
4. Heart Murmur
5. Declawed – refuses to use litter box; uses puppy pads but often has misses and loose/soft stool
Just one of these ailments would typically detour an adopter, but five serious issues seemed like it would scare everyone away. His foster family was open and honest on his profile and shared the good, the bad, and the difficult. Mufasa was going to be an expensive kitty, but he was worth it!
Every once and a while we would get an e-mail or application that seemed promising, but they seemed to always fall through. It seems Mufasa knew the perfect mommy was on her way the entire time. He just patiently waited in his cat bed.
To care for his medical issues Mufasa needed a RX diet, probiotics, monthly injections for arthritis and joint supplements. Who better to care for his issues than a retired vet tech with experience with his breed and medical conditions?! When this application came in it was too good to be true. Mufasa would even be an only cat with ALL of his new mom’s attention. Just one small hiccup in the application. His adopter was in Ohio and Mufasa was in Georgia.
Well, when it is meant to be everything just falls in line. Mufasa’s adopter flew (in a pandemic) to Atlanta to pick him up at the airport. His foster family overjoyed to bring him to the airport for a final farewell. Just like that Mufasa’s obstacle course was complete. He made it to the finish line and won the prize. A life of love, comfort, and care thanks to a serious of events. Each part playing a significant role in Mufasa’s happy ending.
Every adoption is a race to the finish line. Some are fast sprints that take but a few weeks from rescue to adoption, others are marathons that take months or years, and occasionally there are a few obstacle course runners like Mufasa. Foster homes are the constant that every animal needs in order to get to the finishline. Consider becoming a foster home today!
