The Olive Branch

I have a story to tell you about.  It is one that I find both inspiring and heart-warming.

There was a kitty who lived with her family for a decade as the only pet.  She was well provided for, well cared for, well loved.  One day, her human parents brought home two puppies.  This was apparently too much of a shock for Olive, she began going outside of her litterbox – something she’d never done.

Her parents took her to the vet repeatedly, checking first if there was a physical condition causing her new behavior, then checking back on what they could do to help her.  Whatever they tried, it didn’t work.  By this point, they were completely smitten with the dogs, there was no way to dogs would be leaving.  Chalking it up to “old age”, the parents gave up and returned to the vet with Olive – this time, for her to be euthanized.

The vet, compassionate and aware of alternatives, asked permission to transfer Olive to the loving hands of the local rescue group instead.  The group accepted her, placed her in a foster home where there were many cats, but no dogs.  Olive continued to miss her box, perhaps simply because once again, she was traumatized.  A volunteer with the group took pity on her plight, adopted her without a moment’s thought.

Now, he had a few cats at home already, so once again Olive was not the only pet.  But what he lacked in exclusivity for her, he more than made up for with effort and persistence.  And belief in Olive.  He experimented with different locations for the boxes. He spent several months living with plastic covering nearly everything – he even covered his sofa cushions with plastic garbage bags!  But, his determination and patience paid off.  One day he noticed her try to use the box, then begin to leave it.  He realized she was a larger-sized kitty, trying to use what for her was too confined a space.  He got a larger box.

Olive now uses her box faithfully.  She may be a senior kitty, but of all this man’s cats, she is the most demonstrative with affection.  He can rely on her to climb up on his chest when he sits back to relax, wrap her paws around his neck, and soothingly purr away his stresses of the day.

Senior kitties, or those with behavioral issues – my friend will tell you, NO PROBLEM.  Not if you believe in the animal, have patience, and give of yourself.  What you receive in return is truly amazing.

It is Adopt a Less-Adoptable Pet Week, better known as Adopt a Seriously-Adoptable Pet Week…consider adopting or helping one of these treasures!