Learning to Love Again
Sep 18, 2024
Every day for this young cat was sunny and safe... until it wasn’t. Read about how PAWS Chicago helped her learn to love again.
Love’s original owner had to give her up when she suddenly faced an emergency move and could no longer care for her. Knowing PAWS would provide a safe place, Love’s original owner trusted us to care for the 2-year-old who had so much life ahead of her.
The sudden transition shocked Love. Heartbroken and scared, she stopped eating and developed anorexia. Her condition only worsened as her body lacked the nutrients to sustain itself. She developed a high fever and upper respiratory infection. Our team knew they had to act fast, putting her on oxygen treatments and installing a feeding tube to stabilize her.
Once she was stable, it was clear she needed to be moved to a more comfortable environment. Our foster team quickly found someone to take her in and continue her road to recovery.
Love was wary at first. The lack of stability in such a short amount of time had made Love lose her trust in humans. However, one of our incredible fosters was determined to get Love to... well... love again. Patience and perseverance allowed Love to open up at her own pace.
“I was told she wasn’t eating at the Medical Center,” says foster Claire Gordon, “but when I opened the food bag, she came running and scarfed it all down–quite the appetite for such a small cat!”
With just a change of scenery and a more comfortable environment, little by little, Love started to trust and return to her normal, cuddly self.
“No matter where I was sitting or in what position, Love would immediately come right over and make herself comfortable on my lap,” says Gordon. “I spent a lot more time watching television than I normally would, just because when Love got comfortable, I couldn’t bear to move her!”
After a few weeks in foster care, Love’s recovery was moving along. Not only was her health improving, but the shut-down cat had completely transformed into a lively feline full of love to give.
It didn’t take long for the now confident, cuddly Love to find a new home. Thanks to the care from PAWS, Love learned not all change was bad and her new owner says she adapted quickly and is living up to her namesake as a bundle of love.
Love is now safe and happy in a home, but each of the pets we take in are given our PAWS lifetime guarantee. As we say, “Once a PAWS pet, always a PAWS pet,” so no matter what happens in Love’s future, she always has a safe place with us.