Fostering Can Be Surprising, Complicated and Joyful: Our Journey with Didi

I’ve always considered myself a rescue person.  Even in elementary and grade school, I would bring home stray cats and kittens to protect and love (only to have them given away by a mom with an allergy).

I’ve been more formally involved with rescue since 2012.  Our first foster failure was Frankie, a cat on the “at risk” list at the San Jose shelter.  We’ve fostered and adopted other rescues, but other than a small house crowded with two adults and up to four cats, rescue was pretty uncomplicated.

 

Then came Didi, a cat SVPP pulled from the San Jose shelter.  Didi’s paperwork said she was a young adult (six) and healthy, except for being hyperthyroid.  We could get the much-needed specialty thyroid treatment close to home, so SVPP asked us to foster Didi until she was treated and cleared for adoption.

 

And then came the surprises…

 

The first surprise was diarrhea, starting on our way home from Pup Plaza (via the San Jose shelter). We thought this was from the stress of the shelter (more than 10 weeks in a cage), but even after she was settled in our cozy and comfortable office, the messy problem continued.  We quickly worked with the VCA vet on diagnostics and diet to appease her obviously troubled digestive tract.

The second surprise?  Her age.  Data from her chip told us she is 12 years old, not 6.

 

Third surprise?  No teeth except canines.  But, she does remarkably well with dry food.

 

The best and last surprise?  Her resilience and how fast she started to improve once we got her the food and care she needed.  This cat is a survivor with extra love to give.

 

Every day, we experience her sweet nature, energy, smarts, big purrs, and affection.  At 12 years young, this cat plays with peacock feathers, cat nip toys and mice.  She jumps, runs around and climbs even the tallest cat trees in our house — and has learned on her own how to use the “doggie door” to our catio. She cuddles, snuggles and lays on any nearby human while she naps.  I can’t imagine why anyone would have surrendered her.  While her shelter paperwork didn’t mention this, I’m wondering if her digestive issues and hyperthyroidism didn’t prompt Didi's drop off at the shelter. 

 

Didi’s future is still being written...but, in the meantime we — and SVPP — are keeping her warm, safe and loved.  I doubt that her prospects as an older, special needs cat would have been that good at the shelter.  It has been a surprising journey, but saving Didi’s life has been worth it.

Our blogger, Karen Zamel, is a long-time SVPP volunteer and a member of the communications team.