By Anonymous FAN Volunteer –
In rescue work, sometimes a cat speaks to your soul, and their eyes tell a story you’d never wish to hear or want to believe. Melody is one of those kitties.
Scrolling through a local app, I happened upon a photo of a rain-soaked kitty. Her eyes were pleading for some food and a warm place to get dry.
I contacted the poster, identified myself as a volunteer with Feral Affairs Network (FAN), and said I’d help this kitty that was begging at their door. I planned to scan for a microchip and reunite the kitty with her owner.
Hesitant to come close at first, but once I opened a can of food, she immediately ate from my outstretched fork.
This cat was starving —one of the skinniest I’d ever seen— and I easily trapped her within minutes. She knew she desperately needed help
Once trapped, I took this kitty to our rescue and recovery sanctuary. Sadly, a stray hold resulted in zero claims.
After investigating in the neighborhood, I learned that Melody’s previous owner had passed away over five (5) years before. This kitty had been living outside on her own, depending on food that neighbors left out sporadically. I could only ponder the horrors of her life.
For a few weeks in our sanctuary, we worked on socializing her back to an indoor environment. Then suddenly one day, Melody slipped out the door and was gone. We searched the local shelters continuously, hoping beyond hope that she’d show up.
Missing for a couple of weeks and optimism waning, I like to think it was serendipitous that she sat in the very first recovery kennel when we walked into an emergency vet. A kind person had brought our missing kitty in after finding her with a collar embedded into the skin of both her neck and under her front leg.
Melody spent the next few weeks in recovery in various foster homes.
From the moment I met Melody, I knew she was special. I became so invested in her wellbeing that I called my mom nearly every day to update her regarding Melody’s progress.
Next stop for Melody was Catnip Cat Cafe. Even though not yet in peak condition, she was ready for adoption and her very own forever home. I felt my heart break a little more every day, knowing that if Melody was adopted by someone I didn’t know, I’d never see how her life turned out.
After only a few days, my mom decided to adopt her! I was elated, and I knew this would be the best home for such a deserving and resilient kitty.”
From Melody’s new mom:
“Brave and stoic Melody didn’t make a peep during the car ride to my house. She seemed so exhausted and grateful to have her own person —and a home— again that she walked confidently in the house and immediately jumped onto my lap.
At first she was quite thin. But after much-needed affection and attention, Melody gained weight and now has a full coat of beautiful fur. She’s very smart and strong, and she’s bounced back from her many homeless years. Melody is such a good girl, affectionate, and a ray of sunshine, filling my life with love and joy.
We are so thankful to FAN. Without their wonderful resources to help such a remarkable kitty, I shudder to think what would have eventually happened to Melody.”
