Name: Jax
Age: 4 years
Breed: DSH
Sex: Male
We are scheduling appointments for adopters to come in and meet our available cats. You do not need to choose a specific cat and we are not placing cats on hold for specific adopters.
Some of you may remember four year old Jax. He came to us back in March. He had been someone’s cat once, but he had been living outside for at least a year. He had been cared for by a kindly woman who built him a shelter to protect him from the cold and made sure that he was fed every day. We think she loved him very much.
Unfortunately she passed away, and when the house was sold the new people did not want Jax. They didn’t feed him and they took apart his shelter. When he became ill they contacted animal control. Animal control reached out to us.
Jax WAS pretty ill. He had never been neutered. His teeth were a mess. He was also pretty defeated. He didn’t want to eat. He mostly just let us pet him and slept.
After Jax started feeling a little better, our first step was to get him some dental work so it didn’t hurt him to eat. Then when his mouth started to feel better we needed to get him neutered. And of course, Jax being Jax, it didn't turn out to be easy. Jax was cryptorchid (meaning his testicles had not descended). This made his neuter surgery more complicated. Part of the way through the surgery Jax started to crash. The surgeon decided to stop the surgery in order to ensure that he was safe.
We decided to give him time to heal before completing the neuter surgery. And in that time Jax blossomed. He started to eat. (In fact, he became convinced that he is owed a second dinner every night.) He perfected his come hither look so that volunteers would come over and let him lean against them. He started spending a little time out on the floor with other cats. He started to look healthy and happy. Most importantly, Jax started to feel safe and loved again.
Jax had his neuter surgery successfully completed. His mouth is fully healed. He got the all clear medically to be made available for adoption. And he got the all clear from our socialization team as well.
Jax is absolutely ready to go home. He has been fine with other respectful cats. He would be equally fine as your one and only. He is a medium to low energy boy who hasn’t expressed that much interest in playing. He will bat at a toy a little bit. But he generally prefers just hanging out with his favorite volunteers.
Last week Jax discovered- for the first time that we know of- the pleasure of napping curled up against someone. It is something that he wants to do a lot more of. He is slowly figuring out how laps work. When he isn’t feeling brave enough to climb into a lap (or he doesn’t know you well enough), he is happy to curl against you if you sit with a blanket on the floor. He may even put one paw on you while he sleeps, as if to make sure you won’t disappear when he closes his eyes.
We understand. Jax has spent a long time waiting for someone who will let him sleep curled up against them… for someone who will encourage him to take that final step and become a lap cat… for someone who will keep him safe and warm and fed, and most of all for someone who will make sure that he is constantly loved, and praised and cared for.
Jax deserves all that and more. We intend to make sure he gets it. Jax is FIV positive, but that doesn't mean that can't live a normal, healthy life. All he needs is security, love, and maybe a second dinner now and again.
To find out more or to make an appointment to meet Jax, please start by filling out the application on our website. (Link in comments.) And if you are not in a position to adopt Jax, you can still help by spreading the word about him so that he can finally go home.
We think he is perfect. And if you think he is perfect for you, please fill out the application at www.poainc.org and ask to meet the available cats. If you already have an approved application, you can simply e-mail poaplacement@gmail.com.
Adoptions are now done by appointment only. Email poaplacement@gmail.com for more info and an appointment.