Frankie – FIV+

Looking at her or playing with her, you might think that Frankie has led a charmed existence. Sadly, that would not be the case. We know that Frankie was loved once, but we also know that she was abandoned outside in a carrier. She was angry and scared… In fact, this peanut was so ferocious that she had to be taken to be spayed in a trap!

We didn’t blame her for being mad. Losing everything and everyone you know is awfully hard. And it didn’t take very long for Frankie to let us to see the sweet girl peeping from behind the anger. Within weeks Frankie was allowing petting, asking for treats, and showing us how smart she was. Shortly thereafter Frankie was out on the floor in general population, where she generally ignored the other cats- unless she wanted to take her turn in chasing a wand toy.

Quite a few people who met her on adoption days were interested in Frankie. But we knew that Frankie needed to have her teeth taken care of before she could be adopted. Her teeth were in bad shape, and we knew that she was likely in pain. In November, Frankie finally got her dental care. We couldn’t wait to see Frankie out and about again.

But Frankie apparently decided that the painful dental care was one setback too many. She wasn’t ferocious. She sat in the back of her condo and flinched when we tried to reach out to reassure her. She didn’t want to leave her condo. She was just done.

We get it. Sometimes things pile up, and the thing that ends up being too much is not necessarily the thing that was the hardest. You are able to keep going after losing a job or a loved one, only to fall apart in the supermarket because you picked the shopping cart with the wonky wheel. You get through the holidays alone and end up spending February in bed. Sometimes you just need a quiet time to feel rotten.

Frankie spent most of November feeling rotten. But in the last week or so we have started to see her spirits pick up. While she is still more nervous than she had been, she will venture out on the floor when it is quiet. She’s interested in her toys again. She wants us to pet her. She’s not yet the fearless sprite that we know she can be, but she is starting to remember that there are lots of things that bring her joy. She has decided that she isn’t done.

February is just a month. We can walk away from the shopping cart with the wonky wheel. And no, we can’t just shake off loss or loneliness any more than Frankie can shake off pain or abandonment, but we can remember that they are only part of our story, and that the story is still being told. Frankie has remembered that her story is still being told. And it is a story that we intend to make sure has a happy ending. Frankie deserves nothing less.

To find out more about Frankie, or to make an appointment to meet the available cats, please start by filling out the application on our website. Our placement team will be in touch by email to answer your questions and talk to you about our process. And if you aren’t looking to adopt, you can still help Frankie by spreading the word about her so that the right person can find her.