Terrified Cat Hides In Corner All Day— Then An Angel Teaches Him To Trust
When this kitty was dropped off at the shelter, he would sit with his head in the corner all day. He was completely lost and broken, but then a special woman gained his trust. <3
My first cat was a black cat. He was a giant, fluffy farm cat named Matthew Perry, and I fell in love at first sight. When Matt Perry went over the Rainbow Bridge, I was completely devastated. I swore to myself that I’d only ever get another cat if it was black, and it would be in honor of him. That’s not how things worked out, but since then, I’ve always had a special place in my heart for black cats.
Black Cat Rescue in Boston Massachusettes, is a rescue facility specifically devoted to black cats. The loving staff pairs black kitties with loving forever homes. Jennifer Stott is the co-founder and executive director.
In an e-mail with Animal Channel, Jennifer writes, “I co-founded the rescue 10 years ago because I loved volunteering for other animal welfare organizations and saw a need for a specific rescue for black cats.”
Indeed, when it comes to adoption, black cats often aren’t a family’s first choice. Most recently, reports say people are overlooking these black beauties because they don’t photograph well— but if the pictures in this article are any indication, that is definitely not true! Realistically, black cats have always gotten a bad rap. People think it started in the Middle Ages when they started being associated with witches and witchcraft. Unfortunately, that philosophy has enmeshed itself in modern society, and black kitties still don’t get the appreciation they deserve.
Last December, Jennifer got an e-mail from another local shelter telling her about a black kitty that needed her help. Martin, as the cat would come to be called, had been abandoned by his family but nobody knew why. Since being dropped off at the shelter, the little guy was completely paralyzed with fear. He had been sitting with his head in a corner all day and was even refusing to eat.
The email read, in part, “[Martin] is a young boy (1 year 9 months) with a great profile who is literally sitting with his head in the corner all day. He’s scared out of his mind and has stopped eating as a result.”
“He was absolutely terrified to the point of inability to perform basic life functions like eating,” Jennifer recalled. “I would describe him as shutting down.” The staff at Black Cat Rescue knew they had to do something to help.
“We were pretty full at that moment, but it was clear that he needed out of the shelter fast, so we decided he would stay with me.”
After a routine vet check-up and neutering, Martin was delivered to Jennifer’s door. The vet said that Martin was completely healthy— his problems, it seemed, could be solely attributed to fear. Despite the kitty’s anxiety and terror, Jennifer knew she couldn’t give up.
“When Martin first arrived, I place him in a small bathroom with soft bedding, food, water and clean litter.”
“The next day I sat on the bathroom floor doing various things like reading or softly singing but never attempted to touch him. He stayed in the back of his carrier for most of the day.”
“That evening— he still hadn’t eaten the wet or dry food offered— I decided to try some treats. I placed a few in my palm and just kind of placed my hand right outside the opening of the carrier.”
That’s when something amazing happened; Martin stuck his wet snout right in Jennifer’s palm, gulping down the yummy treats. “It was like a switch had flipped,” she wrote. “He came out of the carrier, sniffed me, rubbed up against me and then GOT IN MY LAP.”
With patience, kindness, and understanding, Jennifer had managed to pull the terrified Martin out of his fluffy shell. “After that,” she said, “He continued to be one of the friendliest cats I’ve ever fostered.”
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Once Martin had realized that Jennifer was there with love and care, Martin’s personality really started to show. What was once a timid, depressed kitty with his nose in the corner quickly turned into an energetic and playful little fluff.
“He’s quite the little character,” Jen wrote. “His playful side definitely emerged once he got comfortable. He zoomed around after toys and had an adorable way of flopping on his back for belly pets.”
As visually appealing as some cats’ markings are, black cats are just as special. In the end, Jennifer reminds us, personality is what matters most— and “black cats deserve a second chance.”
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