Toby

Bio:  Toby is 5 years old (as of August 2016), neutered, has a chip and a clean bill of health. We think he had been living in our neighborhood for two years on the street and as I had put out food years ago, he may have finally succumbed and returned to our yard in hopes of an easier life.

 

He was initially reticent, of course, but warmed up pretty quickly and immediately used the litter. We fed him for a week outside (waiting for a vet appointment) before we could bring him in and he used a distant part of the yard to relieve himself, digging furiously in the dirt to bury the evidence. Some of that behavior remains and he will go to town in his litter box. Seems he is becoming more confident that he is safe and this behavior is diminishing.

 

He does not seem to miss the outdoors and spends the day on a comfy pillow, getting up to play and eat. He is very playful and purrs a lot. He thrives on attention and human interaction. His photos are an accurate depiction of how soulful he is. He has a dog-like gaze and talks in chirps and purrs.

 

In the 8 months that we have had him, he has become more relaxed, rolling on his back and settling in when hugged and pet. Although his temperament is naturally friendly, it's taken all this time for him to startle less regarding household noises and the coming and going of daily home life.

 

**Because our house cat doesn't get along with him he has alternated staying in our two sons' rooms. Both rooms have great light and ample space. He seems adaptable to large and small spaces. Although he prefers one of the rooms over the other as it was the first room we put him in. It's harrowing to give him up but his quality of life is compromised by having a limited run of our house.

 

Personality:  Toby is soulful and has a very intense gaze as though he's checking in to see how you're feeling and if everything is still okay between you. Once he became comfortable, he now affectionately pushes his forehead into yours and he has lovingly nibbled my nose. ( I'm the mom amongst 3 males) He is different with all of us. I've known a lot of cats and he is a character and really special.

 

Likes:  He loves to play with a mouse on a rope and likes it when the play is aerial rather than on the floor. He loves jumping up as though catching a bird. He likes being help upright on your lap and rubbed on the top of the head and near his whiskers. He also likes his lower back, near his tail, scratched. He tolerates being held like a baby but it doesn't seem to be his most comfortable position. He is not a fussy eater but the vet advised a grain-free diet as he is prone to obesity having been neutered so late and having a more sedate lifestyle as an indoor cat.

 

Challenges: Building trust that he is safe. The new caregiver must be sensitive to going slowly and allowing Toby to find his way in his new environment. This will bring out the best in him.  Also consistency is key to him building trust: established place to eat, sleep and litter, as well as consistent feeding and watering times. Due to potential weight gain he is only fed a 1/2 to 3/4 cup in the morning. He is an early riser in our house and meows at 5:30am. However, when I have slept on our son's lower bunk he likes to sleep at the foot of the bed and sleeps in.

 

Preferences: Because he is still learning to trust that his living environment is not full of threats, it is essential that he is the only pet in the house. He is very devoted to his caregivers and it is important that his environment feels safe from the life and death threats he endured on the street. However, as far as people, our boys are 12 and 14 and loud and active and he really enjoys them. He is initially not bothered by new animals but his Tom Cat survival urges take over after about 48 hours.