Vinnie came to Catnip Casa permanently at the age of 15+ years old through a pet assistance program for seniors. He’s now almost 20 based on our records.
One day, a year or two before he came to live here, Vinnie appeared at our feral colony feeder. He was a neighborhood indoor/outdoor kitty. This handsome fellow was very friendly, but he needed more food and attention. We gladly kept an eye on him, while he continued to live with his owner and visit us.
Then, tragedy struck when the owner’s dog (which Vinnie knew and loved) died, and she adopted a new dog. We helped the owner, and the social service agency, get care for Vinnie after he was severely injured by the new dog.
Vinnie survived, and the owner gave the dog back to the rescue. Needless to say, the dog went to a home without cats. In all fairness, Vinnie is aggressive toward large dogs. However, we don’t know if he was always that way or became defensive after being injured. He’s still wonderful with our little shelter dog. We’ll never know the whole story. We’re just glad they both survived.
Then, sadly, Vinnie lost his home due to his owner’s health, which resulted in the loss of her home. We agreed to take Vinnie because of his age and uncertainty about whether he might have future medical needs after being injured.
During the intake exam, we learned he was also positive for heartworm and needed dental work. He had a difficult time adjusting to losing his home, but he made fast friends with our little dog. Vinnie prefers dogs to other cats, even after his unfortunate experience. He’ll play with the dog, but he’ll ignore the other cats.
Vinnie is not up for adoption due to his age, difficulty adjusting, and ongoing medical treatment. About two years ago, Vinnie developed a very obvious case of dementia and yowls a lot when he needs someone to come and help him. Mostly, he seems to want to just see that we are close, and he’s safe. All is well when we put his food bowl under his nose, brush him gently, and offer a few pets. He still finds the litter box–but then, there are boxes in almost every room. For now, his weight is fine, and he’s having no problems with the heartworm. He just needs more care.
He sleeps a lot and gave up most of his office duties. Much to the Happy’s disappointment, he doesn’t play chase very often now either. He’s taking a couple of meds to keep him comfortable as his arthritis becomes more severe.
Please, help us make sure this old man has a wonderful ninth life and enjoys his retirement. Your sponsorship or a donation helps us keep our promise to you and to them, a safe place for a ninth life.
Sponsor him today!
