Toothless's happy ever after

“Merry Christmas from Toothless and us! ♥️🎄 He’s turned into a very loving guy and his personality is definitely larger than life. His favourite toys are actually those wand toys that you mentioned he used to be scared of! He is also very good at making friends and seems to enjoy socialising with any visitors. Thank you so much for allowing us to adopt him ♥️🎄🐈‍⬛ Wishing you a wonderful 2024! X

Ps. He is enjoying using the tree as a scratching post 🙄😇🤣”

This is one of the many lovely messages we’ve received over the festive season. Thank you to every adopter who sent us well wishes, a present or made a post.

The above message is all the more remarkable for the journey the once shy, withdrawn Toothless has made over the past year. From his arrival in foster at Catcuddles, where slowly but surely, he shed his shy shell over time, he learned to become bolder and more confident. When cats become extremely introverted, it's usually because they have been failed by people during their life. Toothless needed a home with patient adopters who would help him understand he was loved. Here is his story.

A long term stray, like so many before him, he was unneutered and infested with fleas. He had clearly lived on the streets for a considerable amount of time before eventually coming to the attention of a local resident who, after feeding him for a few weeks, was able to get close enough to get him into a carrier and take him to a local Vet. What happened in the ten years or more prior to this, we will never know. This timid stray was not in the best of health; suffering from chronic upper respiratory issues, discharge from his nose, fractured upper canines, and severe dental disease. He also had FIV. Treatment began, and with the improvement and the hope to eventually find this scared cat a forever home, he was neutered and had all his teeth removed, hence his name.

When senior boy Toothless came into our care, he was a bewildered, nervous cat who would hiss to express his fear. Arriving in foster, Toothless was very shy and unsure of the new situation, around new people; generally preferring to keep his distance but always sitting and observing. At his own pace, he began to enjoy his surroundings. In time, he moved from the shelter provided by a cardboard box to the cubby hole on his cat tree. He began to accept fuss when eating, and eventually, it was the top of the cat tree, out in the open that he favoured. He would come rushing down, chirruping away for food, and while wary with toys to begin with, he was won over by toys he could play with by himself like a catnip banana. It was a journey that took time, but over the months he blossomed, and a year on he's very much both a cuddle bug and a little lap cat! He still has a bit of nasal congestion, but it doesn't seem to be affecting him too much, thankfully; it has not affected his appetite!

Toothless was adopted by a couple who have adopted several senior cats, preferring to give a home to cats who might be struggling with health or be quite shy. He has won over his humans and is respectful towards his older, feline sister. A cat now so very full of character, he also enjoys watching bird TV and adores snoozing on laps. In a year when more cats than ever have needed help and a greater abundance of 'unplanned litters' and backyard breeders than ever imaginable, at times it can feel impossible but offering cats like Toothless a second lease on life, to alleviate suffering and help (re)discover happiness while strengthening the human-feline bond is exactly why we are here.

Wishing Toothless and his family all the very best for 2024.