The Rescue And Rehoming Of Puss (Liyana Ismail�s)

Dear Dr. Chan,

I like to share with you the story of a kitten that I rescued few weeks ago.I found it all alone, tiny, and thin.It was all bone, skin and fur. I picked it up, walk around the area to find its mother, but couldn’t find her. After that, I bring it back to my place and feed it. The kitten eat heartily, almost choking itself because the kibbles is too big and the kitten too hungry that it hardly chew it. I put some water in container lid for it to drink, but the kitten didn’t seem to know how to lap water, so I soak the kibbles with water to make sure the kitten have some hydration. I went back to place I found the kitten to find its mother. Few strangers noticing the kitten in my arm tells me that it had been there since yesterday. We suspected that the kitten was recently dumped to the place since both me and the stranger are familiar with all the stray cats in that area. After some discussion, the stranger encourage me to adopt the kitten.

Honestly, at that point, I was in doubt. Keeping pet is against the rule of the residential college and being a student, I don’t have the time and money to keep a pet. But I can’t leave the poor kitten where I found it. That night, I placed the kitten in large box with kibbles soaked kibbles and a bottle of hot water wrapped in towel for the kitten to keep warm. Through out the night, the kitten keep meowing for attention and I finally relent by bringing it to sleep with me on my bed. I was worried the kitten might poo and pee on my bed, but the kitten was proven to be very smart. Throughout the three nights I foster it, it never poo and pee at other place except in the box I prepared for him. I found out that the kitten is a 2 month old male kitten. I decided to call it Puss. Puss is so smart that by the second night, it figured out by himself how to lap water. He will meow loudly till I wake up to bring it to its box too poo and pee and he learn how to use stacked shoe boxes as stairs to climb onto my bed. He was such a bundle of joy throughout the time he was with me. I missed him purring contentedly while being scratched on the ears.

Though I was happy having Puss around, I find it’s hard for me since I have to leave him alone in his box through out the day. And it’s hard for Puss also as he need constant companion and stimulation as it is still a young kitten. Luckily, a friend of mine was looking for a cat and wondering whether she can snatch any cat she found on the street. I tell her about Puss and ask her to check out Puss pictures that I’d uploaded on FB. I think my friend and her sibling immediately charmed by Puss cuteness that she confirmed taking in Puss that very night. I was so relieved as Puss gonna have a new cat loving family. The next day, my friend come to my place and bring Puss back to her house, officially adopting him. Saying goodbye to Puss makes me realised how I loved him. I feel like crying. I was worried if Puss too attached to me to be adopted in a new family. Turn out, it was the other way around.

Even though Puss was only with me for 4 days. Puss charmed me with his cuteness, intelligence and spirit. Though I feel sad letting him go, but I guess it’s the best for him. I guess, my whole experience with Puss is teach me that you need to persevere a lil bit a longer even though things doesn’t seem to go your way. Picking him up that day, I never know that it is his first to step for a better life with a new family. More importantly is knowing when to let go, as in Puss situation, even though I love him a lot, but he needs a better home with larger family. Attached is some picture of Puss. Sorry for the long email. I wish the all the best for AnimalCare and better future for all the stray animals out there.

Regards,

Liyana