FOSTERS WHO BECAME FAMILY: SOCKS & ZOYA

By Uchenna C. Okeke

In the quiet homes where fosters become family, there is a special kind of beauty reserved for senior cats, especially the ones who have been waiting a little longer for someone to notice just how wonderful they are. Senior pets don’t arrive as blank slates. They arrive with stories, opinions, quirks and fully formed personalities and when they come as a pair, they bring twice the character and twice the companionship.

TWO SENIOR CATS WITH BIG PERSONALITIES

When Socks and Zoya first arrived, they had a simple strategy for dealing with their foster home: hide and reassess. Socks chose a blanket. Zoya chose under the bed. They weren’t being difficult. They were 11-year-old bonded siblings who had spent their entire lives together before suddenly finding themselves somewhere unfamiliar.

Foster mom, Emily, had recently lost her beloved cat, Rory, and wanted to adopt another adult cat. Fostering-to-adopt a bonded pair seemed like the perfect fit: two cats who already had each other for company while she was at work. Socks and Zoya, however, were not quite ready to warm up to their new situation. And this is where fostering made all the difference. Fostering gave them something they needed: time. Time to feel safe. Time to settle in. Time to trust. And, eventually, time to show who they really were.

The breakthrough wasn’t dramatic. It happened just one night when both cats climbed into bed with Emily.

“They decided I was home.”

And what emerged was really special.

“They’re both some of the sweetest natured cats I’ve ever been around,” Emily says.

SETTLING INTO THEIR FOREVER HOME

Both cats are remarkably well-behaved and tolerant. Socks is so brave now.  He lets people pet him, loves playing with his fishing pole toy and cuddling up on the bed. Zoya, meanwhile, has clearly decided that a human lap is an excellent television-viewing platform. She sits facing the screen, with the focus of someone who has very strong opinions about what’s on. Socks has his own entertainment strategy: spinning in circles for treats.

Socks and Zoya don’t jump on counters or knock things off bookcases. At 11, they have little interest in redecorating. Their personalities are already developed, so there are fewer surprises. As Emily puts it, “Senior cats are usually calmer and typically well-behaved.”

Both cats are also wonderfully vocal, but they clearly did not attend the same meowing school. Zoya has a soft, high little voice. Socks has a much rougher sound. Together, they make so many sounds that Emily describes as the “cat equivalent of a husky.”

And they appear to have the most emotionally mature relationship imaginable. They rarely share the same room. The only scheduled exceptions are brushing time and bedtime. Once in a great while, one will reach out and very delicately and discreetly lick the other one. No drama. Very senior.

There is another comfort in having two. When Emily is away, she doesn’t worry quite as much about them being lonely and when she’s home, there is usually one willing to claim a spot beside her. When bedtime arrives, one will often settle on one side of her while the other takes the opposite side. For Emily, getting to know them has brought a different kind of reward:

“I feel like they truly know and appreciate that I’ve given them a home.”

Emily discovered that fostering is a two-way rescue. Socks and Zoya needed a safe place to land. In return, they have brought companionship, laughter and the simple comfort of coming home to two cats running to the door.

Sometimes, all it takes is an open door, a little patience, and a willing heart to give a pet the chance to become family. Foster-to-adopt is a great way to determine if a furbaby is right for you and your household. Cats and dogs are waiting for you. Visit our website to start your foster and/or adoption journey today!