A cat came up to a family and made a plea they couldn’t refuse after his days as a forgotten stray.
A team of volunteers from Stray Cat Club worked tirelessly to rescue a colony of abandoned cats, pulling them off the streets and into foster homes.
Among them, a cat named Gingerbread stayed in the background, keeping his distance, but his eyes betrayed a desire for affection. “He came from an abandoned traveler’s site that had upped and moved and left all the cats,” Stray Cat Club shared with Love Meow.
One after another, Gingerbread watched other “forgotten” cats get scooped up by rescuers. He mustered the courage to come out of the shadows and seek affection.
By the time all the other cats were in foster care, he was the last remaining stray yet to be rescued. With the weather getting colder, a volunteer jumped at the chance to foster him.
By then, Gingerbread was rough around the edges and showed signs of a kitty cold. Bewildered by the drastic change from the streets to a home, he hid under the bed for the first few days, trying to stay out of sight.
His foster family offered a relaxing space, their gentle presence, and all the time he needed for his guard to fade.
On the fourth day, he broke through his shyness and emerged to explore his surroundings. A few ear scratches put him at ease, switched on his purr engine, and reassured him that he was safe.
While Gingerbread kneaded gently on his carer’s legs, his love unfurled like a beautiful flower. “He came out of his shell to be the loveliest cat. He has the loudest purr.”
His foster family planned to continue socializing him, nurture him to tip-top shape, and eventually find him a loving home. But Gingerbread had other ideas in mind.
Over the following days, Gingerbread discovered the fun of toys, the joy of walking on soft carpets, and the comfort of sleeping on a warm lap.
He began to spend ample time snuggling with his foster carer to be nourished by love.
When Gingerbread was due for a dental procedure, nearly all his teeth were extracted, but he came home feeling much better.
“Life as a stray meant an inconsistent diet; sometimes there was food, other times there wasn’t. Although we don’t know what he has lived and seen, his teeth speak a lot about his past as they were all cracked and damaged.”
Gingerbread may be nearly toothless now, but he’s gained a spring in his step, a zest for life, as he no longer lives with pain or struggles to eat.
He likes to rest his paw on his people or weave himself around them when they lounge on the couch.
He is the first thing they wake up to in the morning, the constant snuggle buddy throughout the day, and the purr machine that puts them to sleep at night.
From the moment Gingerbread came out of his shell, he knew he was right where he was meant to be.
He became their ever-present shadow and burrowed his way deep into their hearts.
“We are happy to say that he has been adopted by his fosterer, who cannot bear to part with him,” the rescue shared.
“This lovely boy will continue to want for nothing and have the bestest life.”
