Jasmine Joins the Clowder at The Cat Cafe
I had a home of my own but things changed and my people could no longer take care of me. I went to The Rescue House and then to a foster home. Things weren't so good for me there, because some of the other cats didn't like me too much and annoyed me.
When I came here, I took a while to get used to the environment But slowly, I started to enjoy spending time with the staff. When it's loud and noisy, I'll still head into a place where I can't be seen. But when it's calm and quiet, if you give me time, I'll wander on over to you and give you a head bonk. Once I do that, you can start to pet me slowly and gently. And then I might even roll over for you.
The first thing you need to know about me is that even though my name is Dove , I'm a boy. I'm not sure why the person who took me off the street and got me to a foster home for The Rescue House gave me that name, but they did. I think part of it might be because like a dove, I like to sing. You'll hear my voice a lot. For some cats, that's a sign of unhappiness but I do it to get your attention. Once you get to know me, I like being around you. Pet my head slowly and gently and you'll see me curl up around you. And if you do it just right, you might hear my song change to a purr.
I've been at The Cat Cafe for about a month with my brother Wilber and I'm now starting to get comfortable in the cat room. This isn't a surprise. I lived in a quiet home with Wilber, who I'm bonded to, for about two years. So it's taken a while for me to get used to interacting with a number of people throughout the day. The quickest way to get me going is to get me to play. There's a toy with a feather that I love to chase around.Get that, drag it around the floor in front of me and watch me go. And then you'll see my big paws and fluffy tail start moving around quicker than you thought could happen. I do have to go home with my brother Wilber but you wouldn't want to split us up anyway after you see us together.
I was living outside and nobody knew whether someone dumped me or if I got lost. When the people feeding me discovered how friendly I am, they decided to get me to The Rescue House to see if I could find a home inside. I stayed in a foster home for a while and then another cat cafe before making my way here. Because I'm used to an environment like the one at The Cat Cafe, I quickly adapted and was playing with visitors and staff in no time. Get a ribbon toy, flick it at me and pull it away and I'll show you my playful side. Be careful to not pet me when I'm playing, though, because I will treat your hand like a toy. Come and see me and see if I'm the right cat for you.
We thought we had a forever home when we were adopted, but things didn't work out. It turns out our adopter saw us when we were sleeping and relaxed and didn't expect the energy and rambunctious nature of the two of us. So we came back to The Cat Cafe and we're hopeful that we will find a home where that's wanted. We like playing with all of the toys here, but our favorite toy is each other. Sometimes, visitors think we're fighting and actually mad at each other, but we're not. We're just having fun. So come by and see us play!
Yes, my eyes are that pretty. But my story isn't. When my human went to the hospital, I was left to fend for myself for several days. I wasn't doing well and kind people got me to The Rescue House, where I was able to get the care I needed to recover and thrive. I like to get pet by people I know and like and I enjoy playing with toys. Be careful, though, because sometimes I get too excited and nip at hands and arms. That's why I am not good for a home with young children. Come by and see if I'm the right cat for you.
My sister and I were in a shelter and we didn't have much time before The Rescue House came in and took us in. And we're grateful for that and we show it. Just a few pets is enough to get us to purr. I'm the more active one, always looking for fun. And sometimes, I can be a little bit of a menace since I may become a tripping hazard when I do that. But when it's time to settle down, I love to stretch out on the table and relax. I'll gladly accept pets and purr for you when I do that.
I had a home and thought I was all set. But the circumstances of the person who was taking care of me changed and I had to go back to The Rescue House. Not surprisingly, this caused me to be shy and I am more prone to going into the back than the other cats in the clowder. But if it's calm and I'm hanging around in the cat room, you'll likely find me on one of the palms. And when I'm there, you can approach me and pet me. I'm not anxious to play with toys. You'll have to be patient if you want me to swat at a ribbon toy. When I do it, I'm definitely assertive about it. Take your time to get to know me and I'll be your friend.
When you come in to the cat room, you might have to spend some time finding me. I like to go up high when it's time to nap. It's the perfect way for me to make sure that I can get my sleep in. Nobody can bother me when I'm up high. But when I come down? You'll quickly see how I got my name. I'll dart around the room chasing toy mice and if you get the right wand toy, I'll bat that around for you, too. And when I'm done and hop up off the ground onto one of the trees? The purr motor gets revved right up. Come and see me and maybe you'll want to let me run laps around your home.
I'm a big guy and you might think that I spend most of my time on the floor because of it. But that's not true. I like to climb up to high spots and observe the visitors and staff. And if it's calm and I like the people who are here, I'll hop on down and join you on the floor. When I do, you'll be surprised at how quickly a big guy like me can get to toys. Bring a wand toy over and watch me swat at it, a lot of times more quickly than some of the younger and smaller cats. Just because I'm big doesn't mean my reflexes are slow. After I'm done playing, I'll climb back up high for a nap. Why put myself where my nap can be interrupted?
When you see how much I like interacting with the other cats in the clowder, you'd never believe that I used to be a cat who fought other cats and got FIV because of it. But that was before I got fixed and now I've calmed down a lot. I like to groom the other cats here and I enjoy giving them baths as much as they like being cleaned. When I'm not doing that, I like to bat around wand toys and after I've had enough activity, I'll wander over to people and flop down by their feet. You might be wondering what it means for a cat to have FIV. It's really nothing you need to worry about. I can live a long and happy life with the disease and I can't give it to other cats or people.
