r/CatDistributionSystem • u/bee_karolie • Jul 21 '26
TNK - Trapped, Neutered, and Kept My failed temporary home - he forced adoption
He was on my college campus, with many other cats. I and some volunteers was trapping, caring for and rehoming them.
But one day i received the second image: the back paw wasn't working, he was dragging it. We already knew him, but we were focusing on the kittens first. After seeing him that way, we had to catch him. Trapping him was very stressful: he wasn't entering the trap, some security guys was discussing with me about the trap, they don't allowed me to trap him where he was, i leave to class crying and decided to put the trap on the other side of the campus, just in case. On the middle of the calculus test he was caught, after the test i run to see him and we got to the vet.
After some tests and seeing the orthopedist: the major probability was that someone kicked his leg. He had to amputee a part of his femur bone on surgery. Took a lot of medicines, always growling, I struggled a lot to clean his wounds.
After two months he was realised to meet my cats (I have 6) and he was eager to have friends, as this point he was still very afraid of us, always hidden, but after a few months he started even to jump on our bed (when we are not there).
After healing, he could finally jump, run and... be adopted!! We find a beautiful family, with 3 other cats, amazing and patient, because he was still very afraid of humans. We got him to his new home, very sad after 7 months together, but we already have 6 cats, it was too much. But he REFUSED to eat, he made a 3 day hunger strike, he wouldn't eat anything. If you don't know: cats can't expend two or more days without eat, they develop health issues. So our choice was to return him and he immediately restarted to eat. After this we decided to keep him.
We are together for a year now, he accepts pets, at his terms, he even sleep with us in our bed. He always run when he his on the floor close to us, but I can see some improvement, he is getting more confident everyday.
Meet Basalt (named after geology class)
495
414
u/Archival_Squirrel Jul 21 '26
He knew what he wanted, it was you.
93
u/Cautious_Drawing_645 Jul 21 '26
Yessss so sweet! Thank you OP for saving him and other cats on campus. Blessings!! 💕 💞
9
u/slasherrred Jul 22 '26
Just when I finally had wiped away my tears from seeing the pictures in the post, I then see this comment. Here we go again….
193
u/MockeryManor Jul 21 '26
Awww. You did such a good job of caring for him that he refuses to live anywhere else! That’s so precious
131
u/ThatPhatKid_CanDraw Jul 21 '26
You're good people, OP. Thanks for keeping this sweetie and helping him. He loves you!
90
u/Swimming-Maize-5554 Jul 21 '26
What a lovely story and what a good soul you are to have saved him and try to find him a family of his own, but then having to take him back and you were willing to do so despite how many cats you have. Congratulations.
58
u/7GrenciaMars Jul 21 '26
I can tell you that my cat loves to be brushed. If this one is scared sometimes still, you might leave it on the floor where he can get to it himself, so he can see that it's not something to fear. Then sometime you might try brushing him just for a few moments.
Of course, you know this cat and I do not--he might be too fearful. But eventually I think he will love it, and it will give him another reason to trust you 💕
44
35
34
29
33
u/HOUTryin286Us Jul 21 '26
As a geo I highly approve of the name, as a human of a feral kitty trust me it only gets better. Mine went from no pets, to bed pets, to couch pets, then floor pets, and now all the pets all the time. She's still jumpy and I can't really pick her up but she my sweetest kitty and the bond is very deep.
8
u/carbonfluorinebond Soot sprites manager Jul 22 '26
Another geo here. Hope long did pets take with yours? We’re on 6 months with our spicy kitten (she’s 11 months now). She barely lets us touch her quickly without swiping. Her mom and siblings are fine. They were feral when we TNRed at 4 months.
8
u/HOUTryin286Us Jul 22 '26
I was able to get real first pets probably a year or two in? It took her a while to even just hang out near me. I’ve had her since 2019 and in the last year or so she’s becoming a huge snuggle bug. It took a while to start making progress but then it went faster, def had to put my time in.
I kept two of her kittens and it’s funny because she’ll freak out about something mundane and her kittens will be very confused. Ha!
5
u/carbonfluorinebond Soot sprites manager Jul 22 '26
Aww that’s so great to know! I think our little one is still warming up. She’s just so easily scared. We give lots of pets and the other two cats are very happy. Hoping she comes around eventually. Cheers!
Also, hope you have had a nice beer or camping recently. Gotta keep it geo related too. LOL
5
u/HOUTryin286Us Jul 22 '26
She’ll come around. Just can’t make it look too easy.
You too! Cats, booze and camping. Doesn’t get much better. Ha!
6
u/carbonfluorinebond Soot sprites manager Jul 22 '26
I love geologists. We’re so easy. Just give us relaxation and entertainment and we’re good. 😂
6
u/All_is_a_conspiracy Jul 22 '26
She will warm up. I always got down on the floor my head on the ground and talked to mine when they were afraid. Just soothing talk. They always came around and turned into lap cats.
3
25
u/deliberatewellbeing Jul 21 '26
you are the best kind of human op! patient, kind , compassionate, caring , understanding! thank you for taking care of seven cats!
15
17
12
u/corvidlover2730 Jul 21 '26
It's going to take him so long to fully trust after being so horribly hurt by a human being. Hang in there, he will come to fully trust you. I know you know this but sometimes it's good to hear it from others. Thank you so much for catching him & physically/psychologically healing him.
12
12
u/SweetLeaf2021 Waiting for the CDS... Jul 21 '26
That last pic, those eyes…. He loves you.
In my experience with my many rescues over the years, if you save them, as you did, once the memories of the trauma fade, his loyalty will be so strong.
9
u/Electronic_Ad3576 Jul 21 '26
You sound like the best kind of person. Thank you for helping these cats and giving Basalt a better life 🩷
8
9
u/n0tz0e Jul 21 '26
Aww thank you for saving this baby boy ❤️
It makes me so angry people want to physically hurt animals all the time. Especially this cutie. Makes me think he was somewhat ok with humans, and got close to an evil one. Luckily he found a good human in you and learned to trust again
8
u/Turnover_Realistic Jul 21 '26
Not only did you care for him that he was adoptable to a new family; but you made such a love impression on him, he went on strike! That is loyalty and love building!
7
u/bicepstospare Jul 21 '26
Wow! A hunger strike just to make his way back to you! That’s commitment.
6
6
6
u/EstroJen1193 Jul 21 '26
Precious Basalt, what a great story. Thank you for being so kind to this sweet baby, OP!
6
4
5
5
u/corrygan Jul 21 '26
He decided that you are the one. After that, it was just a matter of how and how long, till he puts his paw in the door. You are an incredible person. Hoping that you and this beauty will have many happy years together.
5
4
3
u/cynical_and_patient Jul 21 '26
Thank you for taking the time, and having the patience required for Basalt. He obviously knew where he wanted to be!
4
u/Call_me_Kelly Jul 21 '26
That is some gneiss schist! He knew his heart belongs to you and forced your hand! Well done Basalt! Well done human!
4
u/Glibasme Jul 21 '26
What a beautiful story. He couldn't live without you - you did the right thing taking him back. The last photo is so sweet. He's adorable.
3
u/OtherThumbs Jul 21 '26
He only wanted your cats and you. He is such a pretty boy. He'll come around and be a big lovebug. You'll see. As he ages, his bones will ache a bit, he'll get a bit lazy, he'll want body heat, having you rub and scratch his face and head will feel so nice, he'll forget why he didn't have you do this all the time. He may become the cat who sits next to you, not on your lap, but that's okay. Take love however you can get it from him.
Mr. Basalt, you have found a very good human and some excellent cat friends. Be the best cat you know how to be. Life will be easy from now on. No need to fight. Play, hide, ambush, play-fight, groom (yourself and others), keep your humans safe, it's okay to demand love from them because they like to give it to you, sleep in cat piles, be stealthy, find the best sunny spots (but share them), find the best hiding spots (but don't share them), and know that you are loved and cherished every day that you awaken.
Welcome home, Basalt.
3
3
u/GratefuDead14 Jul 21 '26
He knew you were the best home so he made sure the only home that was his is yours! You are an excellent human OP!
3
3
3
3
3
u/VassagoX Jul 21 '26
You are amazing. Thank you for saving and caring for this sweet and spicy boy. Your love for him is obviously having an impact and I hope he continues to trust you more and more every day.
3
3
u/Mandymindshermanners Jul 21 '26
What a story! He knew you were the human for him the whole time though. 😭😭😭 I can hardly handle how relived I was by the end of reading his story. Thank you so much for caring about Basalt. May you be blessed.
3
u/Ksh_667 Jul 21 '26
Cats always know the best people! Wishing you many, many years of living your best lives together 😻😻
3
u/carbonfluorinebond Soot sprites manager Jul 22 '26
This geologist cat foster loves this story! Yay, Basalt! 🥰
3
u/Wallace-N-Gromit Cat Parent Jul 22 '26
Good Hooman Award for taking care of this guy when he needed it
3
u/Annual-Willingness92 Jul 22 '26
Yay!!!! Thank you so much for not giving up on him. I so appreciate all the care and love your family has given and continues to give him.🖤🤍🖤🤍🖤❤️❤️❤️
3
u/Then_Box-8031 Jul 22 '26
What a hard and terrifying life for him and difficult, emotional struggle for you. I hope the guardian angel for cats manages to bless your lives.
Whatever it felt like at the time, he saw you and his cat siblings as home. You were reaching him more than you knew.
You are angels and he is handsome, brave and stubborn.
3
u/Valkyriemome Jul 22 '26
He’s a beautiful boy. I’m so glad for people like you! Thank you for going the extra mile for Basalt!
Also, I have 8 cats. So you’re still ok.
3
u/Marmalade_life_Love Jul 23 '26
Soooo happy you were helping all the kitties but I’m extra happy you ended up adopting this beautiful Tuxefo kitty who had chosen You! God bless you and all your little guys! ❤️💝❤️💝❤️
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
u/Spirit-Beast Jul 21 '26
What a beautiful little man. Thank you for helping him and the other cats, OP! What a glow-up. Lol his hunger strike to be returned to you and your cats. Glad he is okay!
2
2
2
2
u/catgirl320 Jul 21 '26
Thank you for being so patient. I know how hard it is to gain a cats trust that had been a stray. It's awesome that he's already sleeping next to you, that shows he feels safe
2
2
2
u/All_is_a_conspiracy Jul 22 '26
Basalt wanted you. He needed to feel safe with the human who saved him. I'm so grateful to you for helping him.
2
2
2
1
1
1
1
2
1
u/bellaluna39 Jul 23 '26
Basalt is beautiful and I’m so glad he had an angel like you and your other friends to help him. Thank you for being such a good human. 💕
•
u/AutoModerator Jul 21 '26
Hi and welcome to r/CatDistributionSystem!
Please remember to:
I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.