Thumper Lilly

I met Thumper Lilly while doing cat care at Petsmart. I knew she'd been a 'long timer' when another volunteer asked, "is that the SAME Thumper Lilly? She's was here LAST year." Poor Thumper Lilly! I felt so sorry for her. I understand why she hadn't been adopted. She's painfully shy and very timid around people. But I found that with patience and a light touch, she'd trust a little and she gradually let me pet her. Then the motor started.... That purr along with her little elf fairie face and her little white paws did me in. I was a goner. I had to take her home. I adopted her as a gift to myself for my birthday. Unfortunately, my lovely plans of her becoming best friends with my other female didn't work out so well. They didn't care for each other and Lilly was so scared, I barely got to touch her. Believe it or not, it was FIVE MONTHS before I could really pet her. For all that time, she wouldn't let me near her and would run and hide if I even looked at her. It was clear any kind of bonding would have to be on her terms. I had to accept her for what she was - a houseguest with fur :) Finally, in recent weeks, she's become my pet cat instead of my houseguest. She's started sleeping on me, walking up to get petted and though she still runs when I walk towards her, she comes right back and settles in. It may take years for her to feel safe and comfortable enough to trust me completely, but she's worth the wait. Winning her trust has been so rewarding. It's helped teach me patience and acceptance. Volunteering with Pet Rescue By Judy has been great, especially when I get to see animals find their perfect homes. And that's what happened with Lilly and me. I'm grateful to all of the volunteers who saved her and took care of her. GO CAT LADIES! I've attached a picture of Lilly (tuxedo on the left) with my calico, Vista. ~ Stephanie H.