Five from Five Road: 3 - Sparkie

This is the third  in a series of stories about five cats who were recently transferred to the Cat Sanctuary from the Richmond City Shelter because they were considered unadoptable.   (See Lucky and Chester)

In Sparkie’s case, it was because he pees outside the litter box.  In his defence, it’s likely the stress of unhappy changes in his life that brought on this bad habit, since it seems all was as it should be in his previous home.  Sparkie had lived for  all of his eleven  years in a happy home but, sadly and unavoidably, everything changed this past year.  His owner had to move to a care home and leave her beloved Sparkie behind.  The family  tried to find him a new home, but without success. Eventually, they had no other option but to surrender him.  Fortunately for Sparkie, the surrender was to RAPS – not every shelter is willing or able to take in an older cat.  Sparkie started out at the City Shelter but, when his less-than-desirable litter box habits were discovered, he was deemed unadoptable and transferred to the Cat Sanctuary.

 
It was immediately apparent at the Sanctuary that Sparkie was a sweet and gentle cat, although he was, of course, more than a little overwhelmed at first.  He would burrow under the bedding in his cage to sleep, as if hoping that this new scary stuff  would all go away and he’d be back in his former happy home when he woke up.   Fortunately, he quickly learned that, despite having to share his surroundings with lots of other cats, being at the Sanctuary wasn’t all that bad.  There’s lots of loving from lots of people and he gets to go outside now – pretty exciting for a cat that was formerly strictly an indoor guy!   He seems quite content and no longer hides under bedding. However, he  does have a rather strange relationship with warm and fuzzy blankets!  Brigid calls him “a dedicated kneader “ of anything soft.  She says that, when he gets going, he really puts his back into it and even talks while he’s doing it.  Although it’s pretty funny to see, she doesn’t think it’s suitable for family viewing.   Hmmmm - did he always exhibit this quirky behaviour or did he learn it from Deety, the master of the art of X-rated blanket kneading? 

Whatever strange behaviour he may exhibit with fuzzy blankets, Sparkie is a little gem and very much loved again!

Blog by Marianne Moore
Pictures by Marianne Moore and Michele Wright