BETTY

Some cats arrive in rescue quietly. Betty arrived having already survived more than her fair share, then promptly decided that life was far too interesting not to enjoy every minute of it.

Betty is a wonderfully loving, playful little character who seems determined to make up for lost time. She fetches like a dog, chases wand toys, sticks her paws in her water and spends a considerable amount of time trying to convince her feline friend Nancy that another game is absolutely necessary.

She is affectionate, funny and full of personality. After everything she has been through, what Betty needs now is the chance to stop being a rescue cat living in a bedroom and finally become somebody’s cat.

A bit about Betty’s day

Betty likes to be involved in family life and is happiest when she has plenty of interaction, affection and playtime.

She loves her toys, particularly wand toys, and has even mastered the art of fetch. When she is not playing, she is happy to be picked up and held and will sometimes settle herself onto a lap.

She currently shares her foster space with Nancy and spends plenty of time trying to persuade her to play.

Betty currently has dry food available throughout the day and enjoys Applaws wet food twice daily. She is fully litter trained and currently uses soya litter, although she has previously used clumping litter without a problem.

The important Betty business

Betty’s idea of great entertainment includes playing with toes underneath the duvet, so future adopters may wish to keep those feet safely under cover.

She can also give little affectionate or playful nibbles. These have never been aggressive or broken the skin and she stops when told “no”, but it is a habit her new family should continue working on, particularly in a home with children.

Her play can sometimes be a little enthusiastic, which is worth considering if she is joining another cat.

Betty can initially be cautious around strangers, other cats and loud noises, but she is friendly with people, children and dogs once comfortable.

Medical issues

Betty was rescued from the streets while heavily pregnant and suffering from a particularly nasty case of cat flu. She underwent a pregnancy spay and subsequently developed pneumonia.

She also tested FIV positive and FeLV negative. Because of her medical history and FIV status, her vet advised that returning her to street life would leave her particularly vulnerable to becoming seriously unwell again.

Betty has recovered incredibly well, although she has been left with a lingering cough. A few times a day she may have a short coughing episode that can sound as though she is trying to bring up a hairball. It does not currently stop her playing, eating or enjoying life, but it is something her future adopter needs to understand and be comfortable with as it may be ongoing.

What sort of family would suit Betty?

Betty needs people who genuinely want their cat to be part of the family.

She is sociable and playful and can become bored without enough stimulation, so she would thrive in a home where she receives plenty of interaction, affection and opportunities to play.

Betty is currently living with her friend Nancy and they can be adopted together. A home for the pair would be a wonderful outcome if the right family comes along.

Betty can also be adopted separately by the right family. Most importantly, she needs a loving indoor home with people who understand her history, accept her FIV status and occasional cough and are ready to give this funny little survivor the life she deserves.

Kids

Betty has been described as friendly around children. However, because she can play somewhat roughly and occasionally gives affectionate nibbles, any family with children will need to reinforce gentle boundaries and supervise interactions appropriately.

Indoor/Outdoor?

Indoor only. Given Betty’s health history and FIV-positive status, her vet has advised that she should not return to an outdoor street environment.

Other cats

Betty currently lives with her friend Nancy and the two can be rehomed together.

If adopted separately, Betty may also enjoy living with another friendly, playful cat following careful introductions. Betty can be enthusiastic when she wants to play, so a very quiet or elderly cat is unlikely to appreciate her particular brand of enthusiasm.

As Betty is FIV positive, an FIV-positive companion would be ideal. Her rescuer has noted that FIV-positive and FIV-negative cats can live together in the right circumstances where there is no fighting.

Dogs

Betty has lived around two dogs and is described as friendly with dogs.

Food

Betty eats both wet and dry food. She currently has indoor dry food available throughout the day and enjoys Applaws wet food twice daily.

Rescue Story

Betty was found on the streets while heavily pregnant and already very unwell with cat flu.

She underwent a pregnancy spay, but her troubles were not quite over. Betty developed pneumonia and tested positive for FIV. Her vet felt that, after everything she had been through, putting her back onto the streets would leave her far too vulnerable to becoming seriously ill again.

So Betty stayed.

And somewhere along the way, the poorly little street cat became the affectionate, playful whirlwind she is today.

She recovered, discovered wand toys, learnt to fetch, developed a fascination with water and set about trying to convince Nancy to play whenever the opportunity arose.

Now Betty and Nancy are waiting to see what comes next. They can find their new home together, or Betty can be considered separately for the right family.

Betty has already made it through the difficult chapter.

Now she needs the best one yet: a home of her own.