THEA

Meet Thea

Thea is one of those special little cats whose affection feels all the more precious because it has to be earned.

When she first arrived in foster care, this gentle girl was frightened of almost everything. For five days, the space beneath the bed was her sanctuary and even catching her foster’s eye could send her scurrying back to safety.

Fast forward just one month and a very different Thea is beginning to appear.

She now greets her foster in the morning and when she comes home from work, meows when she would like some attention and has discovered that head and body scratches are actually rather wonderful. She has even started sleeping on the bed, albeit with a respectable amount of personal space between herself and the human.

Thea is affectionate, playful, independent and incredibly sweet, but she does things in her own time. For the person willing to let trust develop naturally, there is a gorgeous little cat waiting to come out of her shell.

A day in the life of Thea

Thea enjoys the quieter things in life.

She is perfectly happy entertaining herself with her toys and has a rather lovely habit of selecting exactly which toy she fancies from her basket. Come evening, the zoomies may make an appearance, although she can suddenly become rather shy if she realises she has an audience.

She loves head and side scratches and will meow when she would like some attention. Her foster offers her a hand first and lets Thea decide whether she is in the mood for affection. Once she has had enough, she simply wanders off for a lounge and a groom.

At night, when the house is still and everything feels safe, Thea may quietly creep closer. Her foster has woken to find a little furry body curled against her leg and Thea has recently begun sleeping on the bed.

She may not be a traditional lap cat, but she is increasingly choosing to be near her person.

The important stuff, according to Thea

There are a few shortcuts to this girl’s heart.

Head scratches are excellent. Side scratches are also excellent. Being softly reassured with an “It’s okay, Thea” seems to work wonders.

And apparently being told she is a “good girl” is extremely important. Compliments are very much accepted.

Food also brings out one of her sweetest little rituals. When her bowl is refilled, Thea will rub her whole body against her foster before going to eat, almost as though she needs to say thank you first.

What Thea does not enjoy is being picked up or held. She is not a lap cat and sudden movements, strangers and loud noises can frighten her. She needs people who will respect those boundaries rather than trying to rush her.

She has no history of biting and her play style is described as gentle.

Medical

Thea currently has no medical conditions, medication needs or special dietary requirements.

She was found with an injury when she was rescued, which meant her tail sadly had to be amputated. This has not affected her in the slightest and she gets on with life exactly as any other cat would.

Thea’s perfect family

Thea needs something wonderfully simple: calm, patience and kindness.

She would flourish with people who understand that affection does not have to happen on demand. Her new family will need to give her safe places to retreat to, allow her to explore her new surroundings in her own time and let Thea decide when she is ready for the next stage.

She can be easily startled and may initially hide while she adjusts. What her foster has already seen, however, is just how much progress she can make when she feels secure.

The reward is watching a cautious little cat begin to choose you.

Kids

Thea’s foster does not know how she behaves around children. As she is sensitive to noise and sudden movement and needs a calm environment, suitability for a household with children would need to be considered carefully.

Indoor or outdoor: Indoor only.

Thea currently lives completely indoors and this is the environment in which she has been gaining confidence.

Other cats

There are no other animals in Thea’s current foster home and her foster does not know how she behaves around other cats.

Dogs

Thea has not been assessed around dogs.

Food

Thea eats dry and wet food, with her bowl refilled twice a day at around 7am and 7.30pm.

She is not particularly fussy about kibble but apparently has stronger opinions when it comes to wet food. She also drinks water regularly.

Her litter tray habits are excellent. She consistently uses an open tray with clumping clay litter.

Rescue story

We do not know everything that happened before Thea arrived in her foster home and her foster believes she may have experienced a difficult past.

What we do know is what has happened since.

A couple of months ago, Thea was a frightened little cat hiding beneath a bed and running away whenever she felt watched.

Today, she greets her foster. She asks for scratches. She follows her around the home, sometimes even accompanying her to the bathroom. She plays, gets the evening zoomies, bumps her head against her foster’s legs and has started sleeping on the bed.

There is still a cautious little soul in there and her new family should expect trust to take time.

But Thea is already showing just how much love she has to give when she feels safe enough to give it.

For someone who understands that sometimes the best relationships are the ones that unfold slowly, Thea could be a very special little companion.