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Calvin and Rascal are a very special pair of cats who have seen a lot of changes and loss in their lives. This is the story of both kitties, how they were rescued and came together.
CALVIN – The Reformed Tough Guy
Calvin (the fluffy orange guy) used to be a feral cat, living in a feral colony, and was captured as part of a trap/neuter/return program. He was in rough shape at first and could not walk properly, having sustained a bad soft-tissue leg injury. The vet prescribed extended cage-rest. Calvin recovered, though he was left with a permanent, slight limp.
The plan was to return all the cats to the feral colony after they had been fixed. However, the foster caretaker, Janette, was very kind-hearted. Given Calvin’s extended time already living indoors and remaining minor disability, Janette didn’t feel able to put him back on the mean streets, even though at the time he was still pretty feral. So, she committed to working with him to help him feel comfortable with people. Over time, Calvin blossomed into a very mellow and friendly guy! It is truly amazing to think that he was ever a feral cat; he has certainly forgotten all about that time in his life. Nowadays, he loves to be petted and lounge in a sunbeam.
RASCAL – The Late Bloomer
Black-and-white Rascal was only a kitten when he entered foster care, having been born to a stray mother in someone’s garage. For a while the homeowner let the neighborhood kids play with the kittens, but eventually announced he was going to “throw them all in the river”. Fortunately, Janette heard about this from a neighbor and came to secure the little family. Rascal’s mom and brothers all got adopted, but Rascal remained painfully shy. Usually, feral kittens can readily be socialized if they are young enough, but occasionally you get a harder case. For years, Rascal lived at the foster home among a handful of shy and feral cats who were not thought to be good candidates for adoption.
Gradually over time, Rascal began to mellow out, no longer flinching when approached. He started to accept pets for longer and longer duration, and eventually started approaching Janette and her friends to seek out attention. Today, you would never know he used to be afraid of people… in fact when his caretaker stops petting him and starts to walk away, he reaches out a paw and tries to pull her back!
So why did Rascal and Calvin get paired together? Well, at some point both developed a poopy little problem… they are prone to loose stools when eating “regular” cat food. The vet recommended a high-fiber food, and this has worked great for both of them to keep their poops healthy and regular. It is a dry Royal Canin brand food “Gastrointestinal Fiber Response”, available from most vet offices, many pet-food stores or (my new favorite) Chewy.com. The food also comes in a wet version if you prefer to feed canned.
Anyway, in order to get their special diet Rascal and Calvin have been housed in their own area apart from the other foster cats. They have compatible, gentle temperaments and have been getting along beautifully.
After these and many other good works, Rascal and Calvin’s rescuer, Janette, has passed away. Janette’s friends like to imagine her at the Rainbow Bridge meeting all her past kitties. We know Rascal and Calvin miss her, and it would be nothing short of amazing to see these boys finally in their own, real home after all they have been through in their lives. We’re hoping to find them a home where they can go together; it just makes sense with the same food needs, and they’re tried-and-true as a compatible pair.
Calvin is about 5 years old (best estimate) and Rascal is 8 (known for sure). I know most people will think this is too old for a new cat… keep in mind however that with proper care, kitties typically live 15-20 years. Rascal and Calvin have a whole “ACT TWO” ahead of them! They would make wonderful, easygoing companions for someone, and are so very deserving of that second chance to live their best life.
Rascal and Calvin would need a relatively quiet home without young kids or dogs. They do get along great with other cats, but of course there is the food requirement so if there are other cats eating other food in the home, you’d need a method to separate them for feeding (which certainly is not impossible and we can talk about strategies for this, if that’s your situation).
Both kitties have been neutered, tested FIV/FELV negative and are current on vaccinations. Also, both recently had professional dental cleanings, so they will go home with sparkling white teeth! They have always done a great job of using the litterbox. There is an adoption donation to the Feral Cat Foundation (an all-volunteer organization, which helped get them out of a bad situation and provided all of their medical care) to help us continue our work with homeless cats.
If you would like to meet these very special boys, or have any questions, please reach out by phone or email; we would love to talk to you.
