12/12/24

My dearest fellow mammals,

I am reaching out to the cat distribution network in the hope of finding just the right home for our beloved feline friend Elaine.

Elaine is a vibrant, intelligent, active, affectionate kitty, about 2-3 years old, with soft gray medium-length fur, and incredible double-paws. Despite living as a feral kitty for at least two years, she has excellent social skills and is good with humans and with other cats. She eats almost anything she is given with enthusiasm, uses the litter box beautifully, and knows how to play gently (retracting her claws) with humans. She *loves* toys, treats, catnip–and even belly rubs! I’m telling you, this cat will be a glorious addition to the right home. 

We have been fostering her for about five months, and it’s going really well, but she’s not quite the right fit for our home, so we are reaching out on her behalf to see if we can find her the exact right home. We love her! So this is a hard decision, but we feel certain that there is a Right Home for her and that we are not it.

Elaine is FIV+, so she needs to be in a home with other FIV+ kitties, or in a home with really peaceful, easy kitties so that there is no risk of fighting (which can lead to transmission of the FIV, and potentially lead to infections for Elaine). We’ve spent about $1,000 getting Elaine healthy and spayed (with generous help from a cat rescuer friend and from our vets, Bucksport Veterinary Clinic, which helped to defray some of the cost), and we are pleased to say that Elaine is in perfect health, apart from the FIV. Her labs are excellent. She is happy, healthy, and gorgeous. There are no ongoing treatment expenses for Elaine, except that she is more susceptible to infections and so may be more likely to need care more often than an FIV- kitty.

Elaine loves being an outdoor kitty, but because of her FIV, and her inclination to run wild, she can’t really be an outdoor kitty. Someone with a nice catio or safely enclosed outdoor area would be a good fit for her, so that she can still have adventures, or she can also be an indoor-only kitty with some good toys and other enrichment. Because Elaine loves company so much, we think it’s important that she have other cats to live with -or- one or more humans who are home a lot and would love to play, pet, and spend time with her. She’s a very polite sleeping companion! 

Elaine is also an amputee. She lost one hind leg when she was very young, and she has adapted beautifully. She is whip-smart, fast as lightning, and unbelievably agile. But, over time, she is likely to need some joint support. And it’s helpful if she has an accessible litter box.

Elaine was part of a feral colony near my home. She had a litter every four months for a year, and I worked very hard to win her trust so that one day, she finally accepted food from me, and then walked in the front door. She let me pick her up and take her to a room we had prepared for her…and that night…she had kittens! None of them survived beyond the first 48 hours, despite all our best efforts. (It was heartbreaking…) But we take great comfort in the fact that Elaine is safe and well and will have no more litters!

Are you Elaine’s Right Home? Do you know someone, or know someone who might know someone, who might be? Please forward this along to them.

We are based in Bucksport, ME and would ideally love for her to be nearby. But we are also open to the right person in another state. She’s wonderful at the vet and calm and good-natured in the car. At least so far!

You can email me at graychase@gmail.com for more details or to express an interest. And I will, of course! Offer free animal communication to help foster the transition to her new home and to ascertain her wishes and the wishes of any animals she might be living with. Pease reach out if you feel a connection to Elaine!

Peace, fellow mammals!

Naomi (and Elizabeth, Marjorie, Chewbacca, and Durga)