Picked up as a stray last summer, nine-year-old Ricki was immediately deemed “not highly adoptable” due to her condition. Having lost much of her fur to a horrible flea infestation, the medium-sized tabby was covered in scabs in places where she’d scratched herself raw. But staff at the Senior Animals In Need Today Society (SAINTS), in Mission, saw the potential in Ricki, and agreed to take her on as a transfer from the local SPCA.
“She’d been put on a hypoallergenic diet, in case she had food allergies,” recalls Erin Bain, an animal caretaker at SAINTS who jokingly refers to herself as one of Ricki’s personal staff. “When she came to us, she was treated for fleas, all her hair grew bac,k and we weaned her off the hypo diet. She eats regular food now – she loves all different food, she’s not a picky eater. Maybe she remembers her time on the streets, having no food at all.”
With her health back in order, Ricki’s personality was finally able to shine through. Still playful in middle age, she often “spunks out and races around, up and over furniture, up and down her favourite scratching post.” Plus, she’s a people lover – if you sit in her area, she will find your lap. “She loves attention, loves interactive toys – anything engaging or interesting,” says Bain. “She likes to frequent our enclosed ‘catio,’ so she can chase bugs and watch the world.”
Though she currently lives with 10 other cats and “manages,” Ricki, given the choice, would be the only cat in her forever home. “In her dream home, in her perfect world, she is queen feline,” says Bain. “She shows no interest when dogs come to the gate, so we would expect no real issues – assuming, of course, the dog did not chase her. We don’t know for sure, but she might be a ‘fight’ rather than a ‘flight’ type of girl when it comes to dogs.”
Ricki, she adds, would make a terrific family pet. “She would do well in any home, though I think an active family would be ideal. She’s not ready for a slow-down retirement just yet; she has years full of fun and games waiting for her and would like to be played with – maybe a kid dangling a shoelace or using a laser pointer. The more people in the family, the more opportunity for getting love!”
Bain is keen to point out that, though Ricki does love attention and play time, she’s a “not-all-in-your-face” independent type – a cat who knows what she wants. She’s also a fan of high-up places: she has a favourite shelf unit at SAINTS, at the very top of which her bed is perched. “She’d be the cat that sleeps on the top bunk in a child’s room,” says Bain, adding that Ricki would benefit from a high cat tree in front of a window where, after play time is over, she could curl up in a spot of sunshine for a snooze.
To sum up, this lovely middle-aged gal is seeking an indoor-only forever home (a safe, enclosed outdoor space with no chance for escape would be fine) with an adopter who will dote on and love her. “She deserves to be a focal point, a spoiled member of the family,” Bain concludes. “She will give, in return, wonderful companionship, loads of attention and best friendship. Ricki desperately needs more one-on-one attention at this point and, being the strong, loving personality that she is, would bring life to a home.”
Can you offer the forever that Ricki’s been looking for? Adoption details can be found at saintsrescue.ca.
