No One Wanted This Cat, And Here’s Why –

ARTICLE BY: Rich East, Ten Lives

Originally Posted on 14 July 2021

Jezabel’s Story

Jezabel is nothing short of a remarkable cat, and when she came to Ten Lives in April 2020 we knew it wouldn’t be long before she found a home. A week later she did, in fact, find a home, but as the story goes it was not meant to be.

What we needed to understand about Jezabel is that she is no ordinary cat. She is highly intelligent and requires an active lifestyle. Her new owners soon realised that she was not the right fit for their household and were unable to keep up with her needs.

Jezabel was placed with various foster carers before returning to the Ten Lives adoption rooms in March 2021 in the hopes of finding her furever home. Now, one would hope that the story is about to end here, unfortunately not. Jezabel was, in fact, adopted out. But again as the story goes, it was not meant to be.

Jezabel’s latest owners were unable to give her the home she needed. At no fault of their own they just could not keep up with her.

Now, this is not an adoption fail story because the final chapters of Jezabel’s story had not yet been written, and we turned to you, the public, to help us find Jezabel’s furever home.

In her most recent time in foster, carer Shuangzi saw the potential in this cat and started harness training her. Shuangzi’s love and support for Jezabel during this time resulted in a cat that loves spending time outside and loves exploring.

The reason no one wanted Jezabel
Jezabel is a cat that requires a big commitment of time and attention, and unfortunately for her, most people are not able to provide that for her in their day to day lives. When she doesn’t get the attention she needs she will tell you about it, and that leads to behaviour such as night time vocalisation – not a very desirable attribute for someone sharing your home!

But the reality is this, when her needs are met she is nothing short of a super snuggly, playful, and faithful companion.

We were on the hunt for Jezabel’s owners and we were casting our net wide. Somewhere out there was someone who understood that a cat has the potential to be more than a pet to meet you when you get home, that they can be an active part of your lifestyle.

What life would be like with Jezabel
All across the world people are realising the potential of cats as active companions in their lifestyles. More and more we are hearing of incredible cats who like to head down to the park or local café spot; of cats that like going hiking, camping, and even travelling with their owners.

Thanks to Shuangzi, Jezabel was harness trained and ready to go. With the love and support of a very special human we knew she would be the most amazing companion. All it takes is just one person to realise this.

And, how can I be so sure of this?

Well, for 6 years I travelled around Australia with my own cat, Willow, in our campervan. Along the way we met countless remarkable cats living their best lives with their devoted owners. What I see in Jezabel is what I saw in Willow all those years ago.

When I wrote that article back in July, I couldn’t have imagined what happened next. It was shared, liked, and read by thousands of people, each wanting to help Jezabel find her human. But in the back of my mind I understood that she had already been through two unsuccessful adoptions.

As the story goes, there was someone out there who could write those chapters and his name was Jimmy! Our morning meetings weren’t the same after she left. I know we aren’t meant to have favourites, but she had a huge impact on many staff members who looked forward to seeing her each day.

On a sunny day in September, Jimmy visited Ten Lives with Jezabel on harness. She strutted in as if she was still the Queen. I gave her some welcome-back scratches and shared some stories of how she used to take our volunteers out for long walks.

Jimmy told me of the adventures they had been having together. Hikes along the beach. Visits to the skatepark. Late night suburban wanderings. After a busy day together, she could often be found falling asleep on Jimmy’s guitar. In that moment I knew Jezabel had found the right human. They were a purrfect match.

From the moment I met Jezabel I knew that she was a remarkable cat, and it would take a remarkable human to give her the life she deserves. I am happy to say that she is now living that life.

In many ways this is a story about seeing the potential in someone (human or feline) and what can be possible if you give them a chance.

For Jimmy, he could see that Jezabel was more than just a cat needing a home. He saw the potential of what their friendship could be together. As someone who works in a shelter, it’s stories like Jezabel’s that warm my heart.

-Rich

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Ten Lives cares for thousands of cats every year. We rely on support from people just like you continue to provide care to cats in need.

What you can do to help…

Open your heart and home to become a foster carer.
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Check out our current cats and kittens awaiting adoption.
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