My wife and I have now fostered many affectionate, rescued kittens. We have adopted four rescue pets of our own. I thought I understood well the reciprocal nature of love between us and them. That is until Edgar came along. His story, and our experience with him, have raised that understanding to an entirely new level.

Edgar’s first few months were mired in uncertainty. He was the sole survivor from a litter of five, his four siblings having passed every couple of weeks for unknown reasons. That by itself was cause for concern; was something genetic affecting this litter?

He was doing well though, playful and growing, until his neutering procedure. He reacted badly to his anesthesia and his oxygen levels dropped. They intubated him and reversed the anesthesia, but he developed a rattle in his lungs as a result. He also may have developed a URI.

We received Edgar (then Tucker) shortly after this. I immediately noticed his rattle, a sound as if he was constantly trying to clear his throat. He was also restless and clearly scared, more so than most kittens we pick up. 

His first few weeks in our home were somewhat difficult. Since we weren’t sure if he was contagious or not, we had to keep him quarantined from our resident pets. Each time we’d leave his room, he’d start wailing his head off and scratching at the door, and we’d find ourselves hanging out with him again.

This quarantine wasn’t all bad though, because those hours spent with him eating meals, watching TV, even sleeping, were the moments when that mutual affection truly started to blossom, and when we realized that Edgar just wasn’t like other cats. He was different in the way he clung to us each time we picked him up, how he always greeted us at the door when we got home, trying to climb up our legs for a hug. He also fell in love with our humidifier, which we put in his room to help his lungs. You could tell he truly appreciated the care and attention we were giving him. 

As he started to recover, thanks to Pet Haven, countless visits to both VCA and the University of Minnesota’s clinic, and months of antibiotics, his rattle slowly began to recede and he seamlessly integrated into our family. He and our first foster fail, Miss Yoda, love getting into bouts of chasing and wrestling, and he’s even gotten our OG resident cat, Harold, out of his shell to play a bit. 

Edgar’s story truly epitomizes Pet Haven’s mission, in that every animal is worth caring for, no matter their history or condition. It’s also a testament to Pet Haven’s tremendous persistence and resources that make it possible to give a kitty cat like Edgar, who could have been forgotten, a loving forever home that he appreciates just as much, if not more, as we do.  

Thank you, Colin, for your lovely article about Edgar.  Colin and his wife Anna are both Fosters and Foster Mentors for Pet Haven.  As fosters, they care for and help cats on their way to a new family. As Mentors, they support our feline fosters when they have questions in care or any other way they might need help or support with their foster cat/kittens. Colin and Anna are amazing assets to Pet Haven and our rescued kitties. At Pet Haven, we value the gifts our Foster Families bring to the pets we care for. They are essential to the work we do. The ripple effects on the lives they touch are long-lasting.

Edgar is just one life but one worth saving. If you are interested in joining the Pet Haven Family and becoming a foster, please check out How To Become a Pet Haven Foster

If you would like to support our mission to care for those who need us most a donation in any amount is so deeply appreciated.