We don’t often think of behavioral rehabilitation for cats, but many cats who are deemed “unadoptable” in shelters just need a little help.

Thor was one of those cats.

 

He found his way to Pet Haven from Bloomington Animal Control picked up as a stray so we did not know his history. Bloomington Animal Control does not have an adoption program so they depend on rescues like Pet Haven to remove pets and bring them into foster care where they can be adopted out to loving families. He was fractious toward people and cats, scared, angry, and his behavior did not bode well for rescue placement or adoption. Things did not look good for Thor. Cats like Thor rarely make it out of the shelter.

Thor needed someone to believe he could be a good cat with the right support. Our Executive Director saw that in him, brought him to her home, and started the journey of Behavioral Rehabilitation. She has years of experience in feline behavior and modification work. Thor was in good hands.

Thor was a challenging case. He had not been treated well by people in his past. That was apparent by his PTSD-type reactions to sudden movements and things unfamiliar. He was terrified of other cats and really did not know how to play or engage. Through slow introductions of positive human touch, rewards, play, and very slowly meeting other cats, Thor began to shed his rough exterior. Our Director worked diligently with Thor for 5 months building trust and teaching him people and cats are what he needs in his life. He slowly began to trust and really blossom. He even enjoyed shoulder rides!

 

We took a chance on this angry scared guy hoping to do some behavior modification work on him. He was only just a year old, we wanted to give him a chance to shine and have a full life. We are so happy we did!

After 5 months of “back to school”, Thor is living his absolute best life.

 

He is calm, trusting of people, and fully enjoys the company of cats! He has been adopted into a home with two sisters, one feline one human, and two brothers. Also one feline and one human. He is enjoying his family and his full life!

 

 

 

Welcome to Pet haven Thor! You were not perfect but you were perfect for us!

 

The support Pet Haven is building for this program is heartwarming and we have partnered with several trainers and board and train facilities that want to help our dogs. We are building and training our foster base that is up for the challenge of dogs that need behavior rehabilitation. The dogs that come to us are often at the end of the road. We offer them a chance to shine. Sometimes this happens quickly, sometimes it can take a long time, but we give them the space, time, structure, and love to learn to trust and heal. Please consider a gift to our program that will have a lasting impact on many lives!