Happy Tail: Puff
Puff was found on the streets of Toronto – sadly someone decided to give him away. Luckily, ACR trappers Robin and Michelle brought Puff to his caring foster, Ming-Ming, a veterinary technician at the Yonge-Davenport Pet Hospital.
With no medical care required, Puff went straight to his foster’s home where he bonded with another foster kitten. During his month of fostering, Puff became Ming-Ming’s shadow and constantly followed her around. “He was a very sweet kitten – very loud, loving, and demanding of my attention,” says Ming-Ming. “He actually helped a lot, as the other kitten I was fostering was quite scared. She saw Puff interacting with me and became more interested in people.”
After a month of fostering, it was easy for Ming-Ming to help Puff transition to a forever home. Puff’s adopter, Melissa, found him through an adoption post on Instagram. It had been a year since Melissa’s cat had passed away from cancer. Upon seeing Puff, Melissa felt ready to bring another kitty home. “We just knew we had to have Puff,” says Melissa, who generously adopted a second cat around the same time through the OSPCA.
Puff was a bit scared while travelling to his forever home, but his fear didn’t last long. Within minutes of arriving, Puff and his new sibling, Berlioz, were running around the house. Melissa recalls Puff’s initial days at home: “He was occupied by playing with his foster siblings,” says Melissa. “He was so sweet, cute and playful – we fell in love with him right away.”
In just one year, Melissa has seen Puff grow even more trusting with a little help from his family. “Puff and his brother still play and snuggle with each other – they are best friends!” says Melissa. “He has become more confident, cuddly and he is truly one of the most loving cats.” When he isn’t getting his exercise from playing, Puff follows his owners around the house and enjoys flopping onto the floor to ask for belly rubs.
A special routine Melissa and Puff share are their mornings: “Puff snuggles up to me in bed, purring, with his head right under my chin,” says Melissa. “Sometimes he kneads on my stomach or even suckles on the bed sheet.” Before starting a new day, Melissa enjoys time with the two kitties and their human baby brother, Greyson!
When reflecting on adopting Puff through ACR, Melissa is grateful for the proactive care he was shown. “I cannot thank ACR and Puff’s foster mom enough – for taking such good care of him and for opening our eyes to the joy that comes with adopting two kittens at the same time,” says Melissa. With a home full of loving family members (human and feline), Melissa is thrilled to have given Puff the second chance he deserves.
-Amy Ellen Soden
