Radu (4 month old foster kitten) has been alone for a few weeks now, with Kaiser (his foster buddy) having been adopted already. He is content but requires a lot of playtime. Think of the most energetic cat you have ever known and then add a level up and you have Radu.
But he sleeps as hard as he plays, and he loves to sleep on you. He is so friendly and playful that he would make a perfect pet for a family with kids, and particularly for kids with little experience of handling a cat. Radu loves to be picked up and held in lots of weird ways – for him he is playing.
A new person starts in my Spanish class, Alayna, and we get talking. She mentions that she is looking for a cat for her and her 9 year old son Andy. I jump at the chance to tell her about Radu. She seems interested and a week later she comes over with Andy to meet him. Immediately Radu wants to play. I hand Andy the fishing rod toy with a feather attachment – he is a natural and before long he has Radu running and jumping all over the place. Including teaching him how to jump up and hold onto the clothes airer – argh! That comes back to bite me! Radu already loves pulling socks and pants off the airer and now he thinks the whole thing is his toy.
Alayna is happy to see her son enjoying playing so much. But Radu isn’t the cutest looking cat, and his high energy puts her off. She already has a very lively son – can she cope with a lively cat as well?
Over the next week or so, Alayna is under increasing pressure to get Radu. Andy is in love with him and can’t stop talking about it. But Alayna wants a calm lap cat that is very cute to look at. She decides to go to the rescue centre with Andy to find an alternative, and she invites me along too. I would never turn down an opportunity to cuddle cats so obviously I am going to go!
At the rescue centre Andy really doesn’t want to be there. His heart is set on Radu. And despite finding several possible contenders, Andy is not interested. None of them are as playful as Radu. I big part of me wants them to have him because I know he will be a great cat. But it has to be a good match for all the family.
Alayna drops me back at my house and gets out of the car. She says ‘I’m going to surprise Andy. Can I take Radu home with us now?’ I am elated beyond words. We gather him up along with his favourite toys, food and a freezer bag of his used litter (these are important things to help settle him into the new home).
I get a whatsapp from Alayna later that day saying ‘he’s so active. does he ever sleep?’ My heart sinks and I start to worry. Perhaps this wasn’t a good match after all. I do some breathing exercises and go to bed.
In the morning I get another message: ‘Radu is fine. He is sooo sweet. Thank you. I think he is a perfect cat and I’m glad to have made the decision to adopt him.’
I leap out of bed and feel relieved. Radu has found his forever home. We complete the paperwork a few days later. This is the best moment for me. I’ve completed my role in Radu’s life and it’s time to prepare for the next one. Her name is Selma and she will come home in a week’s time.
