Some cats make a lasting impression during their stay at Lollypop Farm. Peter, a 5-year-old grey cat who came to the shelter in need of veterinary care was one such case. You see, Peter claimed a cupboard all to himself in the cat holding area of Lollypop Farm – and our cat care team went above and beyond to make a special space for this kitty in need.
Peter was just a kitten when he came to Lollypop Farm for the first time several years ago. He had been found abandoned in a neighboring town, and after a short stay at the shelter, was adopted to a happy home. It was because of illness that Peter ended up back at Lollypop Farm for a second time in December of this past year.
Peter had a mass on his left side, and was displaying symptoms of an internal blockage. His owners surrendered him to Lollypop Farm so that he might receive lifesaving veterinary care. Upon exploring Peter’s blockage, the veterinary team here at the shelter discovered a ball of tinsel in Peter’s small intestine – likely from holiday decor. Long, thin strands of silvery tinsel can be very tempting for cats and all-too easy to swallow, especially while grooming. The tinsel balls up inside of their intestines and can cause life-threatening blockages. Peter’s was caught just in time and removed, along with a mass on the side of his abdomen that proved to be a chronic ulcerative lesion.
During the time when Peter was undergoing surgeries and subsequent healing, he found a unique way to make himself comfortable in the cat holding area of the shelter. While getting some time to walk around and stretch his legs, Peter discovered a small corner cupboard above a staff member’s computer. “Peter jumped into the cupboard and pushed out all of the things that were inside of it,” says Nick Lapresi, Animal Care Attendant Supervisor at Lollypop Farm. “He decided that cupboard was going to be his little apartment!”
The cat care team at Lollypop Farm was all too happy to oblige, outfitting Peter’s cupboard with not only cat toys and a comfy cushion to sleep on, but also tiny works of art featuring fish, cats, and a tiny clock so that Peter “would know when it was time to go back to his kitty condo.” Peter came to be known affectionately as “Cupboard Cat.”
From his special cupboard space, Peter could survey the whole cat holding area, see what his feline friends were up to, and “meow” to get an occasional treat or chin scratch from a passing staff member.
Now that Peter has had his last surgery (we hope), he spent a brief stay in foster care to heal a little more before becoming available for adoption. We can only imagine that when Peter is finally ready to find a new home, one of his first tasks will be to find a nice, quiet little space to call his own. Maybe, another cupboard!
UPDATE
Interested in giving him a loving home? Learn more about him and his feline friends: www.lollypop.org/cats
