Snoopy

Jota and his wife Mercedes were driving through an underpass in Guatemala City one rainy afternoon. “Stop!” she yelled, and he did.

 

Crouched by the wall was a handsome black and white adult cat, presumably sheltering from the rain. Being cat-friendly people they had a travelling cage in the car, and the cat did not resist when Mercedes scooped him up.

 

After many fruitless days of advertising in local pet shops and vet clinics they figured they weren’t going to find the cat’s owner, and brought him to AWARE. We all thought he’d find a new human in next to no time, being such a handsome fellow. And indeed, over those first months, several would-be adopters got very interested in him. We named him Snoopy.

 

Snoopy always seemed to reciprocate people’s overtures, inviting cuddles and strokes. Until, that is, the person actually tried to touch him. With the friendly hand getting close, he’d give an almighty hiss and attempt to bite. This happened every time without fail (and with an occasional loss of human blood), and Snoopy has never managed to get adopted, to this day.

Is this an example of someone being too feisty for their own good? Of a cat not recovering from past abuse? Of humans being too dumb to get a simple message (“Don’t touch my tail!”)? In any case, he’s been with us for eight years now, and has mellowed out enough to allow the right person to stroke his head. He has also moved himself to the next-door section of the AWARE Cathouse, where he perhaps feels more comfortable with slightly fewer cats and a bit less play and skittering going on. We are still hoping that the right adopter will show up, and give Snoopy a proper home. They’d be adopting a cat with plenty of character!